Topic: Anyone else gain 6 pounds during rads?

YES!  I was furious!  LOL.  My radiation folks didn't weigh me, though.  I think they might have weighed me at my very first visit, but that's it.

I attributed the weight gain to the fact that I was tired & cranky & so I wasn't moving around much and I was eating comfort food.  Yeah, actually it was probably 7 pounds.  Maybe 7 1/2. 

It came off pretty fast, though.  Now I'm back to where I was before radiation, and working on getting back to where I was before I quit smoking. 

It could be lymphedema.  I didn't gain 6 pounds during rads, but gained about that much in the months following rads.  It wasn't until my second follow-up with my med onc that someone finally sent me to an LE therapist because my bad boob was a full cup size larger than the other.  I spent a couple of weeks with the LE therapist and ended up losing 6 pounds.  I know that wasn't all in the bad boob - I lost in the arms and probably in the trunk as well.

Rads can really do a number on your body, including bringing on lymphedema.  I wish someone had told me in advance so I could be watchful for it.

Good luck.

Thanks for telling me. It looks like it is not uncommon. Annoying because I was hoping maybe to lose weight during rads. Not sure where I got that idea. Sigh. I did a lot of walking the first few weeks of rads to hopefully fend off fatigue. I have not been too tired so far but as the weather gets colder, maybe I'm doing less outside.

At this point I can't tell whether it is all fluid or "real" weight. I have never successfully lost ANY weight, ever, at all, so I may be stuck with it. I can diet for a max of 2 days then I blow it with some desperate craving.

I had an acupuncture treatment yesterday. My hospital has a pilot program for cancer patients (just one treatment). The acupuncturist asked about my diet, and I said all I wanted lately was red meat and fruit/vegetables, no carbs. She said keep it up, my blood was deficient.