What Is The Treatment For Loss Of Appetite
This will entirely depend on the cause which is found. Generally speaking, the most important thing is to establish the cause so that it can be quickly treated if possible. Your appetite keeps you eating, which keeps you healthy and strong. See the separate leaflet called Healthy Eating for more information.
Signs Of Poor Appetite
When does a poor appetite become a problem? We arent talking about just being not hungry for one meal or being disinterested in eating when you dont like what is being served.
Loss of appetite that should be addressed occurs over a longer period , involves a general disinterest in eating that you cant readily explain, and may even include nausea at the sight or smell of food.
How Is Unexplained Weight Loss Treated
Unexplained weight loss is treated by identifying the underlying condition . If no underlying condition is identified right away, your doctor may recommend a wait-and-see approach, along with a special diet.
For instance, your doctor may recommend that you use nutrition shakes to get more calories, or add flavor enhancers to your food to improve the taste so that you eat more. You may be also be referred to a dietitian for advice and counseling.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 08/31/2018.
References
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Description Of The Interventions
Any intervention primarily aimed at the management of fatigue and unintentional weight loss in advanced progressive illness was included. Interventions could have included pharmacological interventions, exercise, behavioural management, use of assistive devices, lifestyle management, nutritional support, complementary or alternative therapy and counselling.
Criteria For Considering Reviews For Inclusion
We included all Cochrane reviews that assessed the effects of an intervention on fatigue and/or unintentional weight loss in adults with advanced progressive illness in the overview. Systematic reviews published outside The Cochrane Library would not be included, nor would systematic reviews which only included children.
Types of studies
We included Cochrane systematic reviews of interventions with fatigue and/or unintentional weight loss as primary treatment intent.
Types of participants
Adults 18 years or older with an advanced progressive illness known to have clinically significant fatigue and/or weight loss in the latter stages of illness. These conditions include degenerative neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and dementia, irreversible organ failure, cancer with distant metastasis and acquired immune deficiency syndrome .
Types of outcome measure
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How Does Bladder Cancer Contribute To Appetite Changes
Decreased appetite and weight loss can be caused by advanced bladder cancer that has spread to other organs or parts of the bodysuch as the lymph nodes, lungs, liver, or kidneyand are affecting the way that they function.3,4 Cancer cells can also use up nutrients that are needed for the growth and function of healthy cells. Decreased appetite and weight loss are also common side effects of bladder cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and biological therapies.
Description Of The Condition
In this overview, advanced progressive illnesses are defined as conditions for which there is no cure and which have significant morbidity in the latter stages of illness. These conditions include degenerative neurological conditions, irreversible organ failure, cancer with metastatic spread and acquired immune deficiency syndrome . The underlying medical condition can affect both the speed of functional decline and the potential for health improvements with appropriate interventions .
Fatigue and unintentional weight loss are two of the commonest symptoms experienced by people with advanced progressive illness and can be of great concern to those affected and of even greater concern to formal and informal caregivers . Altered metabolism, inadequate intake of nutrients, muscle deconditioning and poor energy management have all been implicated in the development and exacerbation of these symptoms . Other common symptoms within advanced illness such as pain, anxiety and depression are not the focus of this review.
Fatigue
- anaemia
- Cognitive: inability to concentrate, lack of attention, poor memory, difficulty thinking and impaired decision making .
The National Council for Palliative Care state that interventions to control symptoms such as fatigue and unintentional weight loss can bring considerable improvements in function and quality of life to seriously ill people and their families, reducing physical, psychological and spiritual distress .
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What The Patient Can Do
Eating as well as you can is an important way a person with cancer can help to take care of themselves. It’s important to talk to the cancer care team about any expected appetite changes before surgery for cancer, or before other types of treatment are started. Reporting appetite changes early can help limit problems from losing too much weight and having poor nutrition.
Here are some hints that may help if you are having changes in your appetite:
How To Naturally Stimulate Appetite In The Elderly
What is the best natural treatment for loss of appetite in seniors and older adults? If the loss of appetite is due to a serious medical condition, treating that condition is the best approach for stimulating the appetite. Overall, healthy eating habits must be encouraged with the elderly.
A holistic nutritionist or dietitian can recommend the best foods and approach for the root cause of appetite loss. Since loneliness and depression have an association with appetite loss, a counselor or psychotherapist and eating with others can also help encourage eating.
Lets take a look at some of the ways to stimulate appetite in seniors.
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Diarrhea And A Host Of Symptoms: What’s The Cause
When diarrhea is accompanied by a laundry list of additional symptoms â weight loss, fatigue, weakness and stomach pain â it can be extremely debilitating. But what can trigger such discomforting symptoms? As it turns out, there’s no one answer.
