Double Mastectomy and Complete Hysterectomy - Nothing girly HERE!

lrash1167
lrash1167 Posts: 16 Member
in Motivation and Support
I had breast cancer...there I said it! Luckily (If you can EVER use that word in conjunction with having cancer) it was caught during stage zero+ mostly due to the loss of my mother, father, 2 aunts, grandfather, and grandmother dying of it. I THOUGHT I was having preventive surgery to remove EVERYTHING inside and out that I could have taken. Afterwards pathology found I already had cancer in my left breast. In one surgery I had both breasts removed and everything "girly" inside of me removed. My surgeon warned me I'd have medically induced menopause, and BOY was SHE RIGHT! Fast forward a year and I've had a total of 8 surgeries to reconstruct my breasts, ALL the med's, and lack of metabolism has caused me to balloon up from 125 lbs. to 190 lbs. at my heaviest. Currently I'm sitting at 179 lbs. and doing cardio exercising usually 30 min × 4 times a week and strength training 3 times a week and eating 1,200 cal's daily, but without much of a metabolism left it's hard and slow going to see those scales move! I've ALWAYS been able to easily lose weight by just skipping a meal here and there or portion control - not anymore and it's a BATTLE to even have lost the few I have...I'm SOOO frustrated, but I'm ready to take back my life and re-discover the old ME (She's in there SOMEWHERE) - this disease has taken too much already and aged me physically probably beyond what can be corrected, but I've gotta TRY! Please wish me luck and any motivation is appreciated!!!

Replies

  • hlnebel
    hlnebel Posts: 71 Member
    I recently lost my 50-year-old Aunt to breast cancer, and my Mom is a survivor of it. I admire your courage, because it is not easy!
  • IronBatMaiden
    IronBatMaiden Posts: 377 Member
    I'm glad you survived cancer! That's a tough one! But don't let anyone make you feel any less girly just because you don't have a uterus or breasts. There's more to a woman that that.

    But I'm so glad you survived the horrible disease. I wish you all the luck on this journey as well.
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    I admire your courage too.

    When you say you are consuming 1200 calories daily I hope you are giving yourself a proportion of what you use when exercising. I realise female hormone support is right out along with over the counter herbal concoctions but might there be something else your medics can advise to help with your metabolism. I found after my hysterectomy my thyroid went even more on the blink. It can sounds such a simple thing thyroid problems but many doctors do not understand its complexity and worse do not understand the benefits of treating the patient well. "Stop the thyroid Madness" has a list of US doctors with proven experience as does Mary Solomon, put either or both in a search engine with thyroid and they are bound to come up. These sits are a fount of so much knowledge including something like 300 associated symptoms, refined to a person personal specification.

    Like you I know, "I'm in there", its just a matter of finding the right help, to be released. needle in haystack.

    All the very best.
  • abelcat1
    abelcat1 Posts: 186 Member
    Having survived cancer, having lost your parents to cancer, having to get to know your new healthy yet changed body is a lot to take in. Give it time and Count your Blessings. Get to love and be friends with your self. You are still a very beatiful woman, very pretty and feminine. Be patient and spend the time needed to lose the weight. Try to focus on the joy of it all. Enjoy the ride rather than focus on getting to the finishline. I wish you all the best. I wish you good luck.
  • jwilkinsong
    jwilkinsong Posts: 20 Member
    Keep strong....you will find your way back! I'm an 8 yr BC survivor over 50+ years of age. I didn't gain a lot weight but I'm still fighting to lose that stubborn last 10lbs. As they say in so many situations, it takes time....don't give up....good luck
  • missomgitsica
    missomgitsica Posts: 496 Member
    You've survived cancer and 8 surgeries, weight loss is nothin' after those! Best of luck to you, I'm glad you're OK and everything! :)
  • camground2
    camground2 Posts: 41 Member
    I am a survivor also. 9+ years now. Different path then yours, but always emotionally difficult. hang in there! It took probably 5 years to feel sorta normal. It does get better!
  • rebeccaEsmith
    rebeccaEsmith Posts: 1,136 Member
    You go girl
  • lrash1167
    lrash1167 Posts: 16 Member
    thanks everyone...I was feeling frustrated with how slow things were going - needed the spirit pep! ;-)
  • SunflowerCat74
    SunflowerCat74 Posts: 258 Member
    Another BC survivor here. Give yourself time and keep working on it. I lost the weight I gained after my mastectomy and was determined not to gain any back during reconstruction. I found that I actually love cardio (that's all I could do during recon) because the burn allows me to eat like a normal person. My motivation to lose/keep the weight off is knowing that my cancer (ER+/PR+) is kept at bay by a lower body fat percentage. That I'm still working on, but I'll get there and so can you! Good luck!
  • camground2
    camground2 Posts: 41 Member
    SunflowerCat74 wrote: »
    Another BC survivor here. Give yourself time and keep working on it. I lost the weight I gained after my mastectomy and was determined not to gain any back during reconstruction. I found that I actually love cardio (that's all I could do during recon) because the burn allows me to eat like a normal person. My motivation to lose/keep the weight off is knowing that my cancer (ER+/PR+) is kept at bay by a lower body fat percentage. That I'm still working on, but I'll get there and so can you! Good luck!

    Yep! Exercise is our friend!
  • lrash1167
    lrash1167 Posts: 16 Member
    I wasn't even able to manage (physically or mentally) to do any exercise during recovery...and to be honest I've NEVER had the habit of working out & eating healthy on a consistent bases so this is a new thing. I haven't gotten to the point yet were I enjoy working out AT ALL and it's a battle of wills with myself every day to do it - but I am pushing forward with trying to make it a daily habit plus eating a low cal healthy diet going forward.

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