Is weight loss during tx sustainable?

Recently someone posted about a blood test and during the discussion mentioned that she had regained some of the wieght lost during treatment due to the stress of waiting.  This got me thinking.  I have read quite a few remarks about people losing a lot of weight during tx.  Most of the people seem pleased to have lost the excess pounds, but how many have kept that weight off?  

I have read quite a few posts from people who have regained some or all of the weight they lost during tx.  I lost about 35 lbs on tx, but most of it crept back on during the last year.  Also, the weight I lost was mainly muscle, and I have regained about 25 lbs of jiggly fat!  I suppose some of that is due to the fact that my thyroid was destroyed during tx, and it has taken some time adjusting the synthroid dose to get my TSH numbers in the acceptable range.

Does anybody keep the weight off?  A year post EOT, how are you all doing weight-wise?  Were you active at all during tx?  Did you lose muscle or just excess fat?  Is it just me?  I'd love to hear how everyone else copes with this.

jd

[Kathy73]

I'm interested also. I lost around 70 lbs and haven't put any back on yet, but its only been 3 months.
Kathy

[nygirl7]

I'm one who should raise my hand I guess.

I was very thin before tx and then during treatment I looked like a skeleton, positvely gross.  I thought (when I could finally taste again) how much fun it would be to actually be able to eat to gain weight (after being such an incredible calorie/pound counter all of my life). Boy can you hear that big fat buzzer going off right now?

I was fine for the first six months and then somehow even though I did (I swear) slow down and get back to normal eating it's as if my body just kept wanting to put weight on so it did.  I mean yeah I might eat more ice cream than I did (cause I never ever ate any of that good fun stuff) but certainly nothing that should have provided the results that happened!

It's taken me two years now to lose 15 pounds.  I'm almost there but not quite yet...but it's been hard! Hard! Hard! I know it gets harder as we are older but my TSH is perfect now so it shouldn't have anything to do with that at all and I can really only attribute the vast change in body to something to do with the meds.

There is just nothing else that makes any sense. It's like also with the cholesterol issues and stuff that something just switched on tx and does not want to change back even though I'm trying so hard to make it.

Jiggle jiggle jiggle.  To be honest the only good part was the amazing Barbie boobies  :) the rest blah hum bug!

[GoofyDad]

"To be honest the only good part was the amazing Barbie boobies"

I thought on we guys feel that way....:)

Pictures please, ladies.

[can-do-man]

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[jdwithhcv]

The first six months or so post tx I was fine.  Then the scale started creeping back up.  I tried so hard to keep it off but nothing helps.

I'm so frustrated!  Even more so because I was diagnosed with HCV right after I got my weight sorted out after cancer tx.  That was a long battle - I had lost a frightening amount of muscle very rapidly (more than a pound a day for a while) and I regained it all plus a bit extra as jiggly fat.  It took me a couple of years and a lot of hard work to develop decent muscle mass again.  Just when I was turning the corner on that, WHAM, HCV and hurry-up-and-treat, then rapid loss of muscle and now the jiggly fat is back!

Arrrggghhhh!!!!

[Trish77]

If it's any consolation, it seems to be annoyingly common and same thing for me.  In the six months post treatment I did pretty well, even lost weight and size and was doing pretty well and then suddenly the weight started packing on with no change in activity or eating habits.  I thought it was thyroid-related because there was no rhyme or reason to it, however my TSH levels are also apparently normal.   I weigh more now than I have well before starting treatment in Feb 2008 so it's particularly discouraging.  The weight gain even seemed to fluctuate where it seemed like I'd balloon out and then it would lessen off again.  Very strange - common thread so far is thyroid so even though TSH levels are normal, makes me wonder. I've decided all I can do is suck it up and try to tackle this, bit by jiggly bit.  

[Isobella]

I am the odd ball out here.....I was fine until tx....then I got all flubbery from lack of excercise.....then I gained 7 pounds.  Doesn't sound like much, but 7 pounds of muscle weight looks alot different than 7 pounds of fat....think back boobs =(

Oddly enough, the overall weight gain was just that....over ALL...so I look like me...only in bigger clothes....8 vs 10/12.  

Not happy, but remaining consistant 6 months post.  

I can say that I have been working out less in the last 2 months due to school/work, but am not amping up for the River Run (I walk...but it's still 9 miles so it counts) so we'll see how the fat pans out.  

For the record, my nurses attribute it all to aging and not tx.  Kinda pisses me off because I want to blame it all on tx.

Jury is still out here....but I can for sure say I lost NO weight on tx(damnit)

[cb867]

All I did was gain weight. 25lbs.I hate it I usually weigh 20-25 lbs. Now I weight 147-150. I am very miserable Just got off tz 3 wks ago, going to get back into running and weight training. Thats the only way I an loose. I don't think I drank enough water.I read being dehydrated slows your metabolism

[strator]

jdwithhcv,
I went fro 158 to 114 on TX. The 6 months after tx I was at 135 which was right for me, and I stayed there until the beginning of 2008 when I quit smoking...in the next 6 months I put on another 35lbs to 170 and am still struggling to take some back off. Got a gut but not really in that bad shape. Unfortunately I lost a lot of muscle tone on tx and when the weight came back, too much of it was, ummm, "relaxed volume' rather than some form of useful muscle. People that saw me go through tx still have a tendency to say wow the weight looks great...but that's probably because I looked like a a cartoon skeleton at the end of tx.



