Losing Weight While on Tamoxifin

What a great topic. I've been on Tamoxifen for just over a year and I've gained about 15 pounds. About half of that was weight I had lost on chemo. I have to say that I gained most of that in the first 6 months. I joined Curves last September and have been going faithfully 3 times per week.  While I'm not losing weight, I'm no longer gaining. It seems to keep me from gaining more.  I can't say that I'm really dieting either but I do watch that I don't eat too much.  The belly fat thing is a problem.  The rest of me has toned quite a bit but the belly fat doesn't go anywhere.  It helps me when I remind myself that I'd rather be alive and plump than skinny and dead! It's also true that it is very common to gain weight during menopause so it probably would have been a sturggle at some point anyway!

TamGam: I started tamoxifen on Dec. 25th 2009 (merry christmas!), four weeks after my last chemo.

I had gained around 12 pounds during chemo and lost some when I finally started eating normally again. I still have 8-9 pounds to lose. I have recently gone back to the gym and even hired a personal trainer to try and stay active everyday. After 3 weeks of working out like crazy, I still haven't lost anything... it is pretty disheartening. At least I'm trying to stop gaining!

I seem to have plateaued.  I am heavier now post chemo and I just can't seem to lose the stomach roll.  I exercise, don't overeat or drink , to no avail.  Summer has to be better.

AmyIsStrong, another good comment and something to definitely keep in mind. 

My husband tells me that for many of us, being thirsty feels the same as being hungry--its just a state of want.  Most of us go for food first when what our body may really need is water. i have tried that during the day and find it is often very true.  If I drink a big glass of water and wait a few minutes, I find I am not really hungry.  Another thing to keep in mind is speed of eatting. I have a VERY bad habit of eatting fast which means I easily eat more than I could because my brain isn't getting the message that I've had enough.

I am keeping all of this in mind when I think I want a snack and trying to make the good habits NOW before I am actually on the tamoxifen.

I'm nervous about weight gain with TMX but I am more nervous about going from stage1 to stage 4 BC. I guess I will have to pick my poison and watch what I put in my mouth more carefully.

Hi All,

I've been on Tamoxifen for almost 4 years... The whole Tamoxifen/weight issue for me is a big issue! 

I'm a veggie and pretty a healthy eater, but I certainly love my food and I have always been overweight. However, the year I was diagnosed, I had finally taken control of my weight issues, I got a dog and was walking every day and was finally loosing weight and toning up - I was in the best shape I was ever in! Then I was diagnosed with BC at the age of 27... Like someone else said, I think that loosing the weight helped me find the tumor??

Anyway, with 6 months of AC&T chemo, the weight started to pile on, even though I walked every day through chemo, except for the really bad days. I started Tamoxifen nearly a year after diagnosis and to date, I have put on 30 pounds... The weight went on really quickly, but has plateaued with minor fluctuations. Throughout this massive weight gain, I was walking every day and as usual, was eating healthily, not eating junk or fast foods etc... I am also a completely different body shape than I ever was. I always was pear shaped, but now, as I have taking with hiking and also so cycling, my legs are solid muscle - but I have that big flabby Tamoxifen tummy...

At this stage, I only have a year to go on Tamoxifen, so I'm resigned to the fact that I will be like this until then. It's frustrating and disheartening and it worries me sometimes when there is mention of weight contributing to BC and recurrences, but there's nothing I can do...? My only hope is that the weight will come off when I finish Tamoxifen!

Take care,

Mags x

Hello.

It`s interesting to read all the comments.I have been on tamoxifen for 3 years and have gained weight. For a week I did not take it and started to lose weight.I`m back on it and have quickly gained weight. I think it is fluid retention.I wonder if anyone else has thought this.

Hi all

I've been on tamoxifen for one year and have lost 40 lbs since diagnosis. It can be done and I don't think tamoxifen really causes weight gain. I did not have chemo, so started tam toward the end of RT. I started exercising and reducing calories during RT and carried on into Tam period. I went from size 14 to 6, L to S. 

I would also recommend a website with tools to help you lose: caloriecount.about.com. It is also free, and I don't know if it is better than Myplate, just another option that helped me. Good luck!

I just booked my personal trainer (that I had before this all started) and first session is on Monday.
Yikes. I am nervous and excited.  I know I will not be able to perform at the level I was at before all this started but I am going to TRY not to let that discourage me - just start to build where I am now. He's very positive so that will help.  He pushes but hopefully NOT TOO HARD.

I'll report back after Monday.

Had a great day today. Saw the onc - had a very nice brief visit, he pronounced me 'cured' and said to make an appt for October. I am dubious about the 'cured' concept, but not going back until October ROCKS! It was a really good visit.

Then tonight was the personal trainer appt. I was so pumped about the doctor's appt, I didn't have a chance to be nervous. I just went in and told him I was READY. I did a 10 min warm up on the elliptical and then we started. He gave me an hour non-cardio workout. We only did 1 set of each of the exercises - when I do it on my own, I will do the circuit twice or eventually 3x. But tonight ONCE was PLENTY. It was really hard but I was brave and pushed through. Then i had a 20 min time on the treadmill to finsh up. I came home TIRED & HUNGRY but really motivated. I know I always say I work out regularly, but this is kicking it up a notch. I am going to watch what I eat, and work really hard and be confident that even w the Tamox, my body is going to respond.

I have to do the workout he gave me on Wed and Fri, and do cardio in between (tues/thurs). Then I will see him one day next week for a new workout.

I am really happy & excited. I feel like I'M BACK BABY!

LOL  Koshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh  !!!

I switched off Tamoxifen bc at my 2.5 yrs of taking Tamoxifen I was still " Period Free " so they checked my LEVELS ......... and I am now menopausal BIG TIME when tested in Jan 2010 at the tender age of 45.   So on to Aromasin since studies show those doing well on Tamoxifen will continue to do so on Aromasin.  I still don't have any real se's I mean -- what is a hot flash ... alothough in Wisconsin with hot, humid days recently I do find my face appearing sweaty... or that shiny glow ...........

Weight Loss -- well it does get frustrating for me bc I exercise hard and often let the pounds go so slowlyyyyyyyyyy  -- it doesn't help that I am also hypothyroid ever since my late teens.  I can tell with Jazzercise though that I am firming up .. and feel better in clothes.... as we all know muscle weighs more then FAT... so I feel that I am losing.

I would love to do a personal trainer to move things along faster per se -- but with the thyroid issues it would be like throwing $$$ out the window ... Couple yrs ago I did weight watchers  - followed the points religiously but still didn't drop pounds like they others did .... grrrrrrr....

I also just not much of a water drinker ---- I wish I had someone look me in the eyes and say --- girl if you drink 8-10 cups of water daily you would definately see RESULTS.  Heck I even stopped drinking my one a day can of Mt Dew -- for mths now -- drinking diet AW Root Beer ... won't u think just that one change would drop the pounds ???

KOSH I will PM my email to you.   xxx  

Congratulations Koshka!!!

I am losing weight too.  Am doing my M/W/F killer weights workout from the trainer and cardio or the Jillian DVD the other days.  My trainer said do not weigh more than 1x/month but judge by how your clothes fit. I can tell I am trimming down  a little.  Am eating 3 simple meals day/ low carbs, lower fat, no sugar.  Feel GREAT!

I feel like when I started Tamox, my body just went CRAZY. I truly could NOT STOP eating or gaining. That has passed now and I have self discipline and feel more like my 'old' self.

Keep it up ladies. We can do this!