Cancer Survivors

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I'm new to MFP and Cancer! would love support buddies!

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yrambot
yrambot Posts: 17 Member
in Social Groups
Hi all! I have a rare type of eye cancer, a tumor in my eye that is Choroidal melanoma. I went through treatment this past winter, and am still waiting to see how the tumor responded to treatment (I go back for tests in May).
5-6 years ago I lost 50lbs and was so proud of myself. Then, because I didn't know how to go into maintenance, and some stressful events (not the cancer) the weight came back plus some. Now I need to lose 55 lbs and the cancer was a huge wake up call! I am just starting the MFP and am feeling really good about it, but I would love a fitness/ diet buddy to encourage/ be encouraged by! I like the idea of someone who has been through or is going through the same things, where there are some mental blocks/ fatigue/ and guilt/ motivation to get healthier to help our healing. It is hard to explain to someone who is not there. Some days I am lucky to get out of bed, and then other days I want to take over the world in effort to be healthy. Does this make sense?
Anyways, I am starting now with a fresh perspective and big motivation!
thanks for reading and for having me in this forum!
Mary

Replies

  • SteadyEdina
    SteadyEdina Posts: 18 Member
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    Hi welcome to MFP I am also a cancer survivor I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer a couple of years ago and after surgery and chemo piled on the weight for various reasons so I'm trying to get down to my ideal weight and regain my fitness again. Exercise is also supposed to help fight the cancer.
  • yrambot
    yrambot Posts: 17 Member
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    Hi Edina! Nice to meet you! Congrats on beating the cancer and for starting the weight loss journey!
  • ShannonG1234
    ShannonG1234 Posts: 2
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    Hi Mary!
    I am a cancer survivor of Hodgkins Lymphoma. I was diagnosed last January and did Chemo for 6 months every two weeks. I had lost a bunch of weight due to the cancer and the Chemo but once I started feeling better and was able to eat I kind of ate what ever I wanted and really was not active at all. Any ways I need to at least loose 30 lbs to get back to my healthy BMI. It has been hard to readjust to my new body and how little it can actually take. I know that the weight loss is mostly going to come from my diet because I just don't always have the energy to do more then my everyday activities.
    I would love to be your support buddy and could use the support myself:)
    Shannon
  • jojo52610
    jojo52610 Posts: 692 Member
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    Hi there I'm Joanne - I had Breast Cancer - I'm still on medication for at least another year (Femarra)

    I gained quite a bit of weight going through treatment , but it took a while to get it off. Just take care of your body now
  • yrambot
    yrambot Posts: 17 Member
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    HI Joan and Shannon!
    thanks for replying to my post! What a journey we are all on, and I am just excited to be finally focusing on my health in a way I can change... I am just so happy to have the chance to get healthy and feel good!
    take care and keep up the fight!
    Mary
  • gritgirl
    gritgirl Posts: 95 Member
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    Hi: I am a cancer fighter - can't really say I'm a survivor as in it's gone, because it's always going to be there for me (metastatic).

    Things are stable right now and my main goal in losing weight is so that if I have to do chemo again, I have less of my heavy body to drag around during chemo exhaustion.

    I've been done with my chemo since June, meaning about 8 months ago, and I'm still doing my best to build up strength. I'm in a much better place than I was, but still, I have lingering neuropathy in hands and feet, and stiffness. So I know what you mean.

    I sure need support too. I've lost several pounds since chemo and would like to lose more. Gonna take awhile since the chemo put me into menopause. Oy. Glad you all are here.
  • yrambot
    yrambot Posts: 17 Member
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    nice to meet you gritgirl! We can be there for each other for sure! I really think anything we can do to improve our health is better than nothing at all, it shows that we are fighting right? :)
    mary
  • gritgirl
    gritgirl Posts: 95 Member
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    Mary. No question I'm fighting. I'll take any day I can get
  • debely1975
    debely1975 Posts: 1 Member
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    This week is two years since they took out my cancer tumor on my right ovary. I had lost weight the summer before my dx and well all the steroids that go along with chemo I blew up like a balloon. My cancer is NED. I have being trying since last july it is a slow go it took my awhile to loose 19 lbs. I am supper motivated too one day and the next I want to eat everything in sight. I take one day at a time.
  • gritgirl
    gritgirl Posts: 95 Member
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    deb: i know just what you mean. :-) i think forever is going to be word for me.

