What's causing weight loss?

Packer5

Weight gain seems to be a fairly frequent topic here, but what about weight loss? My wife has lost about 30 lb since she was diagnosed early in 2009, and it's somewhat of a concern to her (and to me). Of course, she's changed her diet significantly since diagnosis and is following advice from a cancer nutritionist who says the weight loss isn't a problem at this point, but I'm not completely convinced. Has anyone had a similar experience, and what was the result?

I guess it's better than gaining weight.

Claire_in_Seattle

If this has been slow and steady, and everything else checks out just fine, it's probably the change in diet.  Is she also exercising more??  Sounds like a case of calories in < calories out.

Anastrazole can also cause weight loss in a lot of patients, and so does chemo for some (not all).

Having a lower BMI is a good thing, but of course, this can go too low.

There are things your wife could do to add calories back in to her diet.  You can check with the cancer nutritionist, but my guess would be more nuts/nut butters, avocados, and other beneficial fats.  Probably something like 200 calories a day would make a major difference here.

30 pounds over 3 years is a 100 calorie deficit a day.

Or be a bit less strict and add dessert back in a couple of days a week.  Saturday is National Pie Day.

LizM

My family, friends and also myself sometimes were concerned about my weight loss.  I lost about 20 plus pounds from the time they were trying to find out if I had breast cancer to after I completed treatment, approx 2 year period.  I attribute it to worry at first, total change in diet and increase in exercise.  My oncologist was not concerned at all about my weight and I weighed 114 1bs and was 5 ft 6 in.  He told me it is better for recurrence not to be overweight.  However, my family, especially my grown children, did not like me being so thin, they thought I looked ill when actually I was healthier than I had ever been.  I have gradually put on a little weight over the last couple of years and am back to 120, still much less than when I was diagnosed and feel great.     

apple

i found it was much better for my well being to be a bit on the thinner side since cancer.  i am by no means 'thin'... just leaner.