Dr C: “Weight loss isn’t always good news!”

You may be pleased your jeans fit, but sudden weight loss is linked with 10 cancers, and bloating is a sign too. Dr C explains

recent study A revealed that one in seven people who shed weight for no reason were found to have cancer, and unexplained weight loss is the second highest risk factor for bowel, lung, pancreatic and kidney cancers.

OVERCOME FEARS

I think lots of people probably do suspect it’s a worrying sign, but they are terrified and ignore it. The other potential reason people ignore sudden weight loss is that they may be pleased and convince themselves that their diet is finally working. We’d all rather not know if there’s something wrong, and two-thirds of us are permanently on a diet.

QUESTION THE CAUSE

The crucial word here is “unexplained”. If you’ve suffered a bereavement, had a terrible tummy upset or been through a highly stressful period in your life, weight loss isn’t surprising, but if there is no physical or emotional cause it needs to be checked. That’s particularly true if the weight loss is accompanied by other symptoms, like loss of appetite, extreme tiredness and changes in toilet habits. There are other causes of weight loss, things like depression or thyroid problems, but never assume anything – see your GP. It may be the first sign, and the sooner any health problem is caught, the better. As well as rapid weight loss, sudden weight gain, in terms of bloating, is a worrying sign, too.

DON’T ASSUME BLOATING IS IBS

Bloating is often shrugged off as IBS – by patients as well as doctors. Research shows that only 34 per cent of women with persistent bloating would visit their GP, and half would just change their diet, cutting out gluten or starting to eat probiotic yoghurts.

Of course you can try keeping a food diary, and if you have changed your diet, it’s worth thinking about whether that could be a cause. But if you’ve been bloated most days for three weeks or more, you should absolutely see your GP because that’s a symptom of ovarian cancer, and two-thirds of women are only diagnosed once the disease has spread and is harder to treat. Other signs are feeling full quickly, appetite loss, stomach pains, a change in toilet habits and extreme tiredness.

LOOK PAST GOOGLE!

Sudden changes in weight need to be checked, not explained away by the internet, which can be misleading. See your GP.