Tamoxifen and weight loss

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Anonymous
Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
Tamoxifen and weight loss

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  • Bubblybubbles_1
    Bubblybubbles_1 Member Posts: 38
    edited December 2018

    hello everyone. I am 36 years old and have a question for people on tamoxifen. Is it hard to loose weight? I am on it for just over a month now and exercising 4 days a week which include personal training for 2 days. I haven’t lost 1 single pound(overweight). I am devastated to see myself standing on scale and not moving at all :( I am also on low fat high protein diet which always worked for me in the past. I am going to talk to my doctor tomorrow but until then any help is appreciated. I will update again tomorrow after my chat with docto

  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited December 2018

    I feel like a lot of women post about problems losing weight on Tamoxifen. I have not had a problem...I have lost probably 8 or so pounds since starting. I am 40 and started Tamoxifen when I was 38. So I've been on it for a bit---will be 2 years come March. I think a lot of that is I was so afraid of gaining weight on it, so I started doing a better job of regulating my appetite. It sounds too simple perhaps, but I try to avoid eating when I'm not really hungry (SOOOO hard to do), and cut back on second helpings, and when I feel like I want a snack I ask myself if I really need it. I definitely don't snack as often. And lunch on the weekends tends to be a big salad. I like salad so I eat a lot of that.

    It sounds too simple I know, but it's worked for me so far. I also cycle with appetite....I sometimes feel a little nausea so I tend to eat less during those times. That probably balances out with times where I eat more.

    Hopefully more will come along and share their experiences as well!

  • Bubblybubbles_1
    Bubblybubbles_1 Member Posts: 38
    edited December 2018

    gab : thank you so much for your reply and congrats on loosing weight. It’s been so hard for me and it’s really sad. I am a very positive person but it’s hard to stay motivated when the scale is not responding at all. Perhaps it takes time to loose weight?

  • Shellsatthebeach
    Shellsatthebeach Member Posts: 316
    edited December 2018

    I'm 51 and have lost 5 pounds since being on Tamoxifen. I haven't been on a diet, but I do work out for 45 minutes 2 days a week.

  • LiMa66
    LiMa66 Member Posts: 73
    edited December 2018

    Bubblybubbles~ each person is different. I have been on Tamoxifen since March and have had problems losing weight as well. It's been a slow process. Some folks don't have problems. It sounds like you're doing the right things- diet and exercise. Don't get frustrated, keep at it.

  • Palesa2018
    Palesa2018 Member Posts: 140
    edited December 2018

    Hi, I've been on Tamoxifen for two months and have lost weight, 8kg. I had such a strong need to prove that it is possible to lose weight on Zoladex and Tamoxifen that I started walking daily for 5km and cut out red meat and increased my fruit and veggie intake. Now I know it is possible to still lose weight. Give it time. And track calorie intake. I now want to focus on strength training in the new year.

    All the best, I know it is hard not seeing t he scale move!

  • PebblesV
    PebblesV Member Posts: 658
    edited December 2018

    Hi all - I just added this to my favorite topics as I intend to lose weight on tamoxifen (haven’t started yet) so I guess I’ll be my own guinea pig to see if it’s possible. I’ve lost 25 lbs since the initial bc diagnosis and plan to lose 10-20 more! Trying to do as much as I can before I start taking tamoxifen as I’ve heard both sides. It’s really encouraging to here from those of you who have successfully lost weight while on tamoxifen - it gives me a positive example that it CAN be done! Given that I’m able to lose weight now, we will see what happens when I start the hormone therapy.

    Bubbly - I did ask my MO about tamoxifen and wright gain. He said 1-2 lbs weight gain due to fluid retention could be expected. More than that however he said the fault is not tamoxifen. However it could have to do with difficulty losing? If you are at least maintaining your weight maybe that’s a positive and when your body adjusts you will be able to lose weight again? Hoping for you

  • Bubblybubbles_1
    Bubblybubbles_1 Member Posts: 38
    edited December 2018

    So I have chemo brain and new mom brain and totally forgot to update my own post. Apologies ladies. I did talk to my doctor and honestly I just burst into tears while talking about the struggles. She said it is normal to have difficulty loosing weight initially. She also mentioned to understand my diet as it is high protein diet and it means that I might be gaining muscles and loosing fat. It takes time to completely loose fat from the body. She also mentioned that I look and feel a bit depressed so proscribed antidepressants.

