Losing significant weight after a cold virus?

[HA1989]

Can somebody please help me

I had a bad cold virus for a couple of weeks, my whole family had it, albeit all slightly different.

I have been left with a bad cough causing pain in my side. Subsequently I haven’t been to the gym/exercising in 3 weeks.

Unfortunately my weight has dropped from 56/57 to 53.6 and it still seems to be falling :(

Now I am suffering panic attacks when I get on the scales as the one thing I had going for me in terms of perfect health was a pretty constant weight. Now I have lost this safety net I feel dreadful again. I can see Xmas being a complete disaster and I am just so terrified of bowel cancer again.

I also think I look more pale than usual which could be anaemia - another symptom.

Has this happened to anyone else before?

[Fishmanpa]

Has this happened to anyone else before?

Its happened to everyone who's ever had a cold or illness. You don't feel well, you don't eat as much and you lose a few pounds :shrug:

Positive thoughts

[ankietyjoe]

If you're worried about it, stop weighing yourself. You're worrying about something that is completely normal. You've had a bad virus for a couple of weeks and you're worrying about losing a bit of weight and looking pale? Silly things to worry about.

Last time I was ill I lost over 12kg (27lbs) in a month.

Furthermore, you're using the term 'significant weight' incorrectly. Your weight loss is very, very insignificant given the illness.

[HA1989]

Its happened to everyone who's ever had a cold or illness. You don't feel well, you don't eat as much and you lose a few pounds :shrug:

Positive thoughts

Thank you :)

I really hope you are right. I don’t think I’ve been particularly eating any less, but I have been doing no strength training so maybe my muscles have atrophied..

I’ve just rang the doctors to get an emergency supply of diazepam as I can’t get through Xmas like this.

I keep checking on the scales and every time I go on I’ve lost another 100g!! I don’t remember ever being this light before.

[HA1989]

If you're worried about it, stop weighing yourself. You're worrying about something that is completely normal. You've had a bad virus for a couple of weeks and you're worrying about losing a bit of weight and looking pale? Silly things to worry about.

Last time I was ill I lost over 12kg (27lbs) in a month.

My prediction is in a month I will look back on this and be like “Why do you do this to yourself??” but in the midst of it Health Anxiety insists I’m ill.

It doesn’t help that WEIGHT LOSS is a major symptom of bowel cancer, and the new phrase “never too young” exists.

The constantly weighing myself affirms my suspicions that HA is an OCD. When I had a new spot on my leg I would measure it and take photos every 2 hours for a month. Sounds stupid now but at the time I couldn’t help it.

[lofwyr]

I can do that much weight loss literally overnight based on how much water I drink or don't drink, whether I have gone to the bathroom or not. Your weight loss is in no way even mildly noteworthy from a medical perspective. Human weight can fluctuate by as much as 1.5 to 2kg PER DAY.

[ErinKC]

My daughter was just in the hospital for 5 days. My routine was totally thrown off. I didn't think I was eating significantly less, but I must have eaten a bit less, my body was stressed, I wasn't sleeping as well (all things that can happen when you have a bad virus also, some without even noticing). I've been trying to lose weight, unsuccessfully, so when I was finally home I weighed myself and had lost SEVEN pounds in 5 days. Our bodies respond strongly to stress and other anomalies like being ill. Stop weighing yourself for a week or so and I bet you'll be back to normal.

[HA1989]

I can do that much weight loss literally overnight based on how much water I drink or don't drink, whether I have gone to the bathroom or not. Your weight loss is in no way even mildly noteworthy from a medical perspective. Human weight can fluctuate by as much as 1.5 to 2kg PER DAY.

Yes you are correct and my weight usually hovers between 55kg and 57kg so looking at it that way 53.6 is not too low. I just never remember a time it was last that.

The doctors told me in 2016 I was 54kg but that was before I seriously started weight training at the gym. I just can’t believe it is possible to loose muscle mass that quickly.

Positive note though, my scales now think my fat around my organs has dropped from 2 to 1. Officially cold hearted I guess :o

[HA1989]

My daughter was just in the hospital for 5 days. My routine was totally thrown off. I didn't think I was eating significantly less, but I must have eaten a bit less, my body was stressed, I wasn't sleeping as well (all things that can happen when you have a bad virus also, some without even noticing). I've been trying to lose weight, unsuccessfully, so when I was finally home I weighed myself and had lost SEVEN pounds in 5 days. Our bodies respond strongly to stress and other anomalies like being ill. Stop weighing yourself for a week or so and I bet you'll be back to normal.

Hope your daughter is ok.

It puts it into perspective when a child is ill. When my son had a bad virus a few weeks ago and he was asleep I would cry and say I don’t give a s*** about myself I just want him to be well. And I genuinely meant it.

My HA got so much worse since he was born. I love him more than I thought possible and need to be around with him forever (well, at least til he’s an adult :) )

[HA1989]

so I have been increasing in weight and am now 56kg so hopefully it was just a blip.

All was good except I am now constipated and have crampy type pain down there.

I just want to scream. Thank god for the diazepam so I can get through Xmas without ruining it for everyone

[ErinKC]

Hope your daughter is ok.

It puts it into perspective when a child is ill. When my son had a bad virus a few weeks ago and he was asleep I would cry and say I don’t give a s*** about myself I just want him to be well. And I genuinely meant it.

My HA got so much worse since he was born. I love him more than I thought possible and need to be around with him forever (well, at least til he’s an adult :) )

She's doing much better, thank God! My health anxiety BEGAN when she was born. Being a parent changes everything - mostly in wonderful ways, but it can also be so so hard, especially on the nerves!