‘Sudden change in weight or appetite a warning sign’

A sudden change in appetite or weight, whether reduction or gain, between the age of 25 and 30 should not be taken casually, said Dr Shakeel Masood, while interacting with the media at the education and awareness programme on gastroenterology organised at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences on Saturday. He said this was one of the many symptoms of cancer in the abdomen. Hence care and medical help should be taken in such a case.

In the programme, patients, their family members and even the medical staff discussed their day to day problems with experts who answered all the queries.

Experts also spoke about ulcers in the stomach that troubled patients and sometimes needed surgical intervention as cure.

They said in such cases when external bags were provided temporarily for passage of human waste, family members and even neighbours avoided talking to patients which was wrong.

Head of the gastro-surgery department Dr Anshuman

With advances in manufacturing medical devices, stoma bags too have been upgraded and are easier to use and clean. Hence one should not maintain distance from patients DR ANSHUMAN PANDEY, head of the gastro-surgery department

Pandey said misconceptions about stoma bags was common but it needed to be eradicated as such myths often had an adverse effect on the mind of the patient.

Such patients, he said, needed attention and care for speedy recovery as they were already going through pain and depression. “With advances in manufacturing medical devices, stoma bags too have been upgraded and are easier to use and clean. Hence one should not maintain distance from patients or restrict them from moving around in the house,” said Dr Pandey.