Weight Gain/loss While on Aromasin

I have been on Tamoxifin for 30 months and now am on Aromasin for the past 8 weeks. I want to know if anyone is experiencing difficulty in losing weight. I exercise daily and go to the gym 3 times per week. My diet is organic and has plenty of fiber for breakfast with salads and protein at both lunch and dinner. I cannot seem to drop any pounds. I am not gaining any weight but I work hard to get my weight down. I am wondering if the Aromasin is causing this difficulty with losing weight.

 

On 11/23/2006 Katkid wrote:

I have been on Tamoxifin for 30 months and now am on Aromasin for the past 8 weeks. I want to know if anyone is experiencing difficulty in losing weight. I exercise daily and go to the gym 3 times per week. My diet is organic and has plenty of fiber for breakfast with salads and protein at both lunch and dinner. I cannot seem to drop any pounds. I am not gaining any weight but I work hard to get my weight down. I am wondering if the Aromasin is causing this difficulty with losing weight.

 

Hi Katkid!  I just ran across your message on this board and it sounds like you and I have almost the exact same history.  I was on Tamoxifen for 34 months and have now been on Aromasin for 14 weeks or so.  I also work out at a gym several times a week, try to get at least 30 minutes of cardio 3-4 times a week, and eat a pretty clean diet of mostly organic foods, whole grains, fish and very little red meat.  I do admit to being a sugar junkie, but I'm trying to resolve that.  And yeah, I've put on a few pounds in the last few months, even though I exercise regularly.  It seems to be collecting mainly in my waistline.....not hips or legs or any of the other usual places....just the midriff.  It seems as though this appalling phenomenon began toward the end of the Tamoxifen round, so I don't know if Aromasin has increased it or what.  At any rate, it's making me crazy.  I've been surfing around trying to find out if there are a lot of us out there who are experiencing the same thing from Aromasin.  My oncologist told me that Tamoxifen tends to make patients ravenous after being on it for a few years.  And I guess she's right.....I know that I'm utterly outta control with ice cream!   I've noticed that I also have increased numbers of hot flashes with the Aromasin, although they're shorter in duration than those I had with Tamoxifen.  If you've found out anything about the weight gain thing  since your posting, please drop a line if you have time.  Thanks, and take care......Nan  

hi Katkid and Nan, it is interesting to read your messages! i have been on Tamoxifen for the past 18 months and am now being switched to aromasin. But i have had the same issues with stuck weight with the Tamoxifen. i work out daily and have an all organic , healthy diet. it is frustrating to be working so hard to get these few pounds off with little results... any suggestions? and , it is really aroung the tummy and hips.... i am also wondering about joint pain, have you all experienced much of that? best to you both, shanita

I am also on Aromasin for adeno sarcoma for the last 4 months, after 5 years on Megace - have gained at least 30 pounds in the last 6 5 1/2 years.  When I went on the Aromasin I experience joint pain in my knees and fingers, and my hands and feet swelled  up - and as fast as that started, it went away in about 2 months.  I'm still fat, but at least I don't hurt, and I can wear my wedding ring again!

Hang in there -- Epiphany

Exactly the same issue - weight gain around the middle on Aromasin.

I exercise a lot! - run about 20 km per week - and weight train twice a week.

Also think I'm losing hair - not sure if I want to continue this

J. 

 

Hi, I too was on tomoxifin for about 2 1/2 years and then started on aromasin since 2007.  I try to jog for at least 1 hour 4 to 5 days a week - I thoroughly enjoy this.  I try to eat organic as much as possible and try to stick to a low calorie diet.  However, there is no way under God's heaven that I can loose one pound - it's like glue stuck on me!  I thought I was doing something wrong and yes it's around my waist.  I can eat all I want or I can spend the day eating very little and I still weigh the same everyday, everyday, everyday.  Frustrating isn't it?  Good to know I'm not alone.

 

On 11/23/2006 Katkid wrote:

I have been on Tamoxifin for 30 months and now am on Aromasin for the past 8 weeks. I want to know if anyone is experiencing difficulty in losing weight. I exercise daily and go to the gym 3 times per week. My diet is organic and has plenty of fiber for breakfast with salads and protein at both lunch and dinner. I cannot seem to drop any pounds. I am not gaining any weight but I work hard to get my weight down. I am wondering if the Aromasin is causing this difficulty with losing weight.

