Not recognising my body anymore

Content warning: weight loss, changing body shape and size, chronic illness, cancer

This is a wonderfully supportive community – with followers often sharing useful information based on their lived experience of disability and chronic illness.

Today I am seeking your wisdom –  I’m wondering how you’ve managed your body image if you’ve experienced significant weight loss (or gain), and changing body shape and size, resulting from cancer and chronic illness. I’d also love some styling tips. Thank you. 

Leading up to my cancer diagnosis, I rapidly lost a lot of weight, in quite a short time. It’s one of the symptoms of ovarian cancer (although weight gain can also be a symptom). 

Since having major surgery and three rounds of chemo, my weight loss has continued, though not as dramatic as earlier this year.  I am getting medical and nutritional  advice about how to manage weight sustenance and overall health, and I am talking to a psychologist. 

This post is purely about how I see myself, and potentially sharing useful info to help me and others. 

I’ve always been body confident, and liked having curves. Now, I don’t recognise my  body. I am much thinner than I was at the start of the year. My curves have gone. I’m no longer busty. I’m straight up and down. I have to weigh myself weekly, after not doing so at all.

Clothes are such a big part of my life, and things don’t fit like they used to. I don’t know my dress size right now. Many of my clothes are too big, but I don’t want to stop wearing what I have. Sometimes it feels like I’m five years old, playing dress ups in my Mum’s wardrobe. I’m wearing a lot of belts. 

So, what I’d love to know is:

What’s helped you appreciate your body during chronic illness? 

Have you got any style tips to get the best out of your existing wardrobe, while adjusting to a new shape and size? 

I know the talk of weight loss and gain, and numbers, can be hard, especially coupled with cancer, and I recognise my thin privilege before and after diagnosis, so I understand if this post is uncomfortable for you. If you need support, there’s Lifeline: 13 11 14; Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 and Butterfly Foundation: butterfly.org.au

Thank you

I am not working a lot right now. My PayPal is here if you’d like to buy me a drink, or share the link. Thank you.

Image: Carly, a woman with red skin, wearing a beret that’s blue with white clouds on it, a cardigan that’s paler blue with clouds and colourful Care Bears and pink heart buttons on it, plus a Care Bear brooch pinned onto it, a colourful striped knit, a denim skirt, a belt that is cream with coloured flowers on it, and pink, yellow and orange croc shoes. She’s standing near a green fence, blue and white sky is above, she’s smiling. 

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