Weight Loss Symptom Flashcards
Exploring symptom
Open- can you tell me what you have noticed
Amount- about how much have you lost/ have you weighed yourself
Onset- over what time period has this occurred
Intention- was this intentional or not
Appetite- how has your appetite been/ have you been eating normally
Exercise- have you been exercising more than usual
Associated features- fever and fatigue
Relevant systems review
Respiratory- cough/ bring anything up/ any blood/ SOB
GI- appetite change, dysphagia, n and v (blood), indigestion, heartburn, abdominal pain, bowel