âRead more:â 5 Possible Causes of Diarrhea That Lasts for 5 Days or More
Weight Loss And Loss Of Appetite
For many of us, losing weight is welcomed! However, if you are losing weight or you have lost your appetite and there is no real explanation for this, then you should contact your GP practice.
Weight loss can occur for lots of reasons, including dieting, exercise and stress. Our weight can also fluctuate regularly and this is no cause for concern.
Unintentional weight loss, however, is something to pay closer attention to. It can be the result of depression, an overactive or underactive thyroid and cancer, including lung cancer, so if you spot a significant difference in your weight more than 5% of your weight over a 6 -12 month period and there is no obvious reason for this, it can be a cause for concern and you need to seek medical advice.
It is also important to contact your GP practice if you are losing weight and are experiencing other symptoms, as this might be a sign of lung cancer. Additional symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Chest pain.
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Potential Biases In The Overview Process
The authors deem this overview to have several limitations.
Any overview will always be limited by the risks of bias of the included systematic reviews and their included studies. As previously stated an overview depends on the methodological quality of the individual studies and is never capable of increasing the strength of the studies with high risks of bias .
Extraction of data was limited to Cochrane reviews and we did not seek additional information from the authors of the included studies or systematic reviews. Lack of separate reporting of fatigue and/or weight loss outcomes from the studies within the included and excluded systematic reviews may have limited our ability to analyse and compare interventions. CP and SM abstracted data independently for this review. Most of the included systematic reviews also employed two review authors to independently abstract data.
Focus On Stress Management
Stress can lead to digestive issues, sleeping difficulties, and fatigue. Stress may also exacerbate underlying health conditions, such as depression, fibromyalgia, and Crohns disease. The following activities may help a person manage their stress levels:
- regular exercise
Short term appetite changes and tiredness are not usually a cause for concern. These symptoms may occur as a result of a minor illness or be due to a change in the diet or sleep habits.
However, a person should see a doctor if they:
- experience persistent appetite loss or tiredness that does not improve in response to altering the diet or getting better quality sleep
- experience appetite loss or tiredness after starting a new medication
- have an underlying medical condition, such as diabetes, heart disease, or cancer
Children and infants who experience tiredness and appetite loss may have difficulty communicating how they feel. If a child seems weak and overly tired or refuses to eat, a parent or caregiver should take them to see a pediatrician.
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Loss Of Appetite In Elderly: Symptoms Causes And Natural Treatment
Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed*** and may vary from person to person***.
Some believe that loss of appetite in the elderly is a normal part of aging. In part, this is due to a decrease in physical activity and resting metabolic rate associated with getting older. However, loss of appetite can also be an early warning sign of a greater health problem, while also increasing the chance of death.
The medical term for appetite loss is called anorexia, and it simply implies that a person has no desire to eat. Although it is has a similar name, this should not be confused with the eating disorder common with teen girls and young women, anorexia nervosa. With this disorder, the person is hungry, and yet, they deliberately restrict food consumption because of concerns about weight gain.
It is crucial to understand that weight loss is not a normal part of aging, but it is a common symptom with the loss of appetite in the elderly population. There comes a point where the weight loss is life-threatening. In fact, nursing home patients that lost 10% of their body weight had a significantly higher death rate in six months after their weight loss, according to research published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Alcohol And Drug Abuse
People who drink heavily are filling up with empty calories. They feel bloated, says Dr. Finkelstein. And the alcohol irritates the pancreas and liver and leads to fluid in the abdomen. For those addicted to drubs, extreme weight loss and a complete loss of appetite are common. Check out these 20 secrets addiction counselors want you to know.
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Allergies And Sinus Conditions
More than 50 million Americans have some type of allergy. Sometimes it’s an allergy to something outdoors . Other times, the person might be allergic to something indoors .
Allergies can trigger the sinuses to release more mucous. When this mucous drains into your stomach, it can make you feel nauseous and reduce your appetite.
How Do You Treat Fatigue And Loss Of Appetite
Your doctor will prescribe treatments and therapies depending on your underlying condition. Pain relief may help ease the symptoms. If medication is the cause of your fatigue and loss of appetite, your doctor may adjust your dosage or swap the medication.
Treating fatigue may include learning how to increase energy in your daily life. This can mean:
- getting more exercise
- creating a schedule for activity and rest
- talk therapy
- learning about self-care
Treating loss of appetite may include formulating a flexible meal schedule and incorporating favorite foods into meals. Studies also show that enhancing the taste and smell of foods can increase appetite in older adults. They found that adding sauces and seasonings resulted in a 10 percent increase in calorie consumption.
