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Diarrhea, Fatty Liver, Weight Loss, Epididymitis. Cancer ?

Posted on Sat, 26 May 2012

Question: Dear Doctor,

In January this year my weight was 79-80 Kilo's. I am 172 cm. 34 year old male.
In February I had some health problems, Some diarrhea and changing stool habits. I made normal blood tests and have had ultrasound for my abdomen and all came normal except a mild fatty liver.
My doctor advised to stop drinking alcohol for some time. I stopped about 3 months with drinking alcohol. mid march my weight was 76 kilo's and I was worried alot.

I have had a colonoscopy and gastroscopy (stomach) and all was normal.

Now 2 months ago I have had epididymitis and I was worried about that and made an ultrasound for my testicles and all came normal.. I lost weight again.

I am now 74-75 kilo's which varies from day to day. One day I am even less than 74 and one day I am just 74.8

Do I have to be worried about the losing of this much of weight? Like 6 kilo's in 6 months?

I am very afraid to have cancer and each pain I think it is cancer (Hypochondria) which came when my aunt got colon cancer and died because of that.

Answered by Dr. Kiran Kumar (1 hour later)

Hi XXXXXXX

Thanks for your query.

I understand your concerns.

Losing 6 kgs in 6 months is definitely not a good sign. However, it depends on the circumstances.
Your height is 172 cms. Your idea body weight will be 72 - 74 kgs. With 76 kgs, your BMI will be a point above 25. And internatonally, the normal BMI is in between 18.5 and 25. So your weight is perfect for your height.

Now, coming to weight loss. Well, it seems that your weight loss is more because of your stress, concern and worry.

1. Your Blood Tests, USG Abdomen, Colonoscopy and Gastroscopy are normal.
2. Mild fatty liver is normal.
3. Colon cancer do run in families. If close members have colon cancer, we recommend Colonoscopy in family members. Your colonoscopy is normal and this rules out any such possibility.

So there is nothing to worry in your case w.r.t weight. You must get over your thoughts of something being wrong with you.

"From my side you are perfectly healthy and absolutely fit".

Hope this answers your query. Do get back if yo need any further information

Thanks again for posting your query here.

Regards

Dr Kiran

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Kiran Kumar (3 hours later)

Thanks doctor,

So it's a concer as I thought.

I had 2 times a big anxiety from cancer. The first time I lost 4-5 kilos and now I Lost 1-2 kilos.

From the first time when I had the anxiety, I never got the weight back what I lost during anxiety. That is why I am concerned.

Now my question is, my prostate is not checked. Can it be possible prostate cancer? I have normal urinating by the way.

If the cause of weight loss is cancer, in which stage does the cancer cause weight loss?

Thanks in advance

Answered by Dr. Kiran Kumar (9 hours later)

Dear XXXXXXX

Thanks for posting your query again.

At age of 34, there is not even 1% possibility of Prostate Cancer.

Also out of 100 patient who have prostate cancer, 90 will pass their life without knowing as the disease causes symptoms only when it has spread in the entire body.

Weight loss as symptom of cancer can occur during any stage.This depends on the type of cancer.

In stomach and colon, it can occur early.

In lung cancer it can be a little late.

I again reassure you.

Live your life happily. Such worries will hamper your quality of life.

Cheers

Dr Kiran

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Kiran Kumar (1 hour later)

Thanks dear doctor.

I will search help for my concerns. I think I will need a light therapy to pass this kind of anxiety.

Last year there was an xray made for my lung and if there was cancer they would see it I guess? So if would have lung cancer and I was losing weight because of that, then It would be shown on the xray.

I do not feel shame to search help about my anxiety because I think and believe I can treat it. It all came after the cancer of my aunt.

In fact I got again scared when I was reading that it was a concern about losing 5-6 kilos in 6 months.

Follow up: Dr. Kiran Kumar (4 hours later)

And there is one thing more going on..

From time to time, I feel that I can not breath deeply. If I do the breathing exersizes, then I am able to XXXXXXX breath.

This comes and goes away from time to time.

When I have this, I feel that even bij talking. When I talk I feel that I need more breath to speak out what I want to say. Like I use more air for talking than I breath. I hope you understand what I say.

Is this something? Or this is also psycological and I feel it just because I consitrate on it?

Answered by Dr. Kiran Kumar (59 minutes later)

Hi XXXXXXX

Your Chest X XXXXXXX was normal and that means there is no evidence of cancer there too. This again rule out any lung cause for your problem of inability to breath deeply.

I will again reassure you.

The first step to solve a problem is to understand and accept its cause. You know that your problem is related to anxiety and psychological state, and you have understood and accepted it. Congratulations.

Now the next step will be to find out ways to over come it.
I am certain that you can find out ways to relieve your anxiety and concerns.

Wish you all the best.

Take Care

Dr Kiran

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari

Follow up: Dr. Kiran Kumar (27 hours later)

Thanks you very much doctor.

But my xray for lung was last year (so one year ago) which too long isn't it?

I am now feeling better as I sleep better. But I still have the problem of Breathing. It feels like that I don't get enough air in my lungs. This can be caused by worry? If you think it's not the lung?

By the way, when lost weight the second time my worries started just after I saw my weight getting down

I am going for a holiday and after that I am going to my gp about my worries.

Follow up: Dr. Kiran Kumar (16 hours later)

I get crazy of my weight loss.

For example. Yesterday I was in the morning 75 kilos. After the toilet visit.

Yesterday I did eat more calories than I need. Also did drink 4 glasses of whiskey mixed with coca cola.

This morning I at least expected the same weight as yesterday. The surprise was that my weight was 74,1

I do not understand this ? I can not address this kilo of weight loss in a day when I did eat much more than the day before.

I even did not do anything yesterday

Answered by Dr. Kiran Kumar (18 hours later)

Hi and thanks again.

I hope the instrument is not at fault and you are not recording weight wrongly. It is unlikely that such drastic weight changes can occur in a day even if you have been suffering from a cancer. Do you find changes in your physical appearance relevant to weight loss (in a single day!)

Coming back to your primary question, yes, a recent chest xray would have been more useful. But I do not favour the diagnosis of lung cancer in the absence of chronic cough .

You may discuss about these with your GP. Consider getting a repeat X rays if necessary.

Again, I do not feel that you are unhealthy or suffer from a cancer pathology.

Hope my answer have been informative and reassuring.

Regards

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Radhika