Weight Gain On Tamoxofen

Dear Happy,
Please don't make any apologies for your concern. I have been on T for 1 year now, and have been lucky to see no weight change - but I am much more active than the average person, and have been a gold member of Weight Watchers for close on 15 years. I know that the science says there is no established link between T and weight gain. HOwever, I also know many women report otherwise.
I share your preoccupation with weight and health even more so now because in a recent conversation, my oncologist said the single most important thing I could do to remain cancer free was to keep my weight constant (though I'm sure many might argue that there are other things too!!).
You don't say what age you are - I will be 50 later this year and I know that as I age I need to work harder at keeping the weight in check. I am a very strong advocate of WW because they don't go for fads or get thin quick rubbish, you are not encouraged to disregard any food, they encourage you to learn to cook and eat healthy food for life, and they give you really helpful coping mechanisms to live a normal life while eating healthily most of the time. I know there is a weekly cost until you reach your goal weight, but maintenance is free while you remain within 6 lbs of that and the meetings are good fun as well as being very motivational (check out a few as their quality depends a lot on the leaders).
I must specify that I have no commercial involvement with WW, but I really think that when it comes to weight management, they're the only show in town!
Tamox for 10 years is something I have been worried about myself - I have read reports of the study you reference - because I am lucky to tolerate it really well, but the one downside is the brakes it puts on my libido... However, my onc. has said nothing about this yet.
I wish you the very best with your weight loss, you're right to persevere.

Catherine

Hi Catherine

Thanks for the advice. Yes I have heard many success stories on WW so you have given me the push to give them a go. I turned 40 this year; I was diagnosed when I was 2 months shy of my 36th Birthday. Yes my oncologist has says there is no study showing weight gain but I have read many women's stories that reflect what has happened to me and when they finished their 5 years they lost the weight within a couple of weeks without changing their life style. Yes I have voiced my concerns with my oncologist regarding the 10 years on tamoxifen but she stated that the benefits far out weigh the risks; but I was looking forward to coming off the medication at 5 years; but then remaining cancer free is the most important thing. Other than weight gain I have being lucky to tolerate it well too; and my libido did not change. Thank you for the advice and I am going to give WW a go. Here's to 9 stone!!!

Hi happy39,

Just reading your post and wondering how things are going now? Did you manage to lose any weight? I'm desperately looking for solutions as I'm on Tamoxifen 2 years now and have gone from losing 20 pounds (I realise now this must have been the radiation) to gaining 20 pounds and I never had weight issues before this.. It is so depressing to think that the medication is helping us on the one hand and causing such misery on the other.. I won't even start about the flushes & lack of sleep

Resolute

Hi all,
Even if the studies don't blame the tamoxifen, I think it's a combination of the tamoxifen and all
we have been through and the fact you end up more tired and have aches and pains, it's harder to keep up the exercise. Also there is probably a bit of the " I've had a c**p time, I deserve this cake"! That's me anyway. I lost weight on chemo, nearly a stone, now it's all back and more. I'm not overweight exactly but nothing fits right and I can see my body taking on a post menopausal shape
My onc says the same, keep the weight in check is the best thing we can do to help ourselves.
One insert I read in the box of tamoxifen said, may cause weight gain or weight loss. Is there anyone out there who had weight loss I wonder??

Hi Josephine,
Ha!! You're spot on.. It's not even that I've put on weight that bothers me, it's that my shape has changed and I feel that although I'm not madly overweight I'm all 'roundy' in the middle.. I guess there's no miracle solution and more & more exercise is the only way to try and tackle it ..

Resolute

Hi Resolute & All

I managed to get down to 9 st 7 lbs by cycling on my exercise bike 4 days a weeks 10K in 20 mins everyday. My legs are toned but by stomach is still podgy and I don't think there is anyway of losing the weight around the middle. I was like you I lost weight during chemo but put back up way more than what I originally weighed. I have heard of Yo Chi Tea which is a herbal tea that people are using to lose weight but it stated that it can interfere with some medications i.e contraceptive pill etc.. (not that I am taking that) and therefore I am worried would it interfere with the tamoxifen so I don't know what to do. It would be great to try this out as it is totally natural.

Hi Happy 39,
I wouldn't waste your money on Yo Chi Tea - I tried it and didn't find any difference! I too gained a lot of weight due to a mix of steroids, chemo, surgeries and the induced menopause!!! I am now actively working on getting the weight down with diet and exercise but its a hard struggle. I was mildly allergic to tamoxifen and it was put on hold and I'm due to restart it on a very low dosage. I keep putting off my start date as I'm not looking forward to gaining more weight again!!!

Hi Spudburf

Thanks for the advice as the tea is expensive. I suppose I just have to keep an eye on what I am eating and continue to exercise; there is no easy solution. I don't blame you putting off starting tamoxifen but I suppose it does keep us safe. Here's to cancer free, skinny years ahead.

Not too sure about Skinny but I'll raise a glass to healthy! :-)