Chemo/steroid weight

nikim1813
nikim1813 Posts: 6 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi, Im in my first week here, have put on about 10kg since being diagnosed with breast cancer. Now, with 6 weeks of treatment left, and an overseas celebratory holiday booked, I have decided it's time to grab the bull by the horns. Time to take control of my body back. Hoping this app will keep me motivated and on the proverbial dietry wagon. Niki

Replies

  • JustSomeEm
    JustSomeEm Posts: 20,251 MFP Moderator
    Good luck, Niki - and welcome to MFP. :flowerforyou:
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    edited September 2016
    Welcome! My wife is a 6 year survivor. Now isn't the time to be dieting, but it's a great time to keep exercising to the extent you can. Please worry about eating enough to keep your strength up for now. When you're done with chemo, then consider a strength training program to rebuild lost muscle that chemo has wasted and also consider a slow diet and nothing too drastic. The biggest concern right now is your strength and outlook. You can get through this and end up looking fantastic, please just take one step at a time.

    Feel free to ask anything or add me.
  • edup1975
    edup1975 Posts: 486 Member
    Welcome to MFP. I wish you the best
  • AmandaHugginkiss
    AmandaHugginkiss Posts: 486 Member
    I have to second a lot of what Sunny says with respect to steroid and chemo weight. It's three treatments. You need your energy right now, so if you go into a deficit, make sure you are eating enough high nutrition foods. Don't take any vitamins without oncologist approval.

    When you come off the steroids, the weight will start to come off. Keep in mind that water weight will shed quickly, and you have chemo bloat. For me it came off completely within a few months after chemo ended. I lost all 20 pounds I gained.

    What helped me a lot was strength training. Not major lifting, but light and consistent training. I did body weight and trx straps mostly. And walking. I tried to walk an hour a day. Doesn't sound like a lot, but some days, I couldn't make it back home and needed to sit and be picked up. Other days I had enough energy for the stationary bike.

    Do the best you can and don't beat yourself up. The bloat will go away as the steroids leave the system.
  • nikim1813
    nikim1813 Posts: 6 Member
    Thanks for the advice

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