Weight gain during ACT

I gained 15 lbs.  A combination of steroids, eating pancakes (my AC craving), and being inactive. I lost the weight in the 2 months following the end of chemo.  So, it does get better.  By taxol time, I was feeling more energy and eating better foods.  I do recommend taking a probiotic after chemo.  I found this helped my bloated belly.  Hang in there!  It will get easier.

I gained close to 20 lbs....

I was so sick, and literally did not move off the couch. It was winter, did chemo from Sep-Feb, and I had no desire to try to get outside because I feared that I would catch a cold/flu/infection.

PLUS....I could only stomach things like pancakes and pastas, carbs. This all and the steroids they give you, caused weight gain.

I did loose the weight though, but I restricted my diet to about 800-1000 calories a day. I have since gained it back...lol. Im trying again.

Dear Purdue...

I am post menopausal, and have learned (the hard way) that the key is maintaining muscle mass and doing enough aerobic activity to burn off the fat..  So not an impossible task.  Staying toned takes discipline and is a necessity as you get older.

I have been well enough to exercise throughout six AC rounds and am doing the same with Taxol.  I had gained about 20 lbs during my divorce 3 years ago and have lost about 2/3 of it. 

The thing however that frightened me was not gaining weight, but bone loss.  So I have done a routine of weights/crunches plus walked at least a mile every week day since starting chemo.  Plus cycled a minimum of about 15 miles 2 days a week (most often week ends).  Often I was dragging, and sometimes it was hard to breathe, but I did it.  I figured I would be dragging either way, and I might as well be fit and dragging.

But I was extremely fit going into this whole experience.

Anyway, I wanted you to know that weight management can be done.  I just want to make sure I don't gain it back at the end of chemo, but have summer cycling events planned to keep me moving.  Plus, will need to watch food intake as I love to eat, and wonderful food in Seattle.

So I would recommend working with a trainer to build muscle mass.  This will keep your metabolism revved and then aerobic exercise for keeping your cardio function primo.  I walk, cycle, ski and hike, and do all this outdoors.  I have an exercise ball for crunches and a pair of 10 lb free weights.  I just turned 60 and my body is buff.

I do need to warn you that abs are lazy and try to get out of being crunched.  Mine complain all the time, but finally got the word that they need to stay inside their house (AKA rib cage).

The other thing I did that I think helped is focus on eating a lot more protein than I normally do.  This stabelized my energy and helped give me the strength to exercise even during the most difficult days when my red cell counts tanked.  Less important on Taxol, but I just can't do as much sugar as before.  Suspect that will change once I am through this.

So my counsel to you would be to try to do a lot more walking right now.  I assume from your description of your body that you had a mastectomy, whereas I just had a couple of chunks removed.  So as soon as the drain came out, I lifted again (5lb at the start).   And I never stopped exercising, other than the day of surgery and one day when I was attending a conference.

But I don't see any reason why you shouldn't expect to look just fab on the other end once you get back to exercising. - Claire

Ah, the joys of modern Chemo! I put on a ton as well - i don't know how much, probably 10-15lbs in all. Everything got tight, and I started living in Yoga pants! It was not related to overeating or not exercising, I think it is the Steroids.

For me, it came off once I finished treatment. Try not to worry about it. This is not the time to be dieting. Once summer is here you will be more active too, and can get your diet back in line.

I had just the opposite experience.  I was so sick on chemo that nothing sounded or tasted good.  I lost a total of 34 lbs on 4*AC + 12TH.  This stuff is so unpredictable and everybody's experience seems to be different.