What Tests Must I Do When I Have Had Rapid Weight Loss Over The Past Two Months?

Posted on Mon, 18 Jul 2022

Question: I am a 60 year old woman up until recently had very good health About 8 weeks ago ii started losing weight rapidly I lost so far 45 pounds at least I cant get my primary care provider to run any blood work he says its in my head Cancer runs in my family and I am afraid I might have it

what test should I ask my doctor to take to give me an understanding of what I might have

Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (32 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
there are some things to check

Detailed Answer:

Hello,

Losing 45 pounds within 8 weeks sounds almost impossible but such a rapid weight loss should be investigated. There are some fairly common disorders to check for like the following:
- Diabetes mellitus: hyperglycemia may cause weight loss, thirst and increased urination
- Hyperthyroidism: it causes a fast heart rate, irritability, sweating, intolerance to a warm environment, increased appetite, etc.
- Depression: decreased appetite, sleep problems, bad mood, etc
- Various types of malignancy: low appetite is the rule
- Side effects of drugs

If your doctor has checked at least for the aforementioned disorders then he's done enough (although more disorders might have to be investigated). Although cancer is terrifying and I'm sure it's burdened you a lot, this is not the most likely cause, so testing for some common disorders may reassure you enough.

Testing for these conditions include:
- Fasting blood glucose and glucosylated hemoglobin
- Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)
- Basic biochemical panel, a complete blood count, history taking and clinical examination
- Radiological tests depending on history

Your doctor is the right person to plan the appropriate testing strategy.

I hope you find my comments helpful!
Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (17 minutes later)

Is there a test for unexplained weight loss A blood test?

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I have problem with communicating with my primary care doctor about this weight loss The only test her ordered was a test for anemia that was about 8 weeks ago when I had only lost 30 pounds I don't know how to let him know the sense of urgency I have . How do I communicate to him so he helps me out better?

Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (2 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
No single test

Detailed Answer:

Hi,

There is not a single test for that. Unexplained weight loss may occur for many reasons. The tests should exclude (or confirm) the associated disorders. I've just listed some of the most common ones. The list is too long to present here. Your doctor should try to exclude the most common causes first and try to investigate the rest of them, starting with any hint your medical history may have to offer.

Regards

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Brief Answer:
Just let him know

Detailed Answer:

Hi,

Such a degree of weight loss should be enough for any doctor to initiate an investigation. You should let him know if you haven't done so already. Discussing cancer all the time may mislead your doctor into believing that you are just too anxious. Presenting the facts should help.

A complete blood count is obviously not enough. The tests I've suggested are just the necessary tests to start with.

If your doctor insists on ignoring your symptom them perhaps you should seek a second opinion (another doctor).

Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards

Note: For further queries related to kidney problems Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar