Cancer - prediagnosis weight loss

[herecomesthepun]

Just looking for some real life experiences of this. I have some gastro symptoms that could be indicative of several things including cancer and my doctor asked me if I have lost weight recently. I said no, but now on the scales I have lost about 4-5 pounds over the last few months. I suppose I have tried to eat slightly more healthily recently but that's been very much on and off and I don't think I have lost pounds that easily before.

Is this something I should be concerned about? In my head cancer weight loss was more dramatic but when I have just googled it 5 pounds is within the range that counts as weight loss...

I have recently had surgery to remove ovarian tumours (likely cancer but no official results back yet). I had maintained weight, but once the excess fluid drained off I had actually lost about 6lb over several months. What gastro issues are you having? Several abdominal cavity conditions including cancer and liver disease cause excess peritoneal fluid production which is surprisingly heavy! Do you have any bloating?

Thanks for replying. Sorry to hear about your surgery/glad they got to it. Yes I do feel bloated a lot of the time 🫤 I'm having blood tests and a test for h pylori but the doctors don't seem to want to do an endoscopy

I heard that cancer related weight loss is generally around 10lbs over a month. If you've been eating healthily and lost 4lbs it could well be nothing to do with cancer. I didn't lose any weight when I had cancer. Good luck OP - I hope it's nothing serious.

Thanks for your experience, sorry you had to go through that. I'm really hoping it's nothing serious but I am worried

DH lost weight rapidly, over weeks rather than months despite eating as normal. He was also malnourished as his, at that stage undetected, cancer meant he was unable to digest all the nutriments he needed from his food.