First chemo done and dusted ... a few questions bugging me

[Nat2]

Hi Ladies,

Had my first of six cycles of carboplatin today - I feel fine!  It was not that bad at all - and now only five more to go.  I know it is still early stages so will see how it goes for the next couple of weeks.

I'm very concerned about weight gain - they have me steriods today and I will take them for another 5 days.  I really don't want to put on weight as I'm over weight already.  What are some of the experiences out there with steriods?  They said I don't have to have them if I choose not to - they said they are mainly for anti sickness (in conjunction with other anti sickeness tabs) - I will probably opt out on my second treatment depending on the Drs advice.  But as with all things OC - I come here first!  

Have most people put on weight with chemo or lost?  I know this is the least of my concerns and I should be worried about getting enough nutrition etc - but I really don't want to put on any more weight.

[kathy o]

I don't not know if you will see this...  My email: ***@****

[milashka]

The weight gain could also come from inactivity - there is lots of it during chemo. At least I did not exercise much during treatment, just walks. Found that weight would come on a little faster than ususal.

I am now working out again regularly and find this very helpful in easily maintaining my normal weight range.

[dian07]

I did gain weight as well...I was feeling and looking way too old for my young age (56) and I didn't recognise myself any longer....now, a mere 11 days on progesterone... I am beginning to feel better and actually look better....I told my compounding pharmacist I expected miracles and looks like he delivered! I do think this will even help me lose all the weight (30#) I have gained during this incredible journey....okay..I am not happy with the weight gain...but so far as I know I am cancer free...I will gladly fight the weight. Thanks for getting me headed in the right direction Mary53!
Peace.
dian

[Tybear]

I had the same steroids as you (brand name is Decadron). I wouldn't google it if I were you - I just did the other week for the first time and thank god I didn't during chemo - they would have had to held me down and force fed it to me if I had known all the side effects! They throw so much stuff at you and it's like they only tell you some things and not others. I didn't even know Decadron was a steroid until I mentioned how unhappy I was with my weight gain! The nurse looks at me and says "of course your putting on weight dear - your on steroids that will give you an appetite like a lumberjack". News to me! I only had steroids the day before chemo - 20mg at 6pm, 20mg at 10pm and then a bunch through an IV the morning of. Do you find you get jittery on them? I always had a heck of a time sleeping that night - I usually cleaned my house as that was when I seemed to have the most energy! I don't mean to frighten you - I just want you to be aware of what your eating and how much. If only I had known - now I'm in menopause and my weight isn't moving a single bit!

[tellme]

Hi, I was given dexamethasone aswell. I am on carbo taxol. I found eventually that it became a real bind taking it so I stopped halfway through the third day. I haven't really found it has made me eat more. The chemo gave me immense heartburn. I have found that along with the chemo I was very selective about what I wanted to eat. I have stuck to watching what I eat and have tried to prepare food that is a healthy tasty option instead and also I am doing alot of juicing and blending.  have been eating alot of small portions often. When I was on carboplatin the first time, I found I lost my appetite and then became selective about food purely because of the taste in my mouth from the chemo. I didn't put on loads of weight and what I did was because I really wasn't being very mobile.
Hope this helps.

[Nat2]

A whole medium pizza is not too bad, at least it wasn't a large!  I think I could eat a large ham and pineapple, hmmm, but no ... bannana, blueberry and strawberry smoothie is coming my way! Thanks for you response and at least I know the weight issue is something to keep my eye on.

Did you have steriods throught your whole treatment or only for a few days around each chemo?

[Nat2]

Thanks for all the responses - much appreciated. I'm about to google my steriods - they are Dexamethasone.

I was actually really upset when they gave them to me yesterday as nobody told me I was going to recieve them and it was a bit of a shock - something you don't need before your first chemo!

I guess I will watch the weight thing and just be careful - but was starving last night and ended up getting a takeaway - good start :(

I've stocked up on loads of fruit and veg so will try and stick to them - it is also difficult being at home all day with such easy access to the fridge!

