weight gain from chemo?

Know how you feel. I gained a lot of weight during chemo and it took me about a year to get it back off. You should not go on a diet. My onc said this is a bad idea. I joked with him that I had to get cancer to not be on a diet...who knew.
The evil steriods do make you gain a lot of weight and chemo just does weird things to your body too. If you are exercising you are doing the right thing. I know it is not easy to do, but try not to focus too much on your weight right now. Your body is being put through a lot right now and when you get back to normal (meaning done with treatment) your weight will come in line too. Nurses told me a lot of women gain weight during chemo. Hang in there!

Mandy -- Since you're still exercising, once tx ends and you get the fruits and veggies going again and get back to your normal diet, I'll bet the pounds start coming off, even if steroid pounds are a little harder to shake.

I had my last tx June 14, and I'm beginning to eat more and more normally. It's ironic that I couldn't enjoy the high fat foods I was eating to keep up my protein and overall calorie intake during treatment, and now that my appetite is returning, I have to give them up or I'll have post-tx extra poundage.

I am chiming in as I have also gained about 15 lbs. since dx - I blame it on a few things - definitely lack of activity - I had been going to a circuit gym like Curves 4 - 5 x/week for almost 2 years before the BC. Also due to nausea only able to eat mostly carbs - saltines, whole wheat toast, pasta . Also I had three rounds of Taxotere - famous for water retention/swelling - I finally got a lasix for this and feel better. Also if you were premenopausal before tx - the chemo can put you into instant menopause - lower metabolism rate. And of course the lovely steroids - who could ask for anything more?
Caya

Mandy, Uncle Fester!?!lol You hit the nail on the head with that one! I remember asking the onc(not mine , she filled in because mine was on vacation) about weight gain , because others were having a hard time with it , and she looked at me like I was from Mars and said she never heard of such a thing.And shes been an onc for 16 years. Glad shes not my onc. I think for me , although I can smell very well , but can't taste , I find myself eating more to try to taste something. Good luck to you. Next year at this time I hope we're looking more like Mortisha than Uncle Fester! Melody

Amy, my downfall during tx was rootbeer floats. DH was terrified that I would waste away and kept food at my fingertips all during tx. Result: 20 pound weight gain. I lost 5 pounds during AC, then the pounds packed on during T/H. I'm still on herceptin so the weight is really hanging on. I've lost 10 pounds but am still struggling with the next 10. We've started walking in the evenings again and I think it is helping tremendously. BUT I couldn't move a muscle most of the time during tx.

I've also been watching my carbs (I am the original carboholic). There is a free website: fitday.com. It tracks all the food you eat during the day and breaks it down into calories, carbs, proteins, etc. You can also set up reports to track special items (ie sodium), track your weight, record exercise. I've been using it for years and like it enough that I'm tempted to buy the program.

I'm also still searching for a low carb cocktail. Those are also my downfall!

Karen

Carol--there is a no-carb cocktail you can make---we have store here called Drug Emporium, but check your grocery store too---they sell a NO CARB cranberry juice. Vodka has no carbs. So, instead of a vodka tonic, treat your self to a vodka-cran cocktail.

Enjoy!

I thought chemo was going to be the quick weight loss plan! Who knew that I would develop a pot belly like a garden gnome?! I think I gained about 20 lbs however when I had my exchange surgery I got liposuction of my abdomen and flanks.

Lipo doesn't necessarily take off pounds but it does improve the profile so now I have a flat stomach and very reduced love handles. I figured I suffered enough, I didn't need to torment myself at the gym too!

Mandy -

I'm another one who gained weight on chemo. I kept working out at the gym, although my stamina for cardio definitely dropped - impressive that you're keeping up such a rigorous running schedule!

I'm now 7 mos out of chemo and still have an excess 20 lbs. At least the 15 lbs of water retention are gone. However, when I fly, I still use the lasix and orthopedic stockings to prevent swelling in my legs.