Holy CANNED heat Batman. I pop my head in for a peek and here's the boys in the band still giggling away. Goofy and Do-Do!! and NYGirl too! Almost put a tear in my eye..MAN I've missed you guys...and what a journey I've been on. Life's good though. How are you all doing?

[IAmTheWalrus]

cb867:  "I usually weigh 20-25 lbs.  Now I weight 147-150"
--------------------------------------------------------
Holy cow! In 3 weeks? ;-)

JD:  I have been off of TX for almost a year now. I lost about 35 lbs after my liver tp and stayed at that weight all through TX (even though I ate whatever I felt like on TX as a concession to my misery). Now, a year later, I have gained back about 20 lbs. Ho, ho, ho! Some of it is muscle, for sure, but some of it isn't!

Just livin' up to the name.

[R Glass]

“For the record, my nurses attribute it all to aging and not tx.  Kinda pisses me off because I want to blame it all on tx.”

My weight has gone up and down, from everything I ate turning to fat, too malnutrition due to nausea. They tried to blame all my issues on aging also. I never bought into it though. It is too much of a coincidence that I was perfectly healthy before tx and I watch people 20 years older, far more active than I am. Since starting the testosterone treatments (I’m sure everyone is tired of hearing about), I have become more active and am gaining muscle mass instead of fat.

[nygirl7]

Strator I simply can't believe when I opened up the forum today I saw your name! I thought for sure it had to be a copy person somehow! wow.........talk about a really great surprise from the past!

We're still here giggling away at the boys who bring sunshine into the dark places of HCV.  Even with SVR for most of us it's nice to come and hang out.

Boy oh boy you just made my day! GREAT surprise!

Debby

[Isobella]

Sounds like I need to get some of that testosterone stuff. I don't buy into their aging theory either.

[can-do-man]

POPS, wow like NYgirl what a surprise to see your name again. Doing ok here, finished my last tx and going for my 12 week post next week. Was still und at week 4 post tx.

Hope all is well with you. Come back and check in soon.

cando

[R Glass]

“Sounds like I need to get some of that testosterone stuff. I don't buy into their aging theory either.”

I don’t know if you want to do that, I am already starting to lose my man teats. The sad thing is, I was starting to grow some nice looking fun bags.

[Isobella]

~~I was starting to grow some nice looking fun bags. ~~

Yeah, me, too.  Only like I said....they're on my back =(

[GoofyDad]

Can-do - Them are two of the nicest toenails I ever seed.

Strator - Nice to see ya fella!

LOL Izzy!  - Makes it kinda hard to turn your back on your fellow when you ain't in the mood. I mean, ya can turn your back, but what's the point? That would be a funny looking bra sister....

[GoofyDad]

Back to the subject at hand - I lost weight before tx, and on tx. After tx, I quickly started rebounding and had to shut the pie hole quick. I weigh less now that when starting tx - but had much more muscle tone, strength, and stamina then.

[Lindaz]

I lost weight during treatment (probaly about 8 kilos) and I am about 14 weeks post treatment and still have not been able to put it back on.  I  have known of people who had lost weight during treatment and they have put it back on though.  I'm hoping to put it back on and I am following an eating plan to help with this.

[merryBe]

It's too bad some of us can't donate our bobbies when we kick the bucket...think how many goofies we could make do the happy dance!!


NYgrl...didn't you get your HGH checked and it was low?? This makes weight loss nigh on impssible even if you do correct the thyroid.
Rats with no HGH had 3 time the BMI on same calorie count as rat with HGH.
Don't try to diet too hard with this as it will sc.rew your gall bladder all to he.ll.
Even though I took it slow and ate fat because I KNEW I could damage the GB...I still ruined the organ trying to lose....to be careful and go slow...as discussed on Kathy's thread....where I just gave you more answers as to the why of all that as it regards free radicals.

mb

[newleaf09]

Laid on the couch for 7 mos, lost 15 lbs and turned to mush.  Have regained the muscle, strength and stamina through gym and getting back to my normal active self. I actually work at keeping the weight off and want to lose another 10 lbs.  Mostly I use the "push yourself away from the table" exercise.

It was great to have the weight come off so effortlessly on chemo, but it's work to change your habits and keep it from coming back.  Guess you can't have everything.

[epiphiny]

First time I tx'd I gained weight (about 10kgs) and I never lost it again.  Second tx I started at 76kgs dropped down to 71kgs at my lowest.  Now at 9 months post I'm back at 76 (or maybe a little more, I've given up wieghing myself) but it's definately jiggly flabby fat.  Yuk. I'm just trying not to think about it and have adjusted my clothing to suit.  When all is said and done I'd rather be SVR and a little plump, than HCV positive and slim!