Weight Loss Anxiety

Posted , 3 users are following.

I'm a normally health 31 year old male. After starting to work at home because of COVID shutdowns, I've lost about 8lbs. I chalked it up to not eating out, I normally eat out 8-10 meals a week and now that's probably about 2. I also normally work out and do weights twice a week, but the gym is closed.

I can't shake the feeling that my weight loss is due to some malignancy rather than the easy explanation. It just seems like a big drop from 157LBS to 149LBS in a month. My primary care said it's "explained" weight loss, not unexplained and just to keep an eye on it. I couldn't help myself today and went to an urgent care where I was told the same thing. She did draw some blood and is running some tests, but didn't seem overall concerned.

Just wanted to get that off my chest. I can't seem to get these catastrophic thoughts out of my head that I have cancer.

I hope everyone is healthy in these crazy times.

1 like, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    Normally it would be abnormal but for people with anxiety, unfortunately way too common during stressful times.. I've lost 10lbs. I look like a skeleton. Take comfort there's plenty like us out there right now.

  • Posted

    Normally it would be abnormal but for people with anxiety, unfortunately way too common during stressful times.. I've lost 10lbs. I look like a skeleton. Take comfort there's plenty like us out there right now.

  • Posted

    Normally it would be abnormal but for people with anxiety, unfortunately way too common during stressful times.. I've lost 10lbs. I look like a skeleton. Take comfort there's plenty like us out there right now.

  • Edited

    I would say its anxiety! I gave birth 8 weeks ago and obviously lost the baby weight but since then too I've also become overwhelmed with extreme health anxiety, and lost lots of weight! I'm slimmer than what I was before being pregnant! - no explanation for it except extreme anxiety and constant worrying! 😦

  • Posted

    It's so hard to listen to doctors. I guess that's why people with health anxiety doctor shop. My primary just said it's situational since everyone is working at home and I am eating out a lot less. Hard to take that at face value though. In my head, I keep wondering if there's a malignancy and that if I wait to "watch" it will be too late.

    The urgent care doctor had about the same reaction as my primary care...but I think she could tell I was anxious and ordered some blood work. Results are pending, hopefully I'll get them soon! Even then though, it's hard to even be satisfied then. If the blood work comes back normal, I know I'll be relieved for a little bit, but then be wondering if it missed something.

    The cycle seems endless =(

  • Posted

    Well, blood work was normal. So, I have some small amount of reprieve.

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