    Thank you to everyone who is here supporting me and shout out to ladies who lost weight. Way to go girls!!

  • justamy
    justamy Member Posts: 532
    edited January 2019

    Ive been doing very low carb and have lost 82 lbs since April of last year. I have been taking it for 3 years. I'm going to discontinue because of severe memory problems, but my weight loss has not been affected.

  • justamy
    justamy Member Posts: 532
    edited January 2019

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    Ive been doing very low carb and have lost 82 lbs since April of last year. I have been taking it for 3 years. I'm going to discontinue because of severe memory problems, but my weight loss has not been affected.

  • Bubblybubbles_1
    Bubblybubbles_1 Member Posts: 38
    edited January 2019

    oh wow @justamy what an achievement!!!!! Congrats. I am hoping to loose some weight this month but my severe fatigue from radiation is not helping..

  • PebblesV
    PebblesV Member Posts: 658
    edited January 2019

    Justamy that's amazing!! CONGRATULATIONS on such an impressive weight loss, and thank you for being an inspiration that it's possible to do. I just started tamoxifen and after day 1, I was still down in weight day 2, so hopefully tamoxifen does not effect weight loss for me too. I've lost 30 lbs before starting but have 15 more to go!

    Bubblybubbles - totally understand on the breaking down and you should have your moments! I broke down on something so minor it seemed (nurse couldn't 'tap a vein' and was digging around my arm with the needle, twice, and I felt like that arm had gotten so much blood pulled and when I called my husband to tell him about it I broke down)... anyways we all have our moments and I hope the cry was a little bit cathartic. Hoping you will be able to find your path to weight loss too...

    I mostly go with the calorie counting, no processed foods, more fruits and veggies. We will see if it's possible for me to continue to lose weight on tamoxifen or not, I only just started... here's hoping!

  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited January 2019

    Justamy, wow you are doing great!

  • Misstic
    Misstic Member Posts: 115
    edited January 2019

    I lost 26 pounds doing a keto diet at the very beginning of my chemo. I continue keto and maintain my weight. It improved my brain fog, my ache pain, my mood and my sleep. I'm very happy with it and continue this diet.

  • PebblesV
    PebblesV Member Posts: 658
    edited January 2019

    Wow that is great Misstic! Most people gain weight with chemo so amazing that you've managed to lose weight through it.

  • WC3
    WC3 Member Posts: 1,540
    edited January 2019

    justamy:

    Congratulations on the weight loss!

  • TessaW
    TessaW Member Posts: 231
    edited January 2019

    no matter what I did I could never lose weight on tamoxifen.

    I went off of AI's completely at one point because I lost my insurance and dropped 40 pounds in 2 months going from the 160s down to the 120s.

    Went back on them and right away was back up in the 150s. Sux.

  • Marymc86
    Marymc86 Member Posts: 102
    edited January 2019

    Wow, way to go!


  • Kleenex
    Kleenex Member Posts: 764
    edited January 2019

    I finished 10 years of Tamoxifen at the end of last year - I weighed about the same the whole time I was taking it, 124 - 128 lbs (I'm about 5'4"). I didn't specifically try to LOSE weight, but I did lose a few pounds early last year when I was working nights for a few months. Weirdly, the night shift was good for me because I got great daily afternoon exercise and planned good meals for myself before work ever day. Since I've been working full time days, I gained back the few pounds I lost, but in the end, I still weigh about the same. I didn't really notice any correlation between taking Tamoxifen and weight gain or loss. For me, it's all about whether I'm getting exercise, and what and when I'm eating.

    Hot flashes have been kicking my butt now on and off for 10 years, but that's another story...

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