Breast Cancer
I think I can answer some of your questions, although I actually had Hodgkin's Lymphoma, not breast cancer. The effects of chemo can be slightly different depending on the type of chemo (type of poison used, b/c that's exactly what it is) and it can also be different for the same type of chemo, but each person can have a slightly different response. What I can give you are guidelines & it's likely to be true for you - just not 100% exactly the same b/c it can be different by type & by individual response.
After I would have a chemo treatment, starting a few hours afterwards, I would have increased nausea. The nausea would pretty much completely go away by the 5th day after treatment. I had chemo once every two weeks for 6 months. The nausea medications were very helpful, but I always thought that I had more nausea than most people. But, even still, it really wasn't that bad. I only threw up twice during the entire 6 months. Much more common was getting nauseous suddenly & dry heaving until the medication could take effect. This typically happened b/c I waited a little too long before taking the medication again.
As for absorption of the nausea medication - one of the pills was absorbed through the mucous membranes of my mouth, called odansetron. You place it against the inside of your cheek & it dissolves. Takes about a minute. Doesn't taste bad (not like candy, either), just not that bad. That medication, the odansetron, worked awesome. For me, I think it worked better than the other medication, prochlorazine, b/c that one was a swallowed pill. Remember, I did not have a gastric bypass, I had the duodenal switch & they really are very different in terms of medication. I have a fully functioning regular stomach that is just smaller in volume, but I still digest inside the stomach like normal. I absorb far less in the small intestine than bypassers, though. That's why I don't think the swallowed pill, prochlorazine, was as helpful to me as the odansetron. For you, you will absorb more of it than I did so long as it doesn't upset your stomach so that you throw it up. Will that happen? I don't think so, though can't be sure. I remember a couple of the oncologist doctors talking to me about it right before I started treatment & they were only familiar with banders or bypassers & they said that, in their experience & opinion, I wouldn't have any more trouble keeping it down than I would my regular vitamins.
My advice would be to definitely ask for odansetron, even if you're not prescribed it & cite your WLS as why you need it. It's much more expensive than prochlorazine. The best thing to do is to take both & then you can "flip flop" them. Each of them can only be taken every 6 - 8 hrs so if you monitor taking them on time well, you should be fine with eating something before taking your prochlorazine - or whatever oral pill to swallow they give you. I would definitely get the odansetron, though!
As for WL - it will likely continue so long as you're still in your WL window UNLESS you're also taking heavy amounts of steoroids. I was given a steoroid with each chemo dose, but only in the IV with the actual chemo, otherwise I didn't have to take it. I know other people (who didn't have WLS), but are cancer survivors who have complained about gained 10 - 30 pounds from a combination of steoroids & decreased physical activity b/c of the effects of treatment. Fatigue is a very, very real thing & affects upwards of 90% of people. Your body will be undergoing a lot of stress in the next few months & NEEDS adequate nutrition. Please, do not try to overly limit what you eat - just eat healthy & let your body get the nutrition it needs to (literally) survive & be healthy. If you're still in your WL window, you will likely continue to lose weight, but honestly, that shouldn't be your main priority right now. Surviving is.
As for exercise, I would strongly suggest to continue exercising, but you will likely find that you can't do as much - that's completely normal. There's a lot of research that suggests exercising during cancer treatment helps to control fatigue & also helps your mood.
I would also strongly suggest that you join a cancer treatment group. There are things you can discuss with them that you will find helpful b/c you don't have to worry about your family's feelings &/or the fact that others who love & support you ultimately can't exactly relate to what you're going through. I believe Gilda's Club is also in Canada. You can also try googling it with your city name or ask the cancer center social worker for support resources.
Hope this helps :) Good luck with everything & write if you need/ want, I'm always willing to help!
Lisa
After I would have a chemo treatment, starting a few hours afterwards, I would have increased nausea. The nausea would pretty much completely go away by the 5th day after treatment. I had chemo once every two weeks for 6 months. The nausea medications were very helpful, but I always thought that I had more nausea than most people. But, even still, it really wasn't that bad. I only threw up twice during the entire 6 months. Much more common was getting nauseous suddenly & dry heaving until the medication could take effect. This typically happened b/c I waited a little too long before taking the medication again.
As for absorption of the nausea medication - one of the pills was absorbed through the mucous membranes of my mouth, called odansetron. You place it against the inside of your cheek & it dissolves. Takes about a minute. Doesn't taste bad (not like candy, either), just not that bad. That medication, the odansetron, worked awesome. For me, I think it worked better than the other medication, prochlorazine, b/c that one was a swallowed pill. Remember, I did not have a gastric bypass, I had the duodenal switch & they really are very different in terms of medication. I have a fully functioning regular stomach that is just smaller in volume, but I still digest inside the stomach like normal. I absorb far less in the small intestine than bypassers, though. That's why I don't think the swallowed pill, prochlorazine, was as helpful to me as the odansetron. For you, you will absorb more of it than I did so long as it doesn't upset your stomach so that you throw it up. Will that happen? I don't think so, though can't be sure. I remember a couple of the oncologist doctors talking to me about it right before I started treatment & they were only familiar with banders or bypassers & they said that, in their experience & opinion, I wouldn't have any more trouble keeping it down than I would my regular vitamins.
My advice would be to definitely ask for odansetron, even if you're not prescribed it & cite your WLS as why you need it. It's much more expensive than prochlorazine. The best thing to do is to take both & then you can "flip flop" them. Each of them can only be taken every 6 - 8 hrs so if you monitor taking them on time well, you should be fine with eating something before taking your prochlorazine - or whatever oral pill to swallow they give you. I would definitely get the odansetron, though!