I was on tamoxifin for 26 months, and Aromasin now for 3 months.  I go to the gym 6 times a week, eat well most of the time, but still have sweets.  I have cut back on sweets and still can not lose 1 pound.  I started ordering the Aromasin via the telephone due to the high co-pay and the flyer that came with my prescription had weight gain and inabilty to lose weight as side effects- so I guess that is our answer.  Good luck!

 

On 11/23/2006 Katkid wrote:

I have been on Tamoxifin for 30 months and now am on Aromasin for the past 8 weeks. I want to know if anyone is experiencing difficulty in losing weight. I exercise daily and go to the gym 3 times per week. My diet is organic and has plenty of fiber for breakfast with salads and protein at both lunch and dinner. I cannot seem to drop any pounds. I am not gaining any weight but I work hard to get my weight down. I am wondering if the Aromasin is causing this difficulty with losing weight.

I started with Tamoxifin in November of 2005 and after about 18 months switched to Aromasin.  From the time of surgery to now I have put on about 10 pounds, and while before breast cancer I exercised regularly, I have not become a couch potato by any means.  Fatigue makes it difficult to keep a routine going, but I don't eat a lot and really pay attention to what I eat, but these pounds just do not come off.  It is so frustrating. I hate buying clothes.  I was so happy to find this site to know that it is not hopeless and at some point - in about 2 years I will hopefully have less fatigue and be able to exercise regularly and lose some of this extra weight.  I also have stiffness in my feet whenever I sit still for a while or overnight and last but not least are the hot flashes.  Much less now and rather quick to be gone, but usually at the worst moment possible.  I have read about other side effects women have and consider myself lucky with only these.

I was on Tamoxifin for 2 years and was switched to Aromasin and thought I would get off when I hit the 5 year mark.  My doctor told me the new protocol was to be on Aromasin for a full 5 years, not a combined 5 years as the previous protocol had been so I will be on meds for a total of 7 years before a chance of getting off and then we will see what protocol is at that point.

I was so looking forward to getting off as the weight I had put on was just not coming off and it has added up big time since I started taking the meds.

I was trying everything my tired body would allow.  I joined a gym and went 4 times a week for a year and didn't lose a pound.  I am tired, emotional, grumpy, lower back pain, hot flashes, etc. and the weight gain just makes it worse.  I think the lack of energy is some of the weight gain of course but......

On 8/19/2008 dellano wrote:

 

On 11/23/2006 Katkid wrote:

I have been on Tamoxifin for 30 months and now am on Aromasin for the past 8 weeks. I want to know if anyone is experiencing difficulty in losing weight. I exercise daily and go to the gym 3 times per week. My diet is organic and has plenty of fiber for breakfast with salads and protein at both lunch and dinner. I cannot seem to drop any pounds. I am not gaining any weight but I work hard to get my weight down. I am wondering if the Aromasin is causing this difficulty with losing weight.

I started with Tamoxifin in November of 2005 and after about 18 months switched to Aromasin.  From the time of surgery to now I have put on about 10 pounds, and while before breast cancer I exercised regularly, I have not become a couch potato by any means.  Fatigue makes it difficult to keep a routine going, but I don't eat a lot and really pay attention to what I eat, but these pounds just do not come off.  It is so frustrating. I hate buying clothes.  I was so happy to find this site to know that it is not hopeless and at some point - in about 2 years I will hopefully have less fatigue and be able to exercise regularly and lose some of this extra weight.  I also have stiffness in my feet whenever I sit still for a while or overnight and last but not least are the hot flashes.  Much less now and rather quick to be gone, but usually at the worst moment possible.  I have read about other side effects women have and consider myself lucky with only these.

 

Whew!  I cried when I read every one's messages. I am not alone!  I have been on aromasin for 3 years and will be on it the rest of my life.  My cancer came back last spring.  But the thing that has been concerning me the most is not my prognosis, it is this huge man belly I developed over the past 2 years!  I have had surgeries, and some down time, but I do not eat more than 1500 per day. That is funny, I have never been an ice cream eater, and now I have it every day, within reason..someone else noted that too.   When I hear that you are all working so hard to try and get rid of it with no success, I am somewhat relieved, that it is not just me, but concerned because now I realize I will be dealing with this huge gut, and these horrendous hot flashes for the rest of my life. 

 I am so thankful for everyone's input, how lucky I was to happen upon this site.