I am middle-aged and look very thin and weak. What is the cause for this?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am a middle-aged person. I recently lost a lot of weight, about 3.33 kg of my body fats. I do not feel sick besides a consistent stuffy nose. I think my stuffy nose is due to smoking.

I am so worried about the way I look. I find it difficult to socialize out there. The reason is the way people look at me. It is so stressful.

I also consulted a doctor and got tested for HIV but the result was negative.

I do not know what to do anymore.

Please help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

The causes of a sudden significant weight loss include many aetiologies apart from HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and it is not necessary that it is due to some disease.

Sometimes; stress, overworking, exhaustion, undereating, poor hygiene can also lead to weight loss.

As I can see, you are under a lot of stress due to social issues, which can contribute to weight loss as well.

I would advise you to work on all the above-mentioned things.

Secondly, kindly get your thyroid levels tested as hyperthyroidism can also lead to a significant weight loss.

Since you do not have any complaints or symptoms I would suggest avoiding unnecessary investigations.

Hope this helps you.

Kindly revert back in case of further queries.

Thank you.