I am 29 years old and reclaimed my life a little over a year ago when I decided to have the RNY. I have done excellently as far as weight loss and recently found out that I have invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast which will be treated with a bilateral mastecomy and TRAM reconstruction followed by chemotherapy.

My concern is that I've done all of this work to lose weight and I, under no cir****tances, want to regain any weight. I know that I must keep my body healthy for chemo, but I can't imagine having to face the weight battle again! I know that it's probably silly for me to be thinking about body image when I'm fighting for my life but I can't help myself!

Just wanted to vent.

Thanks for listening.

I don't have any words of wisdom for you just wanted you to know that I hear you and understand completely how you feel about your weight.  You are so young and have so much to look forward too.  I wish you the best and I hope that your weight has nothing to do with your recovery and that you stay healthy during your chemo treatment.  Maybe you should try to put a little extra on for chemo, knowing that you will loose more with chemo.  Be sure to take all your supplements and get plenty of rest.  May the good Lord watch over you and protect you.
Marylin

Thanks so much for your concern and support. I just had my surgery this past week and I'm to start chemotherapy and radiation soon. My docs assure me that these days patients are gaining weight during chemo. As I said before, I know that it's silly to be concerned about it. Just trying to take it day by day. Thanks again and please keep me in your prayers.

Win1, my thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.  Please stay positive and don't let the evil beast get the best of you.  If there was one thing that got me through my two rounds of cancer it was that I got MAD!  I mean REALLY mad at cancer!  I refused to let it rule my life.  As far as the chemo goes, I completely understand your concern but my experience with chemo was that the oncologists wanted me to maintain my weight, no going up OR down.  As it was explained to me, your starting weight (start of chemo) is one of the many factors in calculating the chemo dosage.  When you drop too much weight your body will get weak and they may have to halt the chemo (you don't want that!).  It is not silly at all for you to be concerned about your body image, you have come a long way!  Something that helped me a bit was a support group for cancer patients. 

Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.  If there is anything I can do to help you through this difficult time, please, drop me a note.  And please keep us posted on how things are going.

Katherine 

Thanks so much for the prayers and encouragement. My doc said exactly that... that my weight should stay the same. Which is my goal. I don't want to lose or gain... just maintain... but definitely not gain! Just taking it day by day. Sometimes I'm ok, sometimes I'm not. Please continue to pray.

Aren't you more worried about losing wt when in Chemo and getting too thin?  I was doing a search about Cancer after RNY because I have had Melanoma 3 times (surgical treatment only).  I am having surgery Wed. and I am curious & concerned what happens to people who have had WLS and loose even more wt. due to being ill with Chemotherapy... just in case that is ever a possibility at some point in my life.  I discussed it with my Dr. he thinks I would do fine.

My heart goes out to you, but I am glad that it was found and being treated.  Please keep us posted on how you are doing.  And if you do not mind sharing with us what your doc says if the WLS will affect your cancer treatment and health during tx. 

Again I am so sorry to hear you will have to under go all of this treatment.  Cancer is scary and it sucks, but you can beat it!  You are probably so much healthier now then you ever were before your WLS journey, so that is a positive.  It is a long scary road to have BC but I know you will beat it you seem like a fighter.  On a positive note you will have a new set of breasts that will be cancer free and stand up tighter then when you were 16!!!

So, again keep your chin up stay strong and keep us posted!

Truly,

Gina

Thanks for the sympathy and support. My doc says that people are gaining weight on chemo these days due to the new anti-nausea medications. Though some women still lose quite a bit. I guess it just depends. My doc says the surgery and chemo shouldn't be a problem. Besides, I'm a bit far out so I can eat reasonable amounts frequently, per my RNY surgeon if need be.

By God's grace, I'll beat it.

The good news is that if you're concerned about regaining weight after a breast cancer diagnosis, you're in great mental/emotional shape as well as physical!

I too am a breast cancer survivor.  I did gain a ton of weight, but it was from tamoxifen, not chemotherapy.  I'm not sure if the tumor you have is ER/PR+ or ER/PR-.  If negative, you won't have to do hormonal therapy and that will take a load off, literally, weight-wise.

My recommendation would be to just really "work your tool" as you go through treatment.  The only cancer survivor I know who was treated post-WLS lost a lot of weight and did not gain.  The main thing is to be healthy and beat back the beast completely! 

For support, please join us at www.youngsurvival.org, a website for young survivors of breast cancer.

You are in my prayers.

I would like to ask you some questions if you don't mind.
I have a cancer that is hormonal and they told me that if my cancer is back that I will have to have hormonal therapy.  Is this what makes you gain weight?  The doctor thinks there is going to be a clinical studie with the Unv. of Iowa and that she is going to try to get me in there.  I haven't lost all my weight, because I never dieted since surgery, they didn't want me to loose to much to cause it to spread which don't think that's going to be the case anyway think it's back and doing more then it was before.  I just want to know about the gain and about how much there will be.  I appreciate it and I know it will take a while to hear from you no one uses this forum much any more. 
Thanks again
Marylin

Hi Marilyn,

I think a combination of things cause the weight gain. The shift in hormones during hormonal therapy, the anti-nausea medication, the inactivity, the steroids that they give you. I see my docs next week. I'll be sure to raise these questions. They assure me that with the proper diet, my weight should remain stable. I'll let you know what my doc says.