[milashka]

I had carbo/taxol with plenty of steroids before and after treatments. They said that most women gain weight on that chemo but I didn't. I gained some weight back that I lost from surgery (had dropped from my regular 126 to 110, then slowly back up to around 122), but didn't gain any extra. I was grateful for the steroids as I hate throwing up. Even with steroids, I still felt queasy for 5-10 days after treatment but then I couldn't stop eating. So I kinda yoyo-ed as far as appetite and weight went.

Yeah, one down, five to go. Before you know it, you are halfway through...

[Tybear]

I gained about 30lbs simply because of my steroids (Decadron) It made me eat like a trucker! I was so upset that no one really told me to watch for the weight gain, because had I been more aware of it, I think I would have put more thought into my eating. I remember coming home from chemo, and devouring an entire medium pizza by myself! My boyfriend didn't quite know what to think of my new found appetite...he happily fetched all of my cravings (mostly carbs)and gained 15lbs himself! (sympathy weight, he calls it!) This weight is not coming off AT ALL, and if I had the choice, I think I would have opted not to take them although I got told what I was to take, not asked. I didn't question anything because this was all new to me. I think the nausea is more from the Taxol, not the carboplatin so if your just having the carbo, maybe you should ask your Dr about not taking the steroids. I have seriously never been so depressed about my weight in my entire life. If you do stay on them, just really be aware of what your eating and maybe find an activity to do with your hands (I'm only 27, but I got into puzzles and crocheting - I swear it was like I aged over night!) I know people will tell you not to worry about it right now, but this will all be over soon and trust me, it's all you'll worry about when it's done!

[Thuney]

I was on steroids four years ago for the three herniated discs in my neck--but I didn't gain any weight at all.  Also, some people say thay made them moody, but they made me euphoric.  I felt great all the time I was on them and they really helped with the paid.

[gah_70]

If you don't mind, I'll send you an email.  I'm interested in getting your backstory, too.  I don't mind talking about it here, but I don't want to highjack Nat2's thread.  I will say this much...synthetic marijuana is not for me!

Gail :)

[kathy o]

I am wondering if you thought that the synthetic marijuana helped increase your appetite and did it give you any kind of europhia feeling ?  I also lost 40 pounds with the ascities  (thank god I have never had that again) but managed to gain that back, like me you must have been so sick and anemic, I remember them coming in the night before surgery and giving me salt tabs beacuse I did not even have enough sodium in me, that was when I thought that I maybe  I was sicker than I thought.Anyway just curious about the side effects from the synthetic marijuana.  Thanks

[gah_70]

Like Kathy, I had Taxol with the Carboplatin, too.  I lost weight, however, even with the steroids.  Most of my weight loss had to do with ascites, though.  My doctor chose to let chemo get rid of it instead of draining me.  The first week after chemo, I lost 12 lbs, and another 8lbs the following week.  Even though the chemo was rough, the weight loss was nice.  The uncomfortable part of it was that since I had so much fluid, it drained any way it could.  Since I had just had a TAH/BSO, it drained through all my incisions.....'nuff said.  I never had any specific cravings...in fact, my doc gave me synthetic marijuana to boost my appetite because I couldn't eat much at all.  When I finished chemo, though, my appetite returned, and I think I made up for lost time!  I am now in the process of trying to calm myself down, and lose some of the weight I gained when I finished it.  

I'm really glad to hear your first treatment went well.  I know you say you don't want to gain any weight, but don't put any undue stress on yourself.  If you put on some weight, just wait until you finish your treatments and start feeling better.  Then you can concentrate on the "new you"...cancer-free and healthy!

Gail :)

[kathy o]

I had to take extra steroids due to the fact that I was allergic to taxol and Carbo, If i would have had the choice to not take them by all means I would have accepted that in a heartbeat, I did not have nausea problems. I found out that they make you ravenous and made me crave chocolate, once I figured this out I changed to eating fruit instead of sugar and I swear that this made the chemos much easier for me. I wish that I had gained only 30 pounds!
I am glad that you got your first one down, usually the first day after chemo I was so wound up that I could cook and clean like I was superwoman, then the next day came the big crash!! I also was on taxol, I have heard that carbo by itself may not be so harsh.  I  am glad that they caught your cancer at such and early stage and hopefully after treatment you can put this all behind you and move on quickly, good luck to you!!