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Tuesday, February 23, 2010 C. Frederick asks

Q: I gained 10 lbs in 5 months on Femara. How do I control weight gain due to femara?

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Answers (3)
PJ Hamel, Health Guide
2/23/10 7:11pm

No easy answer, unfortunately; no "magic bullet." Eat fewer calories (diet); burn more calories (exercise). "Simple" as that. I found a South Beach-type diet has worked well for me, on Arimidex - low-fat dairy and protein, whole grains, fruits and veggies. Sorry there's no easy way around this, but if there is - I sure haven't found it! Cry PJH

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2/25/10 8:49am

Yes, I too have been putting on weight after starting Femara.  It seems I can't eat little enough (and be satisfied) to keep the weight from appearing.  I am very discouraged.  My husband is so good about it and tells me to consider the alternative of not taking Femara.  He would rather see me like this than getting cancer again.  I try to hold on to this thought when I look in the mirror.

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4/ 8/11 4:40pm

i have been on femara for 5 years...had stage 3 breast cancer...i have tried everything there is except to stop taking the femara. diet ,exercise, natural weight lose products, walking 12 miles a week, EVERYTHING..i have gained 50 pounds...i even call the drug company that makes femara and all they told me was check with your doctor...all he did was pat me on the back and said dont worry about it as long as you are healthy now...so i finally went to a nutritionist and she told me after looking at all my medical and diet records..." as long as you are taking femara you are not going to lose the weight no matter what you do...it's the drug"...end of story...so i have finally stopped gaining...was also told that after i stopped taking femara the weight would slowly come off....so now i just dont worry about it anymore and try to enjoy the fact that i am alive......

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PJ Hamel, Health Guide
4/ 8/11 7:42pm

I think it's true, Katie - once you get off Femara, it's a long road back, but you DO lose weight. I've lost about 10 pounds (the 10 pounds I gained) from being on Arimidex, but it took nearly a year. Don't get discouraged; you can walk this hard road, and eventually lose the weight and get back to where you were. Best of luck to you - PJH

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2/25/10 5:08pm

Thank you so much for the information. I lost almost 40 lbs. after my diagnosis (on purpose) but have had a hard time losing more. I've blamed myself. I never dreamed it was due to the Femara. I won't stop taking it. But since being overweight also raises my risk, I will work harder to lost that extra 20 lbs. Just knowing why I have a heartier appetite than I had previously is a help.

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By C. Frederick— Last Modified: 04/08/11, First Published: 02/23/10