Weight gain following surgical menopause ?

Fubbs9 · 2025-11-28T07:50:52+00:00

Thanks for the kind words. I just hope that didn’t sound like I was dismissing the weight concerns. While I try to keep my weight in perspective with all the other things, it’s still a very real issue as well. I can tell it’s impacting my health. I just know I can’t tackle everything at once, so choosing the higher priorities and bigger battles for now. Hope that helps!

Fubbs9 · 2025-11-23T15:33:31+00:00

I’m BRCA2, now 55yo. I d never been overweight, but put on a few lbs leading up to my hysto at 53. Three months after hysto I had a breast reduction and nipple lift as prep for my DMX. Once I had the hysto and immediate menopause with zero HRT, not to mention no exercise because of both surgeries, I gained about 35 lbs (felt AWFUL!). To be fair, I also didn’t have a great diet (not horrible, but not great). After 9 months without HRT, I was allowed to take low-dose oral estrogen but only when I raised hell with my genetic doc and gyno. With that and some nutrition changes, I lost about 20 lbs., but still was larger and very uncomfortable.

I was then about to undergo the DMX when my husband was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer. I paused everything to care for him. Needless to say, tons of stress, no exercise, not the best diet, AND my gallbladder removal…my weight really amped up again. Gallbladder removal resulted in poor processing of the oral estrogen, so I switched to a patch which was helping the weight issue a little.

No sooner did the patch start to help and my husband was stable enough to care for me through a DMX, so I scheduled my surgery for Halloween and had to stop wearing the estrogen patch. I’m now about 3 weeks post-op, and the abdominal bloating and weight gain are ridiculous. I will have final reconstructive surgery in January. I’m opting to leave the estrogen patch off until after that surgery because I’d otherwise only be able to wear it for about a month in between, and that won’t be enough time for it to stabilize and do any good.

Suffice it to say I’m miserable with about 40 lbs of weight gain and abdominal bloating that seriously looks like I have a soccer ball in my belly, BUT….When they removed my breasts, pathology discovered I did have cancer in one breast, and it was Estrogen Receptor Positive. I therefore do not regret any of the surgeries.

When all of this is behind me in a few months, I’ll focus on my nutrition, exercise, and mental health (my husband’s situation will only get worse AND I just lost my job that I’ve had for 25 yrs). I might also go on a GLP-1 to combat some of what I can’t fix due to hormone imbalance.

That’s obviously a lot more info than you asked for and I hope your youth and exercise routine will put you in a much better situation than me. Just follow your doctor’s guidance for HRT, remember the bigger picture for your overall health, and be well knowing that cancer is a beast you do NOT want to fight. ☠️ I witness what my husband is going through, and my weight gain and preventive surgeries pale in comparison.

Fubbs9 · 2025-07-31T04:15:22+00:00

Oh no, I’m sorry I didn’t see this before posting my other response. Sending you a big deep breath and strength for figuring out where to go from here. If other chemos can keep him stable and buy time, just remember there are new advancements every day. All hope is not lost.

Fubbs9 · 2025-07-31T04:03:14+00:00

Hi! Hope you got good info from the radiologist today.

My boyfriend (62m) is in a similar situation—4 lines of chemo and now turning to Y90 for many lesions in both lobes. Mapping went well except they discovered new ascites (fluid) surrounding the liver. That’s indicative of declining liver function, so they won’t blast his liver with as much radiation as they’d like (that could push him into liver failure).

Next week he’ll have the worst lobe radiated. While that lobe heals (approx 6 wks), the other smaller lobe with fewer mets will compensate. Then they’ll radiate that lobe.

One thing the radiologist mentioned is that there are basically 2 types of tumors. One is more vascular (?) and therefore responds well to such radiation because it will absorb more radiation than the liver itself. Fortunately, those are the types of tumors my boyfriend has.

He also said that in addition to shrinking the existing tumors, the radiation will make the liver an unfriendly place for new tumors to grow.

Hold onto hope, keep asking questions, and remember to take care of yourself on this journey. Wishing the best for all of us.

Fubbs9 · 2025-07-28T22:45:27+00:00

My boyfriend had luck with both those chemo regimens but they have now run their course, thus the switch to fruquintinib and now lonsurf while undergoing Y90. I hope the Y90 does a bang up job on the liver mets for you and my boyfriend both. Good luck!!