I think LisaSD's earlier post ... about those of us being premenopausal being kicked into chemopause or menopause and the resulting metabolism changes is right on target. The hardest thing is that I've had an hourglass figure since I was 12 ... and since chemo, it just vanished! The chemo weight is really in my mid-section. Ugh. I'm trying to increase my cardio work-outs (weights stayed pretty strong), but it's not coming off ... Most of my cute summer dresses and other clothes don't fit ...

You're right, the most important thing is beating this cancer ... but I'd really like to get back to my pre-chemo appearance ...

CalGal

I just had my 1st round of AC a little over a week ago and was also given steroid pills (Dexamethasone) to follow up for a few days after. When I found that they made my heart race and caused dizziness, I called my Onc. He said that in this case, they were used purely to alleviate nauseau and to stimulate appetite, and I could stop them alltogether if I wanted (I did). Some steroids are used to shrink cells in other types of cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, but in breast cancer they are used short term only to mitigate the effects of chemo. In fact, there have been a few studies suggesting that steroids used in this way prevent the chemo from doing it's full job.
Just thought I'd pass it along.

Sue

Hi Mandy,

How are you? I remember emailing you when you were first diagnosed I think.

I am done with radiation for a month now! NO METS! Yes! I now go every 3 weeks for Herceptin, and that's it. I'm slowly getting myself together. I started going back to the gym. I gained to be exact 16 lbs. I hate it. I've been on treatments/etc since September, 9 months.

I'm only 5'1, small frame and was 108 lbs. I'm Asian so that's a good size for us. I was told to gain a little weight. I used to be a gym fanatic. I stopped. I had the lymph node surgery first, neo adjuvant chemo then mastectomy, more chemo then radiation. There was just no time, or I just didn't, exercise at all. I ate. Once I started eating, without caring what I ate, it was easy just to gain all the weight.

I wish I kept exercising, even just walking.....and I wish I didn't eat (ice cream and lots of rice). But I did very well during chemo, so....maybe it was a good thing.

It's been a week since I started going to the gym. I joined a strength class and picked up 5 lbs (since I used to lift 8, 10 and 12 lbs). I had to switch to 2 lbs and still sore. I go on the stair stepper and elliptical all at level 1/2 or 3 the most, and I'm sweating like crazy; when I used to work out at level 10-12.

Life's different. Our body is now different. We went through a lot. I guess we just have to be thankful for the little things, even if it's hard to, when all my belly and flab is showing every day, and I can't fit in to all my clothes, and had to buy new clothes..........it will take time...........I lost 1 lb in one week of really working-out (1 hour class and 1 hour stair/elliptical/abs). Aaaaaaaaaagh. But slowly. And I'm trying to enjoy myself as I get back in shape, to the ways things were.......

I started taking supplements too (L-glutamine, selenium, beta-carotene, Vit B6, B12, D, E and Calcium) since I've been eating less, I just want to make sure I continue to heal.

Take care and PM or email me at mjucutan@yahoo.com if you want.

Hang in there. It'll be over before you know it,
Myra

PS. At least it's summer now, you can sweat with all this heat. I used to go to the sauna and jacuzzi. But we can't now because of lymphedema concerns. It would have been easy to lose water weight that way. Now I don't turn on the AC at home so I can perspire a bit, ha!

Wow, I see that this is an old thread but it's very helpful. I haven't started chemo yet but have already gained over 10lb. And the crazy thing is that I lost 25 pounds with the help of jenny craig in 2011-2012. And I had to buy ALL NEW CLOTHES. Looks like I'm in for the same deal. and expense. Maybe I should invest in some mumus. 

Oh my gosh! Uncle Fester!! I have been trying to figure out who that person looking back at me in the mirror was lately. That's who it is, uncle Fester. 12 lb gain in two months. Nothing fits and the only thing I want for days after treatment is jack in the box tacos.

OMG, we don't have jack in the box near us but I remember those when there was one near me in boston growing up.  Their tacos are great!