Weight gain before and after Imbruvica

[Snoopy234]

Hello everybody, I've been on Imbruvica (140mg per day) for over two years now and during that period have gained 5kg (11lbs). My normal weight used to be 57 kg (126 lbs). A month ago I was put on "medication vacation" for two months, but instead of losing weight after stopping the medication, I gained 2 kilos (4lbs) almost immediately !? Has anyone else had weight issues with Imbruvica and can anyone explain the weight gain after having stopped it? Any information or thoughts on this would be very much appreciated. (I eat sensibly and have never had weight issues before my illness, although I have gained one or two kilos as I'm getting older. I'm 78.) I realize that this question my sound frivolous compared to the much more serious issues that many of us are facing, but becoming several sizes larger in spite of not indulging , is rather depressing... Many thanks to all of you for providing these posts which are so helpful in so many ways.

[LeoPa]

You don't mention your height so it's hard to say whether that weight it is too much or not. Eating sensibly means something else in everyone's vocabulary. I'll give you a tip how to lose the weight if you want to lose it but I'm quite sure that you will not find it good for anything. Here it comes: eat only fatty meat for 30 days and nothing else. See if you can maintain your weight on such a diet. 🙂 I bet you can't. If you are diabetic disregard the advice.

[JoannG]

I know it sounds frivolous to be concerned about weight gain but having gone through a similar experience I know how you feel. After starting Ibrutinib 12 months ago, I've gained 13 pounds! During that time I've eaten less, eaten responsibly and exercised more. It's very frustrating. That being said, I keep reminding myself that there are worse things and we are so lucky that that these treatments are available to us. Wish I had a solution for you but I do empathize.

[estaff01]

I have gained 15 lbs in 2 years eating in a reasonable manner (actually less food) going on a prescribed meal plan I feel that Imbruvica has messed with my metabolism

[Mprm]

I’ve been on Ibrutinib for 2 1/2 years now, and have gained 10 pounds in spite of making no changes in my diet. For my entire adult life my weight had barely budged until I started taking this drug. The bulk is around my middle, where I had always been quite slim, and I find it so strange to change shape like this. I have taken the attitude that maybe the extra weight will serve me if I face serious illness in the future—though I hope I don’t need it, and I’d prefer not to gain more!

[Snoopy234]

Thank you for telling me that I'm not the only one with this problem. Like all of you, I feel that it's a small price to pay for staying healthy, so I'll just ignore my expanding middle and remain positive! One thing that is definitely positive is the progress being made in the treatment of blood cancers. I have Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia which, being a very rare type of lymphoma, could easily have been overlooked where research is concerned. At this rate, as one medical website stated: "a cure may just be around the corner" !