Anyone else dealing with tamoxifen weight issues?

sueoop

Awful, awful, awful!!!! Have you been able to find a routine or diet that works?

andreat1967

Hi, Yes I am...I thought it was only me! Diagnosed Jan 12 had surgery, radiotherapy and on tamoxifen. I have put on about 1.5 stone in weight even though I watch what I eat and try and exercise.I have had hip back pain since then though which sometimes makes me for go the exercise

clairemc26

I've been on tamoxifen since December 2011 and I'm trying to control my weight with the 5:2 diet. It's pretty miserable to be starving myself two days a week, keeping up my running regime and sticking to a sensible low-ish carb diet and still seeing the scales creeping very slowly upwards.

I'm now using MFP to monitor how many calories I can eat on non-fast days without gaining. I think it's about 1500. :grumble:

slarobinson

I've been on Tamoxifen since summer 2012 and even though i'm trying my best to eat below my alloted calories it's really hard getting the weight off. I haven't done the 5:2 plan. I'm trying to eat low carbs and more vegetables. My energy level just started to increase over the holidays so i've incorporated exercise. but for the past week i've lost nothing. Long hard process.

clairemc26

We should get some kind of award!

I guess we should just think ourselves lucky that we have the Tamoxifen. I read something recently about how much better the outcome is for women who stick to the five years. Apparently it's not uncommon to stop taking it.

8break

I was diagnosed September 2010, and I've been on tamoxifen almost 2 years since June 2011and I haven't been able to keep the weight off yet I have also found that I seem to gain more around the waistline then I ever have!

I have lost some, and gained more back, lost again gained it back. I have run 5k's started lifting weights but still find I am at my heaviest ever. Just started Weight Watchers with high hopes.....

I wonder if anyone has had any success while on on this drug. Any suggestions?

Kheimerl

Same issue here...I've been on tamoxifen since July 2011 and I just can't get the weight off (~7-10 lbs). I normally have to go pretty low on the calorie count to lose weight, regardless of the tamoxifen, that's just how I'm built. But even with exercise and low calorie count with high protein/low carbs, the weight just hangs on. I told my doctor I was considering going off the tamoxifen for a few months just to prove that it was causing the weight gain (because they deny it, of course), and she freaked out a little. So I am still compliant, but it's really bugging me. On the other hand, wouldn't I look stupid if the cancer came back because I wanted to lose 10 pounds? But still...wish we could find a solution.

sueoop

Thanks to all of you that responded. It has been a journey since that last post....I gained 40 pound in 7 months and quite frankly, was too depressed over it to do much. One plastic surgeon told me I had too much fat around my mid-section to do the breast reconstruction procedure I wanted, (thanks to the tamoxifen). I did finally find a great doctor that did the surgery in June. I stopped taking the tamoxifen 6 days before surgery and lost 3 pounds, 2 month post surgery I was down 20 and no exercise. My oncologist has now sent me to an endocrinologist to see if we can figure something out. If you have any new ideas, please let me know.

Thanks, :happy:

Maureen165

Hi All
So Glad I found this thread. Yes me too. Been on T since May 2012 and have gained about a pound a month since. Could have stood to lose 20 to boot so its really ticking me off. I'm about to start shopping plastic surgeons to do my reconstruction and I know the extra weight will be an issue. I do admit however that this summer I kind of through caution out the window with the wine and the ice cream LOL. I'm going to totally track every single calorie that I take in, been walking 30 minutes a day, yoga once a week and some strength training at home. I even started a morning smoothie (Vega One) as I haven't been very good about eating breakfast. With Almond Milk its only 200 calories and half of all of the daily requirements for vitamins and minerals, greens and fruits.

I'm curious to see what happens in a month. I'd be delighted with a pound a week gone. I don't care about being skinny, just want to be comfortable in my clothes.

Kheimerl

It's been a slow process, but I was finally able to lose the weight...it took a calorie target of about 1,000/day plus I ramped up my cardio burn from 300 to 500 calories per workout, 4+ times per week (25min jogging plus 20min elliptical). Slowly but surely the weight has come off...From May 1 to now I've lost about 13lbs, about 2lbs per month. I didn't do strength training...now that the weight is off I'm going to add that in. I started strength yoga this past week.

kbrey68

I am very glad I found this thread, I will be looking at it more in-depth when time permits. I am getting so frustrated, have been on tamoxifen about 1.5 years. No other noticeable side effects, just the difficulty in losing the extra 7-10 pounds that before "the big C" I could get rid of within a week or two of healthier eating. I am pretty active, on my feet at work, fitbit records close to 1500 steps each day. In addition I jog/walk 3x per week, and try to do toning or weights 2x week. A brutal winter is not helping with extra activity, and being so strict with food in is really a bore. I am grateful for the drug, as I am not about to get b.c. again. Just got energy back within past 6 months after the chemo and a year of herceptin. I miss my old body, though. Oncologist says it is much harder to lose the weight on tamoxifen after you gain it. Yep! He also says I have to exercise more and eat less. Fun fun! Any other experiences like mine? This is interesting stuff, no?

teddyedward04

I'm also glad I found this. I have been on Tamoxifen since October 2012 and am still struggling to shift the weight. I put on weight during chemo and have struggled ever since. I have managed to get some off but need at least another stone before I get my op for asymmatry. I have been doing Slimming World but have been stuck for about 5 months so am giving MFP a try. How is everyone doing?

kbrey68

Good for you, Teddy....I have decided to be patient with myself. It is not going to be a fast process (as I am discovering) to lose while I take this drug. So, I am going to eat as healthfully as I can, but I am not going to go "balls to the wall" all the time, as I am not going to suck the joy out of living. Do your best, forget the rest...that is my motto!

teddyedward04

Great motto kbrey68.