Weight gain can be a real problem on Lupron.  I have gained a total of 20
pound on my Lupron cycles.  While on Lupron, losing weight can be VERY
difficult, as you are finding out.  Yet, 48 pounds seems little more than it
should be.  Exercise is more difficult on Lupron, both mentally and
physically.  The desire is just not there and weight training does nothing
to build and maintain muscle mass.  Walking is still one of the best
exercises that most everyone can do. If you are able to walk, you should be
walking at least 20 minutes every day.  And by that, it should be continuous
walking.  My problem with walking is that I know too many people in the
neighborhood, and tend to stop and visit too much.  One thing that struck me
as to your weight gain, have you had your thyroid checked? Even if you never
had a thyroid problem in the past, ADT can trigger or add to such a problem.
I have taken Synthroid for many years, and we check it semi annually. Your
doctor should run a complete blood test, including liver function, thyroid,
etc. on you.  Keep trying and best of luck to you.

Dale P
Denver, CO

I realize that weight gain/loss is "simply" a matter of calories
consumed/expended, but maybe understanding the mechanism of weight gain on
Lupron may help Lupron pts fight it. Does it increase their appetite? Slow
their metabolism? Cause water retention? Inhibit exercise via mental or
physical depression or discomfort? HOW does it do any of those? One effect,
for example, might be the lowered T => muscle atrophy => reduced metabolism
=> fewer calories expended 24/7 => weight gain even on comparably reduced
calories => solution: eat fewer calories and get more exercise, especially
weight training. Same questions apply for any meds we take WITH Lupron.

You've gained 48 pounds in 3.75 years. That's an excess of 122 calories a
day overall. You could stop gaining by eating 122 calories fewer a day
(apparently 2Kcal is your magic balance point NOW), or lose weight by
cutting calories back even further. But weight lost by diet alone is mostly
muscle, and as the muscle goes, so goes the metabolism, so goes the calories
in vs out balance point, and so we keep having to eat less and less just to
prevent weight gain. Keep losing that muscle by diet alone and your "magic
point" will keep dropping .... 1.9 Kcal, 1.8 Kcal,etc., until you just say
"screw it; let's go to Godfather's all-you-can-eat pizza. I'm gonna die fat
and enjoy it." Adding exercise to the equation at least lets us eat more yet
hold our weight; adding weight training (i.e., resistance training to
ever-increasing muscle load) will build muscle (it's the ONLY way we can
build muscle), increase our basal metabolism to help us burn fat 24/7, and,
as long as our calorie intake lags our calorie output, keep losing fat.

You apparently have the same choices every other overweight or underfit
person has:
1. fight a one-sided (diet alone), time-consuming, hungry, restrictive,
raisin-counting, food-weighing, giant dietary hassle which AT BEST makes us
thin, uptight, hungry, often lacking in vital nutrients, physically and
mentally tired, and in poor physical condition.
2. Add exercise to the battle and eat the same, likely even more, yet
reverse ALL the negative outcomes of the diet-only warfare.

Exercise adds many years to our lives (well, not so much for many in THIS
group) and much life to our years (ESPECIALLY for this group), while it
could be argued that dieting alone just takes away. Moderately overweight
but physically FIT people are far healthier than lean, mean, whining
machines who are unfit because they don't work or play hard. If your doctor
gives good cancer advice, thank him very much for his diet advice and ask
him to recommend a qualified professional physical trainer and dietician so
you can get serious about taking charge of your weight AND fitness. If his
PC advice is marginal, maybe it's a good excuse to make a clean break,
because calorie restriction alone is generally a losing battle. (The two
guys I know who spend the most time in the gym are major heart patients
whose exercise has saved their lives.) OTOH, it may be harder to find an
oncologist who understands and practices proper weight management than one
who can do a nerve-sparing RRP with great results. No reason we can't see
one person for our PC problems and a whole 'nuther resource to manage our
weight and fitness, as long as both providers are kept appraised of our
overall conditions.

I.P.

I gained almost 30 since going on Lupron 2½ years ago, including 15 in the
last three months!  But, I think walking will knock that 15 back down.

It's been a real struggle.