breast cancer & WLS

I'm hoping to get some input from others on this. I had open RNY2002.  I lost 110 lbs and was 125 lbs. I didn't feel comfortable at that weight so I stabilized at 150 for 11 years.

Then in 2012 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Had 2 surgeries, chemo & 30 radiation treatments. The chemo put me into menopause, rad screwed up my thyroid. I gained 40 lbs from 11-2012 to 4-2013.  Now I am on tamoxifen for 10 yrs to hopefully prevent the cancer coming back. The tamoxifen stops my body from producing estrogen which feeds the cancer but no estrogen makes fat cells grow.  I am still eating the same way I have for 11 years and have gained 10 more lbs since Aug.  I'm so frustrated, I worked my butt off to lose weight and kept it off to gain it all back because of cancer????  So the tamoxifen, thyroid and menopause are my worst enemies!!!

Has anyone else been thru this ? 

Thx,

Colleen

HUGS.. congratulations on getting cancer free.  Yea - all the other things sucks.. but you are alive, and with funk, so you may be able to get rid of some of the regain.

I never heard that Tamoxifen may cause weight gain,  actually estrogen can and will promote weigh - fat gain.. so no estrogen - no really fat gain, menopause - it not only limits estrogen - but also progesterone and male hormone - testosterone (that we women also need and that helps us to gain muscles and lose fat).  Most likely menopause - overall - plus the thyroid issue - and stress (due to cancer) may be responsible for weight gain and slower metabolism. 

Also a lot of us - as we get older, we may lose some muscle mass - and that would slow down metabolism even farther. 

The only way to get back on track is to start eating right and exercise...  If I don'****ch - I can gain 3-5 lbs in a week or 2 but will take me a month  or more to get rid of that... (I hate that) 

Please read what everyone is doing , post if you want what you are eating and people can chime in to offer suggestion how to help you to start losing. 

i.e. Tess - she regained 70 lbs, and it took her a while on a very strict 800 cal per day diet to lose the regain ... 

For me - I can eat more as long as I eliminate starches (almost all) and most carbs.. but if I add them - even on low calorie diet (1000-1200) with exercise - not only I can't lose but I feel like starving every day.. But I can lose on 1200-1400 cal diet as long as I limit my carbs to 30-40 per day and include healthy - natural (butter, coconut oil, bacon, etc) fats.. .  

Hi Colleen,

I'm going through my second round of thyroid cancer after 27yrs, menopause (done) and osteoporosis.  Re-gained 71 lbs of my original 177 lb loss over the yrs.  With help from BOTT, and as H.a.l.a. said, coming here, posting my meals, eating better and exercising, I torched those 71 lbs in 9 months and I did it with spinal instability from a broken back (broke my back Oct 2012).  I eat 1200 or more cals per day, no sugar or simple carbs, lower fat, low carb , high fiber and eat very well with no hunger or sugar cravings.  The key (for me) is EXERCISE, riding my recumbent bike (bike or swimming only allowed due to my back) 6-15 miles per day, almost without fail.

It took a monumental effort to workout every day, but it has become a way of life for me and I enjoy it, especially now that the weight re-gain is no more.  For me, exercise was the key, and it allows me to eat a little more with no real deprivation.  I'm working on eventually getting to my original goal of 150 lbs, but a pending back surgery may derail those efforts for a little while, not to mention stabilizing on thyroid hormone (I'm 4 wks post-op).

Have you tried incorporating working out with your eating plan (if you are feeling well enough)?

Best wishes to you, and I hope you find what you're looking for here.   

Shelia, you are an amazing lady.  Thanks for sharing.  Hugs and congrats. You are doing so grate.  

Thank you so much, H.a.l.a.!   Never thought I would do it, but with this kind of encouragement from you and other BOTTER's, it happened, and I am so grateful and glad to be here :)   Have a great weekend!

Colleen, I have not had the issues that you have had but so glad that you are free of the cancer.  You may have to adjust the way you have eaten in the past to accommodate the way your body is now processing your diet.  Start with little changes and see what will work for you.  Once you have established this, then you can build on it to help you lose the regain.  Set small goals so that the big ones don't seem overwhelming.  One day at a time, you can do this.