Since starting treatment I’ve now put on 30 lbs. 30 lbs! That feels like a bit much.

Unexplained weight loss was one of the original symptoms that took me the doctor in the first place, and then in the weeks leading up to my first chemo appointment I continued to drop weight at an alarming rate. At one point I weighed in at 130 lbs. I’m 5’11… That’s a BMI of 18, putting me in the “Underweight” category. So the doctors told me to eat pretty much whatever I wanted and work towards putting on weight. Well I did. And now I feel a bit out of control and HUGE at 160 lbs.

I’m hoping to be able to change this trend, but I have several things going against me. For starters, one of the medications that I take to control nausea is a type of steroid (dexamethasone) that is also an appetite stimulant, so for several days after chemo I tend to eat and snack all day. Once that medication wears off after a few days (I only take it for 2 days after chemo) I’ve started to encounter another problem. One of the new side effects that I’ve begun to experience is a constant metallic taste in my mouth. It’s a fairly common side effect, and from what I understand it can get so extreme for some people that everything starts to taste like metal and they have to start using plastic silverware because they then can’t handle having metallic utensils in their mouth on top of the metallic tasting everything. I haven’t gotten there yet, but lately around days 4-7 I have a nasty metal taste in mouth.

So, how do I combat it? Yep, by eating. It’s the only way I’ve found to get rid of that nasty taste in my mouth, by replacing it with actual tastes. And the effects are only temporary, but worth it. So I continue to eat alot and snack all day because I always have a gross taste in my mouth that I’m trying to get rid of. It’s either eat something delicious, or feel like I’m sucking on a piece of aluminum.

At the very least I’m hoping that the exercise I’m bringing back into my life will help hold off additional pounds as I don’t see myself stepping down on my food consumption, given the facts. I’ve been getting to the gym a couple of days a week and have been trying to get out for a long walk with the dog every day.
Ideally I would love to get back down to my normal 145-150 range, but realistically I don’t think that’s going to happen until after I finish treatment. Until then, I guess I’ll just have to embrace the new pudgy Brian. More of me to love I guess.