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Hi. Here Is My Medical Question . I Just Turned

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Posted on Sun, 22 Sep 2019
Twitter Sun, 22 Sep 2019 Answered on
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Question : Hi. Here is my medical question. I just turned 37 in July. I have had a weight problem since I was a teenager. I weighed about 325 pounds in April, which I am not proud of. I don't have a scale in my apartment. I would weigh myself on the scale in my parents' house. I started counting mycalories in the middle of the summer and eating less. I could feel my clothes fitting looser and in the last few weeks a couple co workers told me it looked like I was losing weight. Last Saturday, I was in my parents house again and weighed myself and I was down to 293. I then bought a scale and brought it home and it was the same. I am skeptical that just cutting my calories and walking a little bit more can account for all of that. I have never lost that much weight before and the last time I weighed less than 300 was in college. I looked up causes for sudden weight loss and saw it could be something serious. I was convinced it was diabetes and I went to a CityMD (urgentcare). I was prepared to hear it was diabetes. I hadn't eaten that morning or the night before so they did the fasting blood sugar. It was 114. Not high enough to be diabetes. She took my blood pressure (145 over 93) high but not extreme. For a second I was relieved it wasn't diabetes and then started to worry it could be something more serious like cancer. I read that stomach and pancreatic cancer caused sudden weight loss (2 of the most deadly cancers.) The doctor checked my glands and said there was nothing suspicious and my temperature was normal. I said I was concerned and she said, "First of all, less than 3% of pancreatic cancer diagnoses are people under 40. Also, that is not how it usually appears. It usually appears as jaundice. And stomach cancer is usually stomach pain. I feel fine overall besides being anxious. I am an alarmist. When there is uncertainty, I automatically assume the worst case scenario. She did blood tests (cholesteral, thyroid, white blood count, glucose, metabolism. Those reports should be available in about a week. She then suggested I see a general practice doctor. I went to one this morning. She took my blood pressure. It was 151/97. I had eaten before going. I then told her my concerns and she said, "Don't read WebMD all the time. I would be concerned about cancer if you told me you were passing blood in your stool." I'm not. "She also said she would be concerned about my weight loss if I hadn't started eating less and lost over 30 pounds. She also said to have CityMD send the results to her and she would take a systematic approach. If I do truly have a problem with unexplained weight loss, she said it could be a million things. It could be hyperthyroidism. It could still be diabetes. It could be a gastroenterogical problem and she may have to refer me to a gastroenterologist. It could be anemia. It could be celiac disease. Don't automatically assume the C word. Like I said, I pretty much feel normal. I have anxiety issues anyway and I am an alarmist. Do you think I am right to worry about this?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Damaged glucose tolerance, check also thyroid.

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear, welcome to Ask a doctor service.
I read your query and here is my advice.

You have increased your physical activity and have been calculating calories and possibly trying to consume less calories so these are enough reasons to loose weight.
If you think it can be something else or a disease you have to wait for test results before panicking. It is a good sign that all doctor's examinations were normal toll now.
Loosing weight isn't the first and main sign of pancreatic and stomach cancer. The main symptoms can be jaundice, abdominal pain, vomiting, stomach pain etc.
The elevated glucose levels you had are not significant for diabetes but for damaged glucose tolerance. You may need to do post prandial glucose levels (glucose levels after eating) and HbA1c.
Ut can also be accompanied by need to drink more water and frequent urination.
In this case a low calories diet and exercises may help to stabilise glucose levels.
Also you should test thyroid hormone levels because hyperthyroidism may be a cause of loosing weight.
So as a conclusion loosing weight isn't enough symptom to suspect cancer, you are having damaged glucose tolerance and also should be checked for hyperthyroidism. Wait till your test results come out.
Hope I have answered the question.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana
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Follow up: Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (10 hours later)
Thanks, Dr. Xhufka. One other question. Is there any possibility that a cancer could have caused me to lose 10% of my body weight starting over the summer and at this point, there are still no other symptoms? Everything else normal, I feel normal, all bodily functions normal. The doctor not feeling anything when she felt my glands. Is there any chance that could happen?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Olgeta Xhufka (5 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
No much evidence that cancer may have made you loosing weight.

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear and thank you for asking again. I don't think there is any possibility that loosing weight may have been caused by cancer taking count that all tests and examinations are normal .
I think prediabetes may be the only option for loosing weight at this point.
There is no much evidence that cancer may have caused you loosing weight.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
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Answered by
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Dr. Olgeta Xhufka

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2011

Answered : 10098 Questions

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Hi. Here Is My Medical Question . I Just Turned

Brief Answer: Damaged glucose tolerance, check also thyroid. Detailed Answer: Hello dear, welcome to Ask a doctor service. I read your query and here is my advice. You have increased your physical activity and have been calculating calories and possibly trying to consume less calories so these are enough reasons to loose weight. If you think it can be something else or a disease you have to wait for test results before panicking. It is a good sign that all doctor's examinations were normal toll now. Loosing weight isn't the first and main sign of pancreatic and stomach cancer. The main symptoms can be jaundice, abdominal pain, vomiting, stomach pain etc. The elevated glucose levels you had are not significant for diabetes but for damaged glucose tolerance. You may need to do post prandial glucose levels (glucose levels after eating) and HbA1c. Ut can also be accompanied by need to drink more water and frequent urination. In this case a low calories diet and exercises may help to stabilise glucose levels. Also you should test thyroid hormone levels because hyperthyroidism may be a cause of loosing weight. So as a conclusion loosing weight isn't enough symptom to suspect cancer, you are having damaged glucose tolerance and also should be checked for hyperthyroidism. Wait till your test results come out. Hope I have answered the question. Let me know if I can assist you further.