Loosing weight during chemo = bad prognosis?

Lilaa

hello,

A woman told that everyone in her chemo group, who lost weight during chemo and was thin died few years later..

She also told that she read , that whoever looses weight during chemotherapy does have a more negative prognosis than someone who dont loose weight or even gain weight.

Is this really true? Do you have read similar opinions or even experienced the same thing on other women?

I am now very afraid, because I constantly loose weight during my chemo. I just don't have much appetite.

nihahi

You will find many "scare" stories out there, and like those "alternative truth" tales, this one also has no merit.

Discuss these fears with your healthcare team, and I have no doubt they will dismiss them as bunk. Chemo can be tough, so just rest as you can, eat what you can, and believe it's being given to you to fight this cancer.

I lost a significant amount of weight on chemo...in 1991!!!! I'm still here and doing well.

momand2kids

I lost a fair amount of weight during chemo-- my prognosis was excellent at the time and still is almost 9 years later!!!! Everyone is different---

Castigame

Hello,

I beg to differ.  My mom was hit w ovarian bomb/diarrhea 22 yrs ago lost substantial  pounds. total hysterectomy and multiple rounds of chemo followed.   She was about 62 at the time she is still alive and kicking. she was subsequently  hit w BC bomb about 10 yrs ago.  Both cases, mom only had Medicaid.  she probably weighs 70 less than she was when  initial bomb exploded.   My hubby calls my mom energizer bunny.. I have pictures of before and after which I look at as insipiration. 

In my opinion losing weight during even after chemo is expected.  potential GI issue alone from all the medicines cannot leave your body alone.  please this is your fight alone. no one elses.     

p.s. I am going to send you before and after pics

exbrnxgrl

Lilaa,

Ask this woman for research based evidence of her hypothesis. Sadly, there are many arm chair oncologists out there who will take their anecdotal observations, evidence and old wives tales and happily spread them around while scaring the you know what out of you. Yes, as bc patients we have personal experiences with the disease and know far more than the average person but we are not oncologists. Unless we have done the research, our opinions are just that, opinions not fact.

Castigame

to all my BC sisters,

Here is a living testimony.

The first one is about feb 2017 of  my 85 yr mom.   3AM on 03/20/1995   , mom told me to take her to local municipal hospital ER.  that evening, mom had emergency hysterectomy. The family was told max of yr for mom.  Mom received Medicaid chemo back then taxol was the only default option. 

the second is circa 1990. even though  it is not the best picture, you can  clearly tell my mom literally was big.

the third one was taken june of 1994. Ovarian bomb exploded on March 1995 so at this time. There probably was a bomb inside her counting.

The fourth  was summer of 1997. I hope you can see the siginificant weight diff from 2nd and 3rd.

Related information is my no good old man father was still a jackass back then enough he had to get hot meals while mom was battling cancer.

And back then there was no hormone testing, so after chemo was completed, mom was given Premarin as HRT default option.  So about 2007, mom had a BC bomb  even though it only required lumpectomy and radiation.  Thank  god for Medicaid.

As everyone of us go thru this gruesome and oftentimes depressing battle, we have to ask ourselves again and again the same question

"Do I want to give up?"  It is up to us to decide what kind of answer we want to give.

p.s. Mom's last wish is to be donated for medical research and  the family  is going to respect her last wish even tough it may not happen  soon.

Lilaa

thank you for the answers. Your examples really calms me down.

But you don't know if there are any studies about this issue, do you?

@Rebamacfan. Your mom seems to be a very lovely and nice person. She's so strong and brave!

Hope I'll be able one day not to be negatively affected by every bad news I hear or read.

Spookiesmom

Dr Google is NOT your friend. Only go to reputable sites for information. Here, Mayo, Am Cancer, etc.

I lost 35# during chemo, 5 years ago. Doing fine.

Denise-G

Never, ever heard that one before...people say all kinds of crazy things.  Don't believe them!

I lost 20 # during chemo.  Didn't stay off, but hey, it is what it is.  I was very high risk and here

I am 5 years later!