If you have decided that it is time to visit a doctor because you feel that you are experiencing unintentional weight loss, you should expect a pretty lengthy appointment. You are going to be asked a lot of different questions about your lifestyle, about how much weight you have lost over a period of time, and if you have any preexisting conditions that could lead to unintentional weight loss. You may also be given a variety of tests, or sent in for further procedures to determine the cause of the unexplained weight loss. The best thing to do when going into the doctor for an appointment dealing with unintentional weight loss is to be prepared. Make sure you know when you started to lose weight, how much weight you have lost over a period of time, and any illnesses or other symptoms that you have experienced.
There are several questions that your doctor is going to ask you about your unintentional weight loss. Make sure you know the answers to the following questions. The questions about food can be: Are you eating less? Have you changed your diet? Are you eating different foods? Questions about lifestyle changes can include: Are you exercising more? Have you been drinking more alcohol? Do you have more stress or anxiety? Have there been changes in your living situation? Have you changed jobs? Have you lost a loved one? Other questions that cover a wide variety of topics may include: Do you have any dental problems or mouth sores? Have you been vomiting? Do you make yourself vomit? Have you had constipation or diarrhea? Are you urinating more than usual? What medications have you been taking? Are you fainting? Have you lost any hair? Are you pleased or concerned with the amount of weight you have lost?
All of these questions are vital to answer, and you need to answer them to the best of your ability. Your doctor is asking these specific questions because each question can lead to a different cause for the unintentional weight loss. The most important piece of information that you will need to tell your doctor is how much weight you have lost over a period of time. Make sure to bring in all the information you have on your weight loss and any other symptoms that you have been experiencing.
Along with the plethora of questions that your doctor will ask you, there will be a physical examination as well. Like the questions, the physical examination is very thorough because of the large amount of disorders that could be causing the unintentional weight loss. Your doctor will examine the heart, lungs, abdomen, head, neck, breasts, nervous system, genitals, liver, spleen, joints and skin. They will most likely do a blood test for blood sugar levels, and to check for anemia, which is an iron deficiency. Along with this, a doctor may send you in for an ultrasound to check for any abnormalities in your stomach or intestines.
When you go to the doctor’s office for an appointment about unintentional weight loss, expect to be there for a long period of time. Be sure to bring in all the information available to you, and check this list of questions before going in. Every piece of information is vital to understanding what is causing the unintentional weight loss.