Weight loss

Lita19901

I'm wondering if anyone has experienced an unexplained weight loss as the first symptom of metastasis. I've recently lost about eight pounds in a short period of time - maybe two months? I didn't even realize it because we were in the process of moving and the scale is at the other house. But my clothes started being really loose and so I checked it. I have been moving and lifting heavy stuff quite a bit, but I'm not sure if that would account for it. Now I'm forcing myself to eat lots to see if I gain some of it back. I feel fine, lots of energy, appetite good, etc. And I had blood work recently with normal calcium levels and liver enzymes. But I have been really tense because my husband is having his own health problems. I have a regular appointment with my oncologist in a couple weeks. Thoughts?

Esther01

Hi Lita,

The same thing happened to me. I was alarmed, but it wasn't anything to do with metastasis. I am 15 pounds below where I was this time last year. I noticed in October as I was redecorating a house and moving and lifting a lot of heavy furniture, suddenly my clothes didn't fit and my pants were too loose! I too have tons of energy and feel fine. I had everything checked out and nothing accounted for it. I then saw a nutritionist and she says that I have not been taking in enough calories for awhile (calories in, calories out) and my weight was sliding accordingly.

I now use the MyPlate app to be certain I eat enough calories each day to regain the weight, and so far I love it. I see now that I was not taking in enough calories to match my energy output. I'm also eating a keto diet. I find it hard to get in enough calories when you eat healthy. But, I am having a lot of avocado, putting olive oil on everything, and cooking with butter.The app is great because you can scan the bar code on food packaging, and it automatically recognizes it and adds it for you.

To regain muscle instead of just fat, I'm doing more walking and a few heavy lifts with just a few repetitions so the regained weight goes to muscle and not straight to my tummy again.

If you start using an app like MyPlate and you know that you are taking in all of the calories you need to begin regaining the weight, but still see your weight sliding, you will know that before you see your oncologist.

Blessings,

Esther

Lita19901

Esther -

Thanks so much for sharing your experience with me, and for the app suggestion. I really appreciate it!

Lit

AliceBastable

I started losing weight in late fall of 2017. It started coming off faster as the months passed, but I attributed it to having bad flu in January, upset over my mother's death that month, then dental work and adjustment to dentures. And I was trying to eat healthier. But my primary care doc sent me to a hematologist because my WBC was high (which I thought was silly since it had run high intermittently for years). Before that appointment could happen, I had the mammogram that led to all the breast cancer fun and games. I figured that's why I was losing weight, then. That hematologist is also the oncologist the BS referred me to, so I saw her for a quick check-in before surgery, at which time she ordered a no-contrast chest CT since I was a smoker. That showed an egg-size cancer perched on top of my kidney. Turns out that was the culprit, stealing everything I ate. But keep in mind my weight loss, which went on over several months, was about 45 pounds. I'd say keep an eye on it and if you continue to lose for no reason, have your oncologist run tests.

Lita19901

Alice,

I appreciate your sharing your experience with me - thank you

AMG2

I'm so glad you started this thread. I've also lost about 20 lbs over the last year, which I'd been attributing to stress, but it's accelerated to about a lb a week over the last month, but maybe it's still just stress? Anyway, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one, and it can just happen.

Lita19901

Sorry for my delayed response. I've been having a mental meltdown since the single test that could have explained this that wasn't cancer - thyroid function - came back hypothyroid rather than hyperthyroid.

What does your oncologist say? Mine said see you at your next appointment in September...aggghhh..

Esther01

I am grateful Lita that you started this thread. I found a normal 2019 doctor's visit report (135 lbs) and realized I have lost 25 pounds from my normal weight, which was more than I thought. My upper frame looks so gaunt and I was alarmed in the shower and at night in bed when I could feel bones protruding everywhere. I kind of got used to it though and now I'm sleeping better with melatonin so I'm not awake to feel my bones I was 116 at diagnosis, and slid down to 110 at surgery. I've hovered at 110 ever since. One of my biggest problems is just not wanting to eat. I don't get enough calorie intake by far, unless I make real efforts each day.

My labs and enzymes are good though and I gain more consistently when I use my MyPlate App. I'm still finding it hard to regain the weight while only eating healthy, but it is slowly happening. I had to buy all new pants since my old ones slid right off my hips, and sometimes I get alarmed when the new ones are getting loose, too.

Alice, my heart broke reading what you had going on at the time in 2017. I had somewhat similar issues. I was caring for a parent with dementia and simultaneously pushed myself to the point of physical exhaustion in remodeling a house in 10 days for a tenant to move in. I physically could not stand on my own legs. It was so foolish of me... but, it was in the 2020 beginning of Covid and I was afraid of hiring anyone into the house in order to protect my mom. This was two months before diagnosis.

I meant to reach out to you Lita, I celebrated gaining a POUND on Thursday at radiation! That's significant for me because many lose weight during rads. I tried my best to gain as much weight as possible before surgery and then again before radiation, but it just didn't happen for me. I finally resolved to just do my best at the weight I had, and work on climbing back up once I am further past treatment.

What helps me the most is eating a lot of avocados, and having salmon or other fatty fish, and pouring olive oil and butter on everything (grass fed or salted butter from cows without rbst ). I also have a daily Orgain Clean Whey protein shake with either unsweetened vanilla flax milk or Ripple pea protein milk, where I only use one of the two scoops to keep my sugar intake down. I rotate pecans, walnuts, or macadamia nuts in to my salads every day so I don't eat the same thing from one day to the next.

I just bought macadamia nut milk yesterday for the first time at Sprouts. Can't wait to try it in a smoothie today!

Hugs and have a good Saturday,

Esther

Esther01

P.S. Lita, my oncologists didn't know what to tell me about the weight loss. My PCP couldn't explain it either. A nutritionist helped me figure out what I needed in macronutrients to start regaining, but it turns out that app already does that for you when you first set it up.

And AMG, you're right, there can be so many causes, and stress is a toughie. My cortisol level was so high at diagnosis that my IMD said, "Ok, you deserve that. Let's retest in a few months." It's much lower now. But, even with the surgery behind me, and a PET scan at diagnosis showing the breast was the only cancer, I still have difficulty with little appetite. This keto diet is pretty filling.

Blessings,

Esther

illimae

Lita, considering the stress of moving and your husband’s health, your activity of lifting and moving and the distraction associated with moving possibly affecting your eating habits, I’m inclined to suspect those variables over cancer progression. Of course, scans are likely to provide the best answers but I’ve learned that so many things I’ve been concerned about over the years ended up being nothing at all.

Once a had an ache in my thumb, got a little freaked out and insisted that my MO check it out, turns out it was related to how I held the steering wheel in my new car, geez, it never ends.

Lita19901

Fingers crossed!

Your story about your thumb reminded me about something similar that happened to me.

Out of nowhere I had a red hot, swollen pinky. I’m thinking great, rheumatoid arthritis, because I have the markers for lupus and other autoimmune disease but no symptoms.

Turns out it was one of my nearly two year twin grandsons leadme around by my finger all day!