Unexplained Weight Loss

[MaryAT]

Since last November I've lost 50 pounds. It actually started as a diet, but then several stressful things happened in my life and the weight just started to fall off. I was a little bit heavy -- not too much -- but now I'm really thin and I can't stop losing weight. I don't have a great appetite. I have a lot of stress in my life right now ... but I DO eat, and I'm trying to eat things with higher calories so I stop losing.

I know that unexplained weight loss can mean cancer, and I just can't shake the feeling that something's wrong with me. But I don't have any other symptoms. Nothing hurts. In fact, I feel physically better than I have in years, but today I weighed myself and my weight is the lowest it's been since high school (I'm in my 50s). I'm really scared, and the more scared I get, the less I feel like eating.

I went to the doctor and she ran some basic blood tests and everything was normal. Should I get a full body scan or something? Why is this happening?

[Fishmanpa]

The answer is in your post...

"It actually started as a diet, but then several stressful things happened in my life..."

You're still stressing and it's affecting your appetite

"...the more scared I get, the less I feel like eating."

Positive thoughts

[sdoxo]

I had a really bad bout of anxiety for about 2 weeks and I lost about 10 lbs. So the fact that you started a diet and have been under stress, 50 lbs in 8 months doesn't seem like much to worry about.

[MaryAT]

I've lost another five pounds. Seriously scared and I feel like I look skeletal. What could this be. I AM eating.

[Annaboodle]

Hi, I lost a load of weight unintentionally in a short space of time after I was incredibly stressed when I got divorced.

What have you eaten today so far?

[MaryAT]

I went out to eat for breakfast and had bacon and baked oatmeal. That will keep me full until tonight. I'm 5"11 and weigh 140 right now (down from 190 in November).

My husband and I are splitting up and the stress of worrying about my future is really overwhelming, but it feel like I AM eating and I should be at least holding steady rather than losing weight. I feel like I look horrible.

[Fishmanpa]

I went out to eat for breakfast and had bacon and baked oatmeal. That will keep me full until tonight. I'm 5"11 and weigh 140 right now (down from 190 in November).

My husband and I are splitting up and the stress of worrying about my future is really overwhelming, but it feel like I AM eating and I should be at least holding steady rather than losing weight. I feel like I look horrible.

If all you're going to eat all day is some bacon and oatmeal for breakfast and not eat again until dinner, that's not enough calories to support/maintain your weight. Stress will dampen your appetite and even though you are eating, you're not eating enough nor do you eat as much at a sitting due to the stress. I lost 15lbs during my wife's illness so I know intimately what stress can do to your appetite.

Positive thoughts

[BrokenGirl]

Stress makes you lose weight, even if you are eating. It speeds up your metabolism so even if you think you should be holding steady at a certain weight, your body is burning up calories very quickly. This happened to me a few times. I kept losing weight even though I was eating, and a lot of that was junk food as well. And like you I worried myself sick that there was something serious going on. But once the stress left me my weight loss settled down and I was back to normal.
There's nothing serious wrong with you. Your bloods were normal and if your doctor was suspicious they would be testing you further.
Splitting up with your husband is very stressful, it's no wonder you are losing weight. So try not to worry about your weight loss. Just keep eating, as healthy as you can, and when your life becomes less stressful your body will physically come back to normal again.

[Annaboodle]

I really sympathise, it's an awful time going through a relationship split.

Reason I asked is that I thought I was eating during the time I was talking about. I lost over 3 stone without even realising (I know that sounds crazy to have not seen it) and was looking skeletal. But it was only when my sister sent me some photos she'd taken that I saw it. I asked her and she said that yes, everyone was worried about me and could I please not lose any more. I started to write down what I was eating, and I was surviving on endless coffees (giant lattes) and things like chocolate bars, a bag of crisps, handful of olives and stuff like that. So in my head I was eating. I would go out with friends and eat a cake or scone or something, but I wasn't eating enough overall if you looked at it over a week. When I added up the calories of everything it didn't add up to enough for an adult my height.

I'd def agree with other posters, that the combination of the diet you started plus stress of your situation is enough to make a person lose weight. I think nervous energy can burn off a hell of a lot. I'd never been a skinny person. I wasn't exercising at all during the time I lost all that weight, but I was kind of buzzing about surviving on coffee and nerves and fretting about everything.

Maybe write everything down you're eating so you can have a look at it for yourself and add up the total calories. Also be useful if you go back to the doctor so they can see. If you are eating enough to maintain or even gain weight and still losing it you'll be able to show them.

---------- Post added at 16:20 ---------- Previous post was at 16:18 ----------

... someone posted while I was doing my snails pace typing. lol. Maybe that's what happened to me - that my anxiety over my divorce (added to my normal anxiety) meant my metabolism speeded up too on top of that.

[Capercrohnj]

You're not eating enough