People often avoid the doctor, and this could be for many different reasons. They may have a fear of the doctor, they may not want to pay or cannot pay for the visit, or they just do not think anything is wrong with them. However, it is important to visit a doctor if you are experiencing unintentional weight loss. The reason for this is because usually unintentional weight loss is something that points to a much larger problem, such as cancer, diabetes, and other life threatening diseases. If you go to the doctor before the problem gets out of hand, you can stop a much larger problem from getting worse quickly. Your doctor can diagnose you with the cause of the unintentional weight loss, and start treating it sooner rather than later.
Before heading to the doctor for unintentional weight loss, you should look at your lifestyle. Have you made any changes to your diet in the past 6 months to a year? Have you started to exercise more? If you have made the choice to eat healthier, or begin an exercise routine, and you have begun to lose weight, this is completely normal, and probably intentional. However, if you are losing weight at a rapid pace, and you think you have lost too much weight based on the lifestyle changes that you have made, you may want to consult your doctor and ask if the amount of weight you have lost is normal. You can always consult your doctor before starting a weight loss plan or diet change in order to get all the facts beforehand, that way there is no worry, and you will know exactly what is normal and what is not normal when changes start to happen.
Always look at the facts for what is a normal weight for a certain age and height. You can either do this at a doctor’s office, or you can look at charts online in order to determine what a healthy weight is based on these factors. If you or a family member are at a weight that is far below normal, you should consult your doctor to see what is causing the weight loss, and try and get treatment for it.
The most important thing to look out for if you think you are experiencing unintentional weight loss is the amount of weight you have lost over a period of six months to a year. If you or a loved one has lost more than 10 pounds or 5% of your normal body weight over this period of time, and there is no reason as to why there is that much weight loss, you should see a doctor right away. If you are frail from a pre-existing condition, or you are elderly, you should talk to your doctor if you have lost even less than 5% or 10 pounds. If you have not made any significant lifestyle changes, and you have lost a lot of weight, there could be a much bigger problem.
Unintentional weight loss is usually a sign of a much more serious condition in the body. You should tell your doctor of every symptom you have experienced along with the unintentional weight loss so they can diagnose and treat you properly.