    susan
  • atoz133
    atoz133 Posts: 38 Member
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    Hi Mary :)

    I'm a 2-time survivor. Had skin cancer around my right eye 4 yrs ago - had my entire lower lid removed to my cheek bone. :sick: I also have a suspicious nevus on the iris of my right eye that my Ocular Oncologist is keeping tabs on, just in case it becomes melanoma.

    And now I'm fighting Leukemia. I was dx 2 yrs ago next month - I'm on a daily 3 chemo cocktail (only 5 more months!) so I know how chemo can make losing difficult.

    I'm always looking for friends, so add me :smile:
  • Mele1973
    Mele1973 Posts: 27
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    Hi,
    I'm new to MFP, but not new to cancer. Only new to the cancer metastasizing throughout my skeletal system (bone cancer) and liver. Along with radiation, chemo, removal of ovaries and oral chemo, I'm also doing this special cancer diet that starves cancer cells. I hope I can put a link here to a video that's very informative. But basically it's a Ketogenesis Diet, very strict, because all normal cells have the flexibility to use ketones, or fat, for energy, but cancer cells do not. So when we deprive the body of carbs/sugar, then the cancer cells have nothing to feed off. That's the theory, but even my oncologist knows os this diet and encouraged me to do it along with his plans. Here's the link if it will work: http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=OxhNMzIzs3M

    Either way, welcome!
  • Mele1973
    Mele1973 Posts: 27
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    Oh, and I forgot to mention most people use this diet just for losing weight, not to fight cancer. I don't want to lose weight, but I keep losing because I'm on the strict diet and honestly, I can't eat enough of these foods to add up the caloric intake to keep my weight up. It may sound impossible at first, but I've found lots of help and recipes all over the Internet. I, for one, have a bad sweet tooth, but there are ways to satisfy it! My friend who turned me on to this site has lost 54 pounds on this diet!
  • laura0113
    laura0113 Posts: 1
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    I am a four year survivor of stage 1b1 cervical cancer. Even four years out, I still have side effects from the chemo and radiation. Im also new to MFP.
  • redhearted
    redhearted Posts: 11
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    Welcome. I am cancer free after a major blast of chemo and radiation treatment last year for a rare form of ovarian cancer. I'm in your corner.
  • kittysoft
    kittysoft Posts: 5
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    By now you have been around for a while. Even 2 years post-chemo I still am still struggling to lose the last of the weight and get back into shape like I was pre-diagnosis. The best thing I can tell you is to listen to your body. There are days when I feel really good and motivated and get in a good workout and make healthy food choices. Then there are the days I can barely find the motivation to move off the couch and want to binge on sugar and carbs. When I first started exerising again I broke it down into 10 minute segments a couple of times per day. Some days that is still all I can manage, but that's ok. Same with eating. It took me about two to three months of consistently entering my foods for me to really see changes in my eating habits that were sticking. I also changed my target calories from 1200 (which MFP recommended) to 1700 because going over my calories and seeing the "in five weeks you will weigh...." just made my frustrated. Every couple of months I knock a few hundred more calories off that goal. Good Luck to you.
  • WSU_AJ21
    WSU_AJ21 Posts: 4 Member
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    Hi there! My name is Amanda, I just joined this group and have been on MFP since July 4th of this year. I am a hodgkins lymphoma 2a survivor (diagnosed 08) and was diagnosed with follicular non hodgkins lymphoma (fNHL) 2a in 2012. Currently in "remission" but not complete remission. Next scan is in december. I gain a lot of weight from my first treatments in 08-09 and then steadily increased from there. Since starting this journey for health and happiness I am down 25lbs total. A lot to go. Welcome to MFP!

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