weighty issues

Hi Beastybabe, I don't post much but, I'll try to chime in hear. I was put on Tamoxifin the very next day when I finished radiation back 5/7/08. Well when I went for a check up with my oncol. I told her I was having pain in my left calf. So she sent me down for a doppler and found out I have a blood clot around the knee area. Now this is a possible SE if your on Tamoxifin. So she had to get me off the Tamoxifin and put me on Aromasin but, in order to do that she had to put me into menopause. She thought with all the chemo I had and my age 50 I would be in menopause but my body just refuses. So they had to inject a pellet under the skin. This happened 7 months after I started on the Tamoxifin so it was Nov. Now they have to inject another pellet the end of this month 25th and hopefully I'm in menopause. Now as far as the weight goes I have been very careful of what I eat and the scale goes up at least 2# a day. Since being dx I've gained 40#. I've tried every thing. I have no energy, weight gain, and constant pain. So to conclude not knowing your age and now you know about Tamoxifin and the legs maybe you could talk to your docter about putting you in menopause. The very best to you. Sue

Hi Annalia,                                                                                                                           As far as stabilizing my weight I bounce back in forth up 3#  down 3# put that's the extent of it. I can't seem to get below a certain weight. I could starve myself for a week nothing will budge. Sue

I've put on 20+ pounds since starting chemo in Oct.  Is it safe to try to lose weight while on chemo?  I'm trying to walk more and eat better but it still keeps adding up - a pound or two a week.  It's starting to really wear me down and my legs are starting to ache after teaching all day.

Any suggestions?

Lori

Ladies,

I was overweight when I was diagnosed in June of 2007.  I had bilateral mast surgery, axillary node dissection, dose dense chemo and radiation.  I started taking tamoxifen in January of 2008. I was gaining, gaining, gaining and I felt gross.  I'm only 4 ft. 10 1/2 inches.  In October I just woke up one day and drove to Weight Watchers.  I thought it would be impossible.  It's been a very slow process but I have lost 10 lbs.  I just refuse to give up.  Even when I have weeks where I know I gained, I just go.  I find staying at the meeting helpful.

The point is, if I can do this...ANYONE....can.  I changed a lot of my eating habits and try new things everyday.  Also, I stopped buying foods that I can't resist (such as potato chips, salami...well a lot of things).  Sometimes my family complains but they're doing fine without the junk. 

As far as tamoxifen goes, I get major major hot flashes all day long but I don't have any other side effects.

Don't give up.  I can't believe over one year has passed for me and I try to think..only four more to go.  Don't aim for big losses, just a little at a time.

Lots of hugs, Jackie

p.s....i love to eat and i eat all day long.  LOL.. i just started making different choices and it does make a difference.

I did 2 things that really helped:  #1, I saw therapist at the cancer centre, and she said I had a lot of unshed tears.  Talking to her was good because it meant I could let it all out without burdening and scaring my family and friends, who have worried so much. #2, I got back into my old exercise routine as soon as could (sooner actually!)  That helped me mentally and physically.  I felt like I was getting my life back, and putting the cancer behind me.  I had a lumpectomy in Nov.'07, chemo Jan-May '08, and 30 radiation treatments ending mid July '08.  I started swimming again in Sept. and had to rest after every 25m.  I cried all the way home after that first swim, out of shear exhaustion.  I could barely lift my arms to the steering wheel.  Within a month, I could swim 100m before needing a break, and by Dec I could do 400m before needing a break.  I started running again (slowly) at the end of September, and did a 5K in December. Yesterday I ran/walked 10K.  And I started working out 2 days a week with a trainer.  I have lost 10 pounds and my mental outlook is much, much better.  I've been on Tamoxifen since July.  I gained 20 pounds during treatment, although I'm sure at least 5 pounds of it was Taxitere bloat.  Good luck!

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