As for WL - it will likely continue so long as you're still in your WL window UNLESS you're also taking heavy amounts of steoroids. I was given a steoroid with each chemo dose, but only in the IV with the actual chemo, otherwise I didn't have to take it. I know other people (who didn't have WLS), but are cancer survivors who have complained about gained 10 - 30 pounds from a combination of steoroids & decreased physical activity b/c of the effects of treatment. Fatigue is a very, very real thing & affects upwards of 90% of people. Your body will be undergoing a lot of stress in the next few months & NEEDS adequate nutrition. Please, do not try to overly limit what you eat - just eat healthy & let your body get the nutrition it needs to (literally) survive & be healthy. If you're still in your WL window, you will likely continue to lose weight, but honestly, that shouldn't be your main priority right now. Surviving is.
As for exercise, I would strongly suggest to continue exercising, but you will likely find that you can't do as much - that's completely normal. There's a lot of research that suggests exercising during cancer treatment helps to control fatigue & also helps your mood.
I would also strongly suggest that you join a cancer treatment group. There are things you can discuss with them that you will find helpful b/c you don't have to worry about your family's feelings &/or the fact that others who love & support you ultimately can't exactly relate to what you're going through. I believe Gilda's Club is also in Canada. You can also try googling it with your city name or ask the cancer center social worker for support resources.
Hope this helps :) Good luck with everything & write if you need/ want, I'm always willing to help!
Lisa
HW / SW / CW / GW 299 / 287 / 160 / 140 Feb '09 / Mar '09 / Dec '13 /Aug '10
Appendicitis/Bowel Obstruction Surgery 8/21/10
Beat Hodgkin's Lymphoma! 7/15/2011 - 1/26/2012 
Ran Half-Marathon 10/14/2012
First Pregnancy, Due 8/12/14 I LOVE MY DS!!!
I can;t tell you how much I appreciated the time you took to answer me. It's really hard when you need info about both and very few seem to have the info.
I am going to print this off and discuss the med's you mentioned when I get to the point of chemo. For me in about 5 wks. comes the first stage of surgery to remove the tumor and them looking at it and hoping not affected the lump glands. They told me then followed by 4-6 wks. of chemo and then 6-8 wks. of radiation. Hope they are right about how many wks. I guess time between all the three things. Abit overwhelming when you think your life was going so well and lots of positives about how you look and erercising every morning for a 1/2 hr. so proud of myself. And then everything changes in an instance.
Yes, I am sure there is a Gilda's club here, as you might not know she was Canadian and from Toronto like me.
ruth
I am going to print this off and discuss the med's you mentioned when I get to the point of chemo. For me in about 5 wks. comes the first stage of surgery to remove the tumor and them looking at it and hoping not affected the lump glands. They told me then followed by 4-6 wks. of chemo and then 6-8 wks. of radiation. Hope they are right about how many wks. I guess time between all the three things. Abit overwhelming when you think your life was going so well and lots of positives about how you look and erercising every morning for a 1/2 hr. so proud of myself. And then everything changes in an instance.
Yes, I am sure there is a Gilda's club here, as you might not know she was Canadian and from Toronto like me.
ruth
I gained about 60 lbs during my cancer treatment. I was on heavy doses of steroid because I had many allergic reaction. The arimidex I am one also causes weight gain. I also had a double masc. with reconstruction. After all of this I could not drop the weight so opted for surgery. It has been another life saver. I didnt think about trying to loose the weight while I was gaining it. I didnt realize it would be so hard to come off. I think your 20 lbs will come off quickly. You know how hard it was to loose the weight and your not going to let it get out of controll. I know your body is retaining fluid . Mine did, I puffed up like a blowfish on chemo and radiation. Try not to worry. Dont put any more stress on your body or your mind. I wish you all the best.
I too was diagnosed with breast cancer 1yr out from my band surgery. I had lost 80 lbs. Was just enjoying life with the weight loss. I have gained 30 lbs since my diagnosis. Because my cancer is hormone positive, I take Amidrex and had a total hysterectomy. I have not been able to lose the weight. No hormones no weight loss. I feel like I'm losing the battle. I tried exercising for two months straight only lost and gained same amount. I am discouraged. I feel like a fat slob, just like before the band. I'm thinking of taking prescription diet pills. I can't take anything that has to do with hormones. This sucks! The only good thing is I am 3 years cancer free & I didn't have to have chemo or radiation. Just did a double mastectomy. Let me know if you have found a way that is working for you. Good luck!
I had cancer and treatment with chemo and rads first. then 2 years later had the sleeve. I just could not loose the cancer weight. I have heard of others that have gone from the band to having the sleeve done. Thats a possibility for you. No maintance like teh band. Its done forever. You figure we have already fought the cancer battle and sirvived. We have an entire new outlook on life. Why not go for it and enjoy. I still take Arimidex and have no problem with the weight gain from it anymore. I would definitely call your oncologist and ask if it would be o.k., My Onc said many many many patients he sees are both before and after.
I had my surgery Feb. 15 down 82 lbs and now found out this week atypical breast cancer. As only you can appreciate a very hard thing to accept after being so successful with weight loss. The one thing I didn;t do was turn to food which I would have in the past.
People seem to know alot of breast cancer or gastro bi-pass but few seem to know both. It seems that you are one who does. Did you have chemo and if so how did it go?. I wonder about mal absorption and all the other things that come with chemo.
How did you gain the weight if I may ask?
Anything you can share with me would be very helpful.
Sorry I can;t help you but if you would you could be very helpful to me.
People seem to know alot of breast cancer or gastro bi-pass but few seem to know both. It seems that you are one who does. Did you have chemo and if so how did it go?. I wonder about mal absorption and all the other things that come with chemo.
How did you gain the weight if I may ask?
Anything you can share with me would be very helpful.
Sorry I can;t help you but if you would you could be very helpful to me.
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