what is a normal weight loss for CRC surgery and chemo?

[CatherineG inAF]

I know everyone is different and how we respond to surgery and chemo varies. I know there isn't a "right" answer, I'm just curious what is the experience of the group. Gain? Loss? How much? Regain afterwards?

[jhocno197]

My husband lost maybe 5 pounds due to the liquid diet before/after surgery. He lost no weight all through chemo.

[AppleTree]

I started at 150, went down to 132 during radiation. I am back up to 140... 6 1/2 weeks post chemo/radiation. My surgery is in 2 weeks, so I expect I will loose some for that. I am 5'8".

[kellywin]

Not sure if there is a "normal", I lost maybe 10-15 lbs, mostly because I didn't eat much during chemo. Of course as soon as chemo ended I ate like a hog and gained 40 lbs. Now I can't get it off.

[crazylife]

30 lbs for DH between surgery and chemo (he is on round 11 of Folfox). But also radical diet changes, so who knows.

[JDinNC]

Lost 40 lbs.....have put 20 lbs back on......it's been 2 years since finishing chemo.

[NoFear32]

I lost 15 pounds post surgery (I was in the hospital for 11 days). Then I lost another 10-15 pounds during chemo. I have been off chemo for 9 months now and have gained 15 pounds back!

[midlifemom]

During 6 months of folfox I gained 10 pounds, lost it easily in the following 2-3 months.

During the first six months of folfiri, I gained 20 pounds (blaming it on steroids). Once steroids were reduced it started to slowly come off. During last 3 months (still on folfiri) I lost appetite so down a total of 22 pounds so far.

[tarheelmom]

I've lost 14 lbs. since my ULAR and ileostomy. One oddity - I was never a big ice cream fan - now that's the only thing I want to eat besides vanilla yogurt and pretzels.

[orcasres]

Between surgery and chemo I lost 40 pounds and gained about 10 pounds back (I deliberately tried to keep the weight off). I finished chemo in May, 2011. Lois

[Nik Colon]

I'm the odd ball I guess. Gained 20 lbs after dx. Then gained 20 more from surgery but it was water weight which I lost in the weeks after. Still not down to my normal weight I think it's all the fatigue as I don't eat excessive and probably less than I did.

I must add tho, my body really seems to retain water. I gained 55lbs with my daughter, most water which shot out like a flood. She was 7lbs 9 oz. I still looked preg after birth, but lost another over 30 lbs (around 40 including her) in water in the couple days I was there. Lost the last 10 a week or so after. I still feel full and like I retain alot of water after I eat or drink anything.

[Jachut]

I lost 14kg - that's a little over 30 lb. I was very skinny and I got a lot of grief from my doctors about it. I didn't lose my appetite - far from it. I had my lapband totally unfilled which usually results in weight gain. I was eating a good 1800 calories a day and the weight just fell off in the six weeks after radiation - literally 2 or 3kg a week and it not water.

I only lost a few kgs more after surgery from the ileostomy - I was just dehydrated I think.

[FloridaLove]

I lost 25 pounds in a week after having a total colectomy. Granted I didn't eat much and was only managing soft foods for awhile. I lost another 10 pounds in the months after that. Since then, I've put it all back on as my body has regulated. I did not have chemo, but I did have 8 colonoscopies/endoscopies in the next year to get rid of more cancerous polyps.

[cashmere]

I lost about 15 pounds after surgery, put it back on and stayed the same during chemo. After reversal put on 20 pounds and that lasted about 6 years. Finally got rid of that but it took me a year and a half!! Back to my pre cancer weight.

[nomoretacos]

I lost 3-4 kgs (8 pounds) after surgery but have maintained my weight during chemo which i hope continues throughout treatment. I really don't want to lose any more weight as i'm already quite thin.