Unintentional weight loss and it's causes

[BruhnDK]

Well, here I am, 6'5 tall and weighing 10.1 stones.. My doctor's extremely worried since that represents a 21kg loss since this time last year, of which 3kg in the last 2 weeks alone.

Needless to say, she flooded me with questions, ranging from whether I was suicidal to if I have any friends (lol.), and her conclusion was that it did not seem to be psychological (Yay, I'm not crazy) and now I have a Chest x-ray booked as well as 3 blood samples under way, but I haven't exactly grasped what they're trying to find in the x-ray and the samples, so I was wondering if anyone could help with that..

According go the paperwork I have here, the first sample says
"(424) Full blood Count - FBC
(42d) Blood haematinic level"

Second one says:
"(44JB) Urea and electrolytes
(44U) Blood glucose result
(44D6) Liver function test
(440) Serum lipids
(44Z2) Bone profile
(442) Thyroid hormone tests"

And the third test simply says:
"(44CC) Plasma C reactive protien"

Thanks in advance, and feel free to share similar stories...

[goneloco]

did she ask u if u eat? or if u recently been bitten by a vampire?

[Stixxz]

Why don't you ask your doctor...

[Perwoll]

For your tests: The FBC and hemaetinic levels are to check if you have any sort of Anaemia(either too little red blood cells, or they're not working properly)
The Urea and electrolytes check your kidneys, more exactly if their filtration/reabsorbtion works properly.
Blood glucose is used to check if your insulin is working properly, and checks your intake of sugars.
Serum lipids test your cholesterol levels among other things.
Bone profile is to check your capacity to absorb minerals, especially Calcium and Magnesium.
And the Thyroid tests are to check your metabolism rate, since the thyroid hormones are usually growth/activity hormones.
And the C reactive protein is a test for inflamation of the endothelium.

About the weight loss, i've lost about 14 kilos without doing anything in the last year, and nothing's wrong with me. It was the change to university for me, less time for unhealthy stuff and no time for lunch.

Hope everything turns out okay.

[Deleted]

I'm a nurse not a doctor but I have a little knowledge on blood tests, these look like a routine screen of everything, they are checking for any liver, kidney problems as well as checking inflammatory markers for any infection. I can't for the life of me think of any particular indication for the chest X-ray, my first thought would have been an abdominal x ray giving the aetiology. Unfortunately weight loss has numerous causes which with the limited information you supplied would be almost impossible to diagnose. All I would say is these bloods are very routine but give a really good overall view of your inner workings and are done incredibly regularly, they don't seem to be screening for anything in particular, the chest xray baffles me a bit as they get a very limited view of any digestinal tract.

[Soisoisoi]

Anaemic / Worms! :P

[shamblingswarm]

Well im 6'1 and i weight 135 pounds, thats 5 pounds less than i weight last year and about 35 pounds less than i used to weight 5 years ago before i got Chron's nothing i can do about it i try to eat all i can but i cant seem to get past the 145 pounds (if i get lucky) only to loose them again a few months after.

[Deleted]

Your doctor's right to be concerned and to be running a buncha tests because cancer can do this.

I know someone who got lung cancer but who had never herself smoked. She did work for a while in a location where she had to breathe secondhand smoke though.

Hopefully it's nothing bad. Good luck with it :/

[Deleted]

I'm a nurse not a doctor but I have a little knowledge on blood tests, these look like a routine screen of everything, they are checking for any liver, kidney problems as well as checking inflammatory markers for any infection. I can't for the life of me think of any particular indication for the chest X-ray, my first thought would have been an abdominal x ray giving the aetiology. Unfortunately weight loss has numerous causes which with the limited information you supplied would be almost impossible to diagnose. All I would say is these bloods are very routine but give a really good overall view of your inner workings and are done incredibly regularly, they don't seem to be screening for anything in particular, the chest xray baffles me a bit as they get a very limited view of any digestinal tract.

They were not checking his digestive track, they were looking for lung cancers, a common cause of weight loss. Do not worry, they show up instantly via X-ray, if you had one they would have told you by now.

[Deleted]

Why don't you ask the people doing tests or asking the docter...you're first problem is you ask for medical help/info on a random forum.

Leave things that consider you're health to docters. Anyone can go wikipedia and browse for random info.

[Deleted]

They were not checking his digestive track, they were looking for lung cancers, a common cause of weight loss. Do not worry, they show up instantly via X-ray, if you had one they would have told you by now.

It's a shame that people throw cancer in to the mix, we haven't got a good enough grasp on your aetiology but I can assure that lung cancer would be very near the bottom of a doctors list when it comes to unknown weight loss. If the guys a smoker or a history of excessive passive smoking then maybe, but saying lung cancer is a common cause of weight loss is nonsense, cancer is nearer the 15-20% cause of weight loss, and of that how much is lung cancer? not to scaremonger but I'm sure weight loss is as much a sign of stomach cancer etc so why only xray chest? A chest xray is an incredibly routine diagnostic tool, performed on a vast number of people, so to the op don't listen to scaremongering like your blood tests it's all routine, the chances are they won't find anything but are checking the normal avenues on unknown weight loss. Also like to point out that I knew the chest xray wasn't for digestive reasons,it just baffles me that they don't do a abdominal xray at the same time, doesn't cost anymore now that xrays are all computerised :s doctors are just very habitual.P.s. I'm a respiratory nurse, I see lung cancer daily, it's hideous and the vast majority have multiple aetiology.

