Unexplained Weight Loss

[BeGoneWithYou]

Is it unexplained if you know why?

I found out recently that I have lost 7kg over 5 months. It's not a huge amount but it's come as a surprise really especially as I have been feeling bloated and have had to undo my jeans in the evening on more than one occasion . In fact, there was a period before Christmas where I had managed to convince myself I was pregnant due to bowel spasms that felt exactly like when I was pregnant with DD. A many pregnancy test put that theory to one side. Am just assuming it's wind even though you can see and feel my stomach moving on occasion.

It seems that I have lost this weight because I just haven't been eating as much. Big meals make me feel very sick and I can't eat everything on my plate. I've not been snacking and I've been skipping meals. I have to emphasise that this is VERY odd for me. This has not been a deliberate lifestyle choice. My DH has noticed I've not been eating and he has been concerned. But because I know why I am losing weight, surely that means it's not unexpected?

I have a GP appt later anyway, should I mention it to her? I don't want to look like a dick for being worried about losing a few kilos especially as I could do with losing a whole heap more.

Yes you should and also the bloating and loss of appetite. She might well have an explanation for it or want to check a few things. Good luck!

There are two red flags that you mentioned here: unexpected weight loss and extreme bloating. These would both ring alarms for me, could be nothing sinister but it is good to get this checked by your GP.

Without wishing to alarm you, a lot of your symptoms suggest the possibility of ovarian cancer. Bloating, weight loss and lack of appetite in particular. Whilst it is a disease that mostly affects women over 50, it can still crop up in younger women.

I'd push very hard for an urgent scan and blood tests.

Tell your GP all those symptoms. Hopefully it's nothing but loss of appetite and bloating are symptoms of ovarian cancer, the only ones DM had until it was too late.

Thank you for the messages. Am not alarmed but obviously, I must be feeling concerned as I wouldn't have posted about it in the 1st place.

I will mention it later. I just think I wanted confirmation that I wasnt going to look an arse in front of the doc. Thank you

Good luck with the doctor and I am sure they will take your concerns seriously x

Those symptoms are definitely something to take seriously. Actually all symptoms that are worrying you are worthy of talking to a doctor about, never feel that way (easier said than done!) As a previous poster says we would be looking to rule out a sinister cause such as ovarian cancer.

Just got back from the GP. Thank you for giving me the courage to speak up.

She was absolutely lovely and agreed that it was not right. I am booked in for bloods on the 29th and I go back and see her on the 7th Feb. She said hopefully the bloods will show something, but if they do not then she is going to refer me on to bowel specialists or gynae or possibly even both. She felt my abdomen and I had discomfort in the stomach area and to the bottom right (appendix already gone so know its not that). It didn't really hurt but she said I was guarding (??)

Anyway, I shall update after the bloods. Thank you all

Very glad to read that your GP took your symptoms seriously and you are having some tests. I hope they go well and it is something that can easily be treated.

Pleased that you are getting the blood tests done and your GP is taking your seriously.

Hopefully rule out ovarian cancer or could be thyroid disorder, IBS or nothing sinister! My cousin suffered from bad IBS, bloated and her weight is up and down. 🙂

Good luck! x

I would push for ultrasound or CT scan too.

Thought I'd post with an interim update.

I saw the GP on the 7th Feb and bloods all came back completely normal. To all intents and purposes, I am completely healthy. She said all cancer markers had come back as zero so that was a relief.

She then said she was concerned that we might have missed something so was going to refer me to gastro and gynae anyway. Fair enough I thought, it's good to be thorough.

And then a few days later, I get appointments through for gastro (which was a couple of days ago) and for ultrasound scans (pelvis, transabdominal and transvaginal) 1st week in March. I was a bit taken aback as I never thought I would be seen that quickly.

Anyway, I went to see the gastro guy on Tuesday who was flipping lovely but after going through everything, he said he was concerned. He said losing weight was not a good thing so wanted to run further tests. More bloods, stool and an endoscopy.

The next day, I get a call from the hospital booking me in for this Monday for the gastroscopy.

It all seems to be happening very quickly and I am a little perturbed. I had no cancer markers so what on earth is he looking for in such a hurry.

Dont get me wrong, I am really happy they are looking into it, but I would rather it wasnt this quickly iyswim.

So, do I take the sedation on Monday?

Hope it all goes well on Monday. I can't advise on sedation but my mam had an endoscopy and when I went to pick her up was fine and said it was ok and she just did as they said. She had it because she had vomited blood and had persistently very low and falling haemoglobin levels and they were worried what was happening and if it was being caused by a cancer.
Turned out the vomiting blood was actually a nosebleed in bed that had gone down her throat and she had vomited it up. The low haemoglobin was caused by her not having good kidney function and she just needed an injection once a month.
So I know it is easy to say don't worry but please try not to. It won't change anything and you could be worrying about something not serious.

Ovarian cancer is usually picked up by ultra sound or inadvertently via lower back MRI. The endoscopy is it a gastric one? That one will look into the stomach and duodenum- the small ,upper bowel.
All tests make people uneasy, but it is best to rule out any nasties.
Good luck.
Oh, the tumour markers usually don't show in the blood until the later stages in cancer so best to get it ruled out or treated early

Another possibility they might want to rule out is pancreatic cancer. A friend of mine went to the GP a number of times with similar symptoms (felt full quickly, loss interest in eating, weight loss), but he dismissed her each time until she'd lost over 10kg (was only 55 before).

The diagnosis came as a shock but she had surgery and made a full recovery. This was over 5 years ago.

Again, no alarm, remember that health professionals don't request investigations to confirm a diagnosis in most cases but to rule them out.

I'd definitely take the sedation on Monday... I had one last week (I started a thread in General Health if you want to take a look) It was fine with sedation but I wouldn't have fancied it without!

Good luck. My BIL had similar symptoms a few months ago and was so concerned he went private, but it was helibactor pylori. He’s on some meds and back to normal. He’d lost loads of weight and barely ate (just started with what seemed to be a stomach bug).
You’re not on any meds are you as DD had similar symptoms as well and she came off her acne meds (after taking her to GP as she lost weight she really couldn’t afford to lose, felt sick when eating so didn’t eat, said she was bloated). All gone away since coming off them and bloods were normal too.

Thank you all.

Just read your thread Pebbles. As much as I am nosy and want to see what's going on, I am definitely going for the sedation. When do you get your results? I hope its not a long wait for you.

I'm only on my asthma meds JustDance so no change there.

I'm still not overly concerned as I feel so well in myself. All the tests will just confirm there is not much wrong and I can continue to lose weight without worrying. You never know, this time next year, I might be positively skinny