Why do I keep losing weight? - Digestive Disorders Message Board

wannabehotguy · 12-19-2003, 06:56 PM

I am 5'9 and a half heigth and I now weigh about 117. I have no idea why I keep losing weight. I am eating pretty well and especially foods that will make me gain weight such as chicken, fish, hamburgers, beans, potatoes, and even cheesecake! I still fill sometimes really full for hours after eating an average meal. (Although it is NOT that painful I only have some sharp pains probably from gas).

I am really irate in that I look like a scrawny bulimic person and that I am still losing weight even when I eat and I am not sure if it is a terminal illness in which my body will just starve to death.

I don't have ulcer, tumor, cancer, gastritus or anything an X Ray and Upper Endoscopy can see.

My Specialist GI doctor showed very little concern for my losing weight when I saw him a month and a half ago. I brought it up to him and he still had no concern. Now I am 117 and looking really bad, people really glare at me as if I look odd or they assume that I am bulimic and anorexix. Anyways I wanted to go another GI or Internist but they are charging a $280-$350 initial fee which is too expensive. The board certified GI doctor that I go to will be charging less money but I feel like he doesn't listen to me and when he looks at me he is just gazing or staring not even looking just as if he is some other planet. He obviously ignored how scrawny and unhealthy my body looked last time he saw me. I brought it up to his nurse staff a couple days ago and they instructed me not to leave unless all my questions were answered. BUT what happens if the jerk just keeps saying "I don't know" That is unusual" "How about I see you next time" "Just take your antacids" blablahahahblah. I mean how professional is that???? I think I should report him to his board or boss what do you guys think? Also what should I do I don't want to be hospitalized?? It seems like he wants me to get worse so that he can hospitalize me and get more money which will probably happen (if I continue to lose weight which I don't want to).

Any tips or advice?thank you.

Beethoven_00 · 12-20-2003, 04:02 AM

First off I was at a similar weight untill I started forcing myself to eat...as you know my problem is a bit different. But I too was afraid people were going to start saying eating disorder. Just try not to let it get you down, I know what its like to want to gain weight desperatly but not be able to do so. Its even harder when people give you a hard time about it. But remember they don't know you and are oftem ignorant or stupid. Its so tough looking sickly and not having answers. Maybe try something like boost, i did initially but they are too fatty and made me real ill afterwards, just a thought though, it sounds like you can eat anything and stay thin. My suggestion would be to take note of everything. Do your bowel movements float, what color are they, are they frequent or large, how much do you eat, maybe keep a food diary to show the doctor so he knows you are not starving yourself. Even though he may not even give it more than a glance it shows you are serious. Don't dismiss anything either. Where are those sharp pains, even of they are not that painful it is your body doing something and may be important. Do a lot of your own research because I can gurantee your doctor won't, these days it can be the patient diagnoses themselves then pays the doctor to order the tests for confirmation. I live in canada so money is not a concern and I feel so bad that you must pay for your healthcare, even though at times canadadian healthcare seems like nothing but a big hmo. I would definitley switch doctors. It is my experince that doctors that say come back in a month or two will never do anything but keep putting you off because they just don't care. Maybe a body mri scan would be helpful since it would see many things and put your mind at ease. There really doesnt seem to be anything you can do if the doctor isn't listening to you. It is so frustrating. Let them walk a day in thier patients shoes and then let them say "thats odd, come back later." All you can do is try and make it clear that you need help and if he doesnt know then ask "is there someone who might know and can help me." I hope this is of some help.

Beethoven