Thanks

Unfortunately I am ER/PR+. I just had my surgery on 4 Sep. I find out early next week which chemotherapy regimen to start. I'm stage 3 and the doc says I need chemo and radiation.

Thanks for the prayers and thanks for the link!

Well good luck with the doc and I hope that everything works out for you.  Keep me posted and I got all the chicks and prayers flying high for you.  I know that your dealing with a lot right now and I just want you to know that you are in my prayrers. 
Marylin

Hi,

I had RNY surgery 6/21/07 & chemo began Sept 07 & finished Feb. 14, 2008.

I think the Doctor was way overstating peoples weight gain.

Steriods are usually the short term kind and do not cause weight gain.

Despite having great anti-nausea drugs- you still do not want to eat.

The disgusting tastes you get are quite hard to overcome. If you are strictly on anti-hormone teatments- bizarre taste issues will not be a problem...

I lived on Panera low fat chicken noodle soup...there was little else I tolerated...

I also lived on deli sliced SUPER thin ham...bizarre- but it worked...

I am about 9 pounds heavier than my lowest weight during chemo....

and that weight has been perfectly stable for 7 months...

Two weeks ago, I did Bike Philly- 20 miles...so I am way active again!!!

Here is a great web site for breast cancer treatment algorhthyms

http://www.nccn.org/patients/patient_gls/_english/_breast/co ntents.asp

  Sorry , and my best wishes. I, too have BC (breast cancer). One of the first things that they told me was that the diet (high protein / low carbs.) that they have us on is perfect for recovery. In fact, they told me that they have to change their other patients to this diet to help their body have the strength to mend and heal. In this area - you are already ahead. Congrats.
  I had the Chemo. already. I am now about 1/2 way thru Rads (radiation). During Chemo., they gave me 2 strong meds. for nausea. They didn't help much, and I lost 30 lbs. - but, the nutrition drinks helped me when I couldn't stand to eat. I also bought Glucerna (nutritional drink - like Ensure, but  with no sugar). I didn't drink them, I made popsickles out of them. (I had mouth sores due to the Chemo., and the popsickles - anything cold - sooth and numb the mouth). It makes the expensive drinks go a LOT further, too. Saves, and is nice to have a 'treat' when you don't feel well. Besides helping the mouth feel better, you are getting good nutrition in case you have nausea. My Drs. are pleased with my labs. (lab tests).
   I know a lot about sites, and info., and such about this subject. Just answer this, and ask for my e-mail address, and I will write.

I too had breast cancer after WLS-and it did NOT affect my weight loss.  It did slow down a bit when I first could not exercise, but I made up for most of that with a reduced appetite.

I am now well into my first of five years on Tamoxifen-and side effects are different for everyone.  I met one woman who had NO side effects all 5 years!  I have not had any weight gain-in fact, my rate of weight loss is pretty good right now and I am almost at goal.  As I said, side effect vary from person to person.  My worst side effects are excessive bruising for no reason, fatigue, and hot flashes.  I can deal with these a lot better than weight gain.

I would not focus on your weight so much right now-focus on getting healthy and strong-the weight loss will come naturally!

I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers!
Merry Christmas,
Lisa R.

Sorry 'bout your diagnosis.  I had Invasive Ductal Carcinoma - Stage 3 and went thru chemo, surgery and radiation.  I was diagnosed in April of 2007 (1 month after I turned 50).  I had RNY on 12/4/08 and have 65 lbs. off so far.  

I gained a few lbs. when I underwent chemo.  The new chemos are designed so that the patient looses as little weight as possible.   It wasn't a significan gain and came off easily.  Try to stay positive and do everything they ask of you.   They will want you to eat well during and after treatment - proteins/veggies, etc.  so you shouldn't have aniy long term weight gain issues.

The advice you received here from others is correct.  Stay focused and POSITIVE.  Don't let the cancer take over your life!   Go to work, meet with friends and do your regular routine.  

Prior to my RNY, I had a catscan, Petscan and other diagnostic tests just to be sure there was no lingering problems.  I finished radiation in 10/2008 and over 1 year later I am cancer free!  

Life is good - I'll be praying for you and if you need to talk or vent, fee free to contact me.

You go girl!!

I was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago and had a bilateral mastectory and chemotherapy. During my chemo treatments I lost weight, even while taking the anti-nausea drugs. My cancer was hormonal, though, and after chemo I was put on tamoxifen, which made me gain the weight right back.

I only had weight loss surgery (lap-band) one month ago, because I had to wait two years from the end of the cancer treatment to have the surgery. I am still on tamoxifen, and have lost 15 pounds this first month, so I think it all depends on your own system. My oncologist said that I will probably lose weight at a slower-than-normal rate while on tamoxifen, but that's OK with me, as long as I lose!

Hope everything works out for you!

 I just finished breast cancer treatment--chemo and radiation in August.  Before the breast cancer diagnosis, I had been accepted into Kaiser options program for RNY.  Now I have the choice of RNY, sleeve or lapband.  

I was leaning towards lapband but do have sweet tooth so maybe RNY.  How did you decide?  My cancer is triple negative and not hormonal so recurrence rate is higher.  I too would like to lose weight and keep it off.

Hi, i had WLS over 2 years ago. i had a bi-lateral masectomy almost 3months ago, I have not gained ANY weight. Lost down to 88lbs, back up to almost 100 now.