---------- Post added 2011-06-18 at 02:31 PM ----------

Your doctor's right to be concerned and to be running a buncha tests because cancer can do this.I know someone who got lung cancer but who had never herself smoked. She did work for a while in a location where she had to breathe secondhand smoke though.Hopefully it's nothing bad. Good luck with it :/

As above, let's not all jump on the cancer band wagon, it causes a lot of worry and is generally completely needless. Yes unintentional weight loss of 10% or more is going to concern a doctor but the fact that the doctor has ordered the most routine tests instead of a specific set of tests I doubt that cancer is the first thing on her mind. May be worth keeping a food diary and defiantly weigh regularly as if all the tests come back negative might be good to say to the doc hey I've eaten 5000 calories why am I still losing weight. I would have to agree with other people and that you should ask your doctor these questions not a on a general chat forum as you'll end up getting freaked out, I remember finding a lump under my arm before I was a nurse, went on a forum and was told cancer cancer! In the end all I'd done is cracked a rib.

[Deleted]

It could be a range of things. My first guess would have been thyroid, but your results seem normal, a little on the lower side but still normal (normal range for FT3 is about 480). Your blood sugars do look low, U usually stands for microgram. It depends on when you last ate but you're not diabetic, but could maybe do with a diet change.

Most of the other tests don't actually have results, they're actually the code for the tests themselves.

Note I'm not a doctor, however my gal has a thyroid problem and I've to monitor my blood sugars (not diabetic:P).

[Liara]

Why don't you ask your doctor...

Indeed. Seriously, what's with people looking for medical advice here lately instead of going to the ones who are qualified to give it?

[Deleted]

Indeed. Seriously, what's with people looking for medical advice here lately instead of going to the ones who are qualified to give it?

I recently had a brain tumor scare, I had to see a neurologist but the test results took several weeks. During that time I looked up every single image of a healthy brain I could (I had my MRI images) and tried to see what was what. People get scared, we're only human.

[Liara]

I recently had a brain tumor scare, I had to see a neurologist but the test results took several weeks. During that time I looked up every single image of a healthy brain I could (I had my MRI images) and tried to see what was what. People get scared, we're only human.

Absolutely. But you actually had your tests done, and knew what they were looking for.
The OP gave the feeling that he just accepted some tests w/o knowing why, which seems kind of weird to me. I mean, before I need a test done, I inquire as to why.

You wouldn't want, say, a lumbar puncture done for something that your doctor doesn't have a suspicion of.

[Deleted]

I lost 30kg by doing sports actively for 6 months, all in all like 8 months with breaks. ~.~ People say its unhealthy... wtf.

[Treebagged]

Blood glucose is used to check if your insulin is working properly, and checks your intake of sugars.

Blood glucose does not check pancreatic function. It is normally just routine part of a complete metabolic panel.

Everything else you said is close enough. Most everything ordered is a broad spectrum of lab tests used to get a picture of how your body is functioning. I don't really see anything too specific, except for maybe Thyroid profile, and even that is just an idea of how your metabolism is functioning.

[Deleted]

Absolutely. But you actually had your tests done, and knew what they were looking for.
The OP gave the feeling that he just accepted some tests w/o knowing why, which seems kind of weird to me. I mean, before I need a test done, I inquire as to why.

You wouldn't want, say, a lumbar puncture done for something that your doctor doesn't have a suspicion of.

Very true. I kind of find it odd though how people can't use the internet to it's full potential, I already knew going back nothing major was wrong, at least not in terms of tumors. Worst case was something like epilepsy.

[Treebagged]

Absolutely. But you actually had your tests done, and knew what they were looking for.
The OP gave the feeling that he just accepted some tests w/o knowing why, which seems kind of weird to me. I mean, before I need a test done, I inquire as to why.

You wouldn't want, say, a lumbar puncture done for something that your doctor doesn't have a suspicion of.

You can't really compare such an invasive procedure with routine blood work being done. When you go to the doctor for anything, there is a reasonable expectation of some sort of minor procedure being done to determine what the problem is. That could be blood work, xray, or a simple physical exam.

Now that is not to say patients do not have rights. But most people go to the doctor fully understanding that you are going to have some sort of work done. It IS good to have a healthy curiosity of what a doctor would be looking for, but as far as it being "wierd" that he didn't question, in my opinion, is a bit much. When people ask me what tests we're doing on them or why, I explain to them, but when they don't, it doesn't come off as "wierd".

[Deleted]

You can't really compare such an invasive procedure. When you go to the doctor for anything, there is a reasonable expectation of some sort of procedure being done to determine what the problem is.

Now that is not to say patients do not have rights. But most people go to the doctor fully understanding that you are going to have some sort of work done. It IS good to have a healthy curiosity of what a doctor would be looking for, but as far as it being "wierd" that he didn't question, in my opinion, is a bit much. When people ask me what tests we're doing on them or why, I explain to them, but when they don't, it doesn't come off as "wierd".

If you're going in for a serious issue, like my case, and don't ask question I consider you a total idiot. Name something more worrying than a brain tumor? I still asked him questions for nearly 30 minutes and asked for a copy of all my test results in case I wanted to see another specialist in the in-term. I've not got anything against doctors, I'm like this with everyone. Give me a reason why we're doing what we're doing or I won't be involved.