Cancer survivor who needs a little help please.....?

Question

i am a seventeen year old girl who was diagnosed with hodgkin's lymphoma three years ago.....I had to take prednisone (a steroid) for a long time and gained a lot of weight....can someone please give me advice on the best way to lose more of the weight i gained (i am kind of at a hault now)

i exercise 3 times a week......i don't eat too much because the prednisone made me lose my appetite....i only eat when i need to.....other than the things i do what can help me lose the rest of the weight i need to lose?????

thanks for the help

Answer 1

It sounds like you're doing what you need to do. You're eating well, you're exercising and you're taking care of your body (I hope!), getting proper rest and so on. You may have just hit a wall and in time you'll start losing weight again.

Ask your doctor to check your cortisol levels, to make sure your body isn't overproducing steroids in response to coming off the drug.

Other hormonal problems like a low thyroid and polycystic ovaries can cause weight gain despite proper diet and exercise. The best thing for you to do is talk to your doctor, ask his/her opinion and have these other hormones tested. If all comes back normal, you've probably either hit a plateau or are going through a growth spurt (which in girls also means adding a bit of fat in the breast an dhip area), which will balance out in a few months.

Answer 2

Sweetie, I wish I could give you a hug. Not only to make you feel better, but because you made me feel better. I don't know the answer, but I can tell you I have the same problem. I had Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, and was treated with lots of Prednisone too. I have gained 50 lbs!!!! [I am much older - 48] The chemo also sent me into menopause. But I can't seem to shake this weight no matter what I do, or eat. I wish you all the best. Thank God you're still in the fight!

Answer 3

Congradulations! You've been through a lot and 3 years is something to celebrate.

I gained a lot of weight due to the steriods I had to take for a neuromuscular disease. I found that I did better eating very small meals more often instead of just not eating much. Not eating can slow down your metabolism and stop weight loss. I would check out the Body for Life diet, it's easy to follow healthy for you and will get your metabolism on track to lose weight. No special foods or anything, and it's eating in a way that promotes good health which is important for you as well.

Most libraries have the book so just check it out before you decide to buy it so you can see if it's a diet you are interested in.
It helped me considerably, I lost the weight and got back to where I was before all the steriods.

You might also want to try pilates or some other strength training in addition to your other excercise. Good luck!

Answer 4

Hi Jessica! Congratulations for the 3 year mark. I'm a survivor too. I developed lymphedema, has your doctor mentioned that possiblity to you? If you want to know more about that you can email me on the site here or check my site below.

Those darn steriods are famous for weight problems. What do you do for your exercising? I would recommend a varied program and do it 7 days a week, different things from light to more strenous.

Day 1, alot of yoga and stretching, you want to gain mobility and flexibility.

Day 2, walking, walk 1 mile or whatever your endurance is.

Day 3, 20 minutes of aerobics

Day 4, dance up a storm with fun movements.

Day 5, walking again

Day 6. gym routine style, jumping jacks, squat thrusts, and pushups but only what you can endure and not get too tired.

Day 7, hula hooping or jumping rope.

I used to be a dancer and the varied routines move different body parts and strengthen and tone all areas, it's a very healthy workout.

Drink alot of water, water pushes things through and flushes out toxins. Eat plenty of fruits and veggies.

I'm on a diet now, dental diet all soft foods, oatmeals, muffins, fruits, etc. I've lost 10 pounds. I wouldn't recommend the dental diet to anyone but it's easy to digest and filling at the same time I realize and it did help me.

Answer 5

I had leukemia and was treated with prednsone (among other things) from 2001-2003. I gained like 70lbs during that time. so far I've lost 30 of that and still losing. What works for me is lots of walking (1hour/day) and a 3 hour hike each weekend. I eat the same amount as i used to, just more fruits and veggies instead of fatty snacks. good luck!

Answer 6

You will lose weight if you eat well balanced, low fat foods and watch the portions. Cut out pop, chips, snack foods and eat a well rounded diet full of fresh fruits and veggies and use skim milk.
I think if you need to lose more than 20 lbs, you should consult with your doctor to see a dietician. She can follow along with you and make sure you are doing all the right things to lose weight and make sure you actually need to lose weight.
You are so blessed. Congratulations on being a cancer survivor!!!

Answer 7

Sweetie, I only replied to this to say thank-you, I don't want to take anything away from your question but I so needed to one say
congratulations and 2 thank-you my husband has leukemia,they
have told us the odds are against him, I had cancer as well, and
ms I am not very old, but I when I was treated for my cancer went the opposite I was so skinny everyone came to help me, the only advise I can truly give you is try hard to perhaps find a support group, I hope you are in a town where there is alot of this as we made a dreadful mistake by moving sorry I had been going through many emotions but reading you beat it was music to my ears, and gave me hope, I am sorry for not being able to help you especially when you helped me so very much! God Bless You!! You will succeed you have already proven you are a true winner!! (((hugs)))

Answer 8

VeryQuiet is right, you should probably share your concern with your doctor, and see if there is anything he/she says you need to do in addition to eating less and exercising more.

But MUCH more important than that, you shouldn't worry about it! Unless you are so huge it's a health threat (which the doctor would have already addressed), it doesn't matter if you don't look like Calista Flockhart. You beat cancer, girl! The whole of the rest of your life is a free ride. It could very easily have beaten you, but you (along with help from your doctors, of course!) beat it. Well done!

Answer 9

Has he been back to the dr lately? It almost sounds like he's had a recurrence of his cancer or it could be the progression of radiation damage. Nutrition-wise, he should just eat healthy, whole foods. As for the exercise, I don't see how's he's in any shape to put more stress on his lungs and in turn, his heart. Maybe very simple exercises, like touching your head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes... Sitting down, raise legs. Sitting down, use very light weights or a band for tension and a little weightbearing on his upper body.

Answer 10

Your problem was most likely due to inflammation caused by the drugs. Here is a website with lot of good infromation.
http://www.mercola.com/
Supplements – fish oil, ginger/ turmeric, glucosamine, MSM (Methyl Sulfonyl Methane)
Dietary recommendations – fish, green vegetables, fruit, grass fed meat, olive oil, white potatoes, omega-3 eggs
Make sure you are doing more cardio and resistence training with weights.
Because cancers often times resurface I suggest taking the best care of your health. You should seek a chiropractor that also deals with nutrition and complicated cases such as yours. Here is a sight that can help you find a doctor near you.
http://www.icpa4kids.org/find.htm
Hope all goes well and good luck!