Other methods used to treat fatigue or loss of appetite include:
- appetite stimulants like Marinol
- low-dose corticosteroids to increase appetite
- sleeping pills to help you sleep better at night
- physical therapy to slowly increase exercise
- antidepressants or antianxiety medications, for depression or anxiety
- anti-nausea medications like Zofran for nausea caused by medical treatments
Counseling or participating in a support group may also help reduce depression and anxiety-related causes of fatigue and loss of appetite.
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What Causes Abdominal Bloating And Loss Of Appetite
Abdominal bloating typically occurs when your stomach and/or intestines fill with excess air or gas. This can happen when you take in too much air through your mouth. It can also develop during your digestive process.
Loss of appetite is often a side effect of acute illness or medical therapies, such as cancer treatment. Changes in your body associated with aging can also cause you to experience loss of appetite as you get older.
Some common causes of abdominal bloating and loss of appetite include:
In rare instances, abdominal bloating and loss of appetite can be a sign of certain cancers, including colon, ovarian, stomach, and pancreatic cancers. Sudden weight loss is another symptom that tends to accompany cancer-related abdominal bloating and loss of appetite.
Ological Quality Of Included Reviews
See: AMSTAR ratings of included studies in Appendix 3 ‘Methodological quality, allocation concealment, adverse events and dropout rates of studies within included systematic reviews, by condition’ in Appendix 4.
All of the included reviews apart fromLangmore 2006 achieved an AMSTAR rating of 8 to 11 and were deemed of high methodological quality. Langmore 2006 was an empty review and scored a lower rating of 7 as we were unable to ascertain the methodological quality of the research strategy as it was described. None of the systematic reviews adequately described whether conflict of interests were present within the included studies.
The quality of evidence within and across the Cochrane systematic reviews for each important outcome is reported as it had been within the included systematic reviews. The majority of the reviews used the Oxford Quality Scale where a point score from zero to five is allocated based on the following criteria:
- Allocation concealment was allocation concealment adequate, uncertain or clearly inadequate?
- Randomisation was the trial described as randomised and was the method of randomisation described and appropriate?
- Blinding was the trial described as doubleblind and was the method of doubleblinding described and appropriate?
- Accounting for withdrawals was there a description of withdrawals and dropouts by treatment group?
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Fatigue Weight Loss Loss Of Appetite Feeling Sick After T
Guest over a year ago
hi. . . idk what to do, i’m kind of afraid to talk to my mom about it, over the past few months I’ve lost about 18 pounds. . . everyday i eat dinner, and have about 2-3 snacks and that it, if i eat breakfast i get stomach pains and feel extremely nauseous, I’ve thrown up before because of it. . . . i’m never hungry for lunch, i just have a few chips sometimes. . . . dinner I’ll have a small portion, normal sized, but sometimes, even that little amount will leave me extremely full to the point where you feel like your going to burst, as if i had eaten a 3 course meal, my mom knows i dont eat right, but she dosn’ t understand that if i try to eta more, i just feel sick or get sick. . . . i’m never hungry. . . i’m always tired, always, no matter how much sleep i get, i get headaches a lot, probably once a day, maybe once every other day. . .and every morning almost , i feel nauseous, i’m starting to feel like something might be wrong with me. . . . has anyone had this problem or something similar that can help me on what to do?
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toxic_waste136 over a year ago
Guest over a year ago
When To Seek Emergency Treatment
Always contact your doctor right away if you begin to lose weight rapidly for no apparent reason.
Its also important to seek immediate medical help if your decreased appetite could be a result of depression, alcohol, or an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia.
Treatment for a decreased appetite will depend on its cause. If the cause is a bacterial or viral infection, you wont usually require specific treatment for the symptom, as your appetite will quickly return once your infection is cured.
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Keep Healthy Snacks Around And Do Not Go More Than Three Hours Without Eating
- Pack a cooler or insulated lunch bag to take on longer trips or to appointments when the wait time is variable.
- Keep small containers of fruit, dried fruit, trail mix, small bottles of juice, yogurt, cheese, whole grain crackers, cereal, granola bars, and other portable food items that are easy to eat and require little to no preparation.
- Always keep snacks visible and available as a reminder that it is important to eat to get the body the nutrients it needs.
Psychological Or Spiritual Distress
Lets not diminish or overlook completely the role of emotional, psychological, or spiritual distress can play in anorexia. The effects of the illness and the treatment, coupled with psychological responses such as anxiety or depression and spiritual reactions such as hopelessness, may result in diminished enthusiasm for food and/or a lack of energy to prepare and eat it.
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