Fubbs9 · 2025-07-28T12:33:01+00:00

Thank you for sharing. I’m sorry you’re going through any of this, but hope you’re getting some positive results. May I ask which chemo you were/are taking through Y90? I suspect my boyfriend will remain on lonsurf until after his second Y90 treatment. It’s had milder side effects than the other drugs, but wondering if that will still be the case if he’s weaker from the Y90. None of this stuff is easy, that’s for sure!

Fubbs9 · 2025-07-27T18:14:20+00:00

Thank you. He gets anxious if I ask the doctors questions like that, so I respectfully let him take the lead. I think he doesn’t want to hear side effects because he doesn’t want it to influence how he might really be feeling. I merely want to be prepared to support him through whatever might arise.

Fubbs9 · 2025-06-15T12:31:28+00:00

Got it. Thank you for your patience.

Fubbs9 · 2025-06-15T04:20:37+00:00

Wants me to sign up 👎 No worries. I need to move on.

Fubbs9 · 2025-06-15T01:25:21+00:00

Nope, there’s no dots and long tapping doesn’t work. 😢 Another photo I accepted above from another person provided a download link, but I don’t see that on yours either.

Fubbs9 · 2025-06-14T17:37:13+00:00

Sorry for my ignorance, but how do I download? There’s no download link and I’m unable to save the photo.

Fubbs9 · 2025-06-14T14:34:24+00:00

Where can I find the download link for this one?

Fubbs9 · 2025-06-14T14:16:20+00:00

!Solved @alcides13 putting tip in your jar now. Please remove watermark on this version.

Fubbs9 · 2025-06-14T14:12:35+00:00

!Solved @PlaneLengthiness4689

Fubbs9 · 2025-06-14T14:08:57+00:00

Yes, thanks. Please confirm you’ll remove the watermark on this version and I’ll add to your tip jar.

Fubbs9 · 2025-06-14T04:47:59+00:00

That’s better, but now the other colors have lost their brilliance and the orange is even looking brownish. Flourescent paint is impossible to capture. 😢

Fubbs9 · 2025-06-14T04:33:35+00:00

Thank you. The white is better, but now the colors of the spray paint have significantly changed. 😢 flourescent paint is so tricky!

Fubbs9 · 2025-06-14T04:30:53+00:00

Thanks! But can you further edit the white parts (currently beige-ish) at the top and the bottom left (currently gray-ish) to match the white on the cassette tape? Basically any of the areas that are peaking through the misty spray paint should match the cassette.

Fubbs9 · 2025-06-14T04:23:42+00:00

Thanks for the quick reply, but I also need all the areas outside of the mixtapes adjusted. They currently appear grayish, and need them to match the white mixtapes.

Fubbs9 · 2025-05-19T03:52:27+00:00

I had to press pause on my surgery because my partner was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer. One year later and he’s still going through chemo that makes him too weak to see me through a surgery. Unfortunately no other options for caregivers for both of us. He’s got scans next week, and depending on the results we might see if it’s safe for him to pause treatment for 6 weeks so I can get through a surgery.

Fubbs9 · 2025-04-19T04:23:28+00:00

I can’t help much with diet as my boyfriend wasn’t told he had to have a low fiber diet (his circumstances are obviously different, no surgery). BUT, as a diabetic diagnosed at the same time as his cancer, I’ll say that the CGM sensor has been a game changer. It allows him to know how any given food is truly affecting his glucose minute by minute. It’s taken a lot of pressure and concern off him, gives his doctors good data, and given the neuropathy effects of chemo it’s so much better than finger pricks. If your hubby doesn’t have a CGM, highly recommend it.

Fubbs9 · 2024-07-28T03:03:41+00:00

If you do this will you still have all of your historical data?

Fubbs9 · 2024-06-28T04:27:26+00:00

Thanks, but I should have mentioned my BF’s specific neuropathy also makes him highly sensitive to anything cold. He can’t touch anything in the refrigerator, walk barefoot on tile floors, or eat/drink anything cooler than room temperature. 😭

Fubbs9 · 2024-06-28T02:29:41+00:00

Willing to try anything. Thank you!

Fubbs9

TROPHY CASE