[Chelee]

This was an fun thread to see how chemo affected each person. I realize there are so many variables to why some of us women have lost or gained weight, but I was trying to see if more gained verses lost, since thats what it seemed like from all the reading I had done?

Its pretty hard to tell after hearing everyones story...and its pretty much what I expected. Myself I lost weight but that started from the DAY I was told I had bc. I LOST my appetite the *minute* I was told, as I read several other people here did too.

I use to eat ice cream at least twice a week before hearing the bad news...but after the DX...I had no interest in my ice cream. So that alone could of been responsible for some of my weight lose. Then you add chemo later...and I had that taxotere, carb, & herceptin...I really believe I blame the taxo for the AWFUL taste in my mouth and how my teeth felt coated with gross stuff. It was darned near impossible to eat after my full cycle infusions. I just was NOT hungry. When I HAD to force myself to eat...it was nasty. (Good old Taxotere!) Heck of a way to diet. lol

So its hard to say with any of us what caused the weight gain or lose? Like some mentioned here...when your tired and fatigued and don't get the excersize you use to...that alone changes things . Age, chemo regimen for each person is different in many cases.

I know I was always amazed when I read from some women that the steroids would make them hungry. I hated those darned things...they made me bounce off the walls...I could NOT sleep...and I lost my appetite completely. But I have read where so many other women had the opposite affect and it increased their appetite.

We are all so different and what affects one can be so different for another on the exact same chemo regimen. But again...I did this just for fun.

Like I said earlier, just too many variables to this such as stress, inactivity, fatigue, lose of appeite to chemo or stress alone. Or from a TOTAL change of diet due to the fact you have to eat different things since many things you USE to like tastes terrible. And the list goes on.

I think it was Sandy that said it best. It really doesn't matter if we gain or lose....just glad to be alive. Boy isn't that the truth. If I gained 40 pounds in the next five months...would I be happy about it? NO...but it would be the *least* of my concerns at this point. I am just happy to get up every day and see the sun shine and spend time with my family, friends, dogs.

But at least I did find out it seems to be a little of both when it comes to gaining or losing. At first I only heard of women gaining...now I see it goes both ways. I think I might of gained some weight had I felt good enough to cook...but I didn't. Now had someone spoiled me and brought me some home cooked meals...it might of been a different story. But maybe not...that taxotere I am sure is what really killed my taste buds. Totally ruined. The thought of eating was just gross...don't know how else to put it. My infusion nurse kept telling me I HAD to eat. Much easier said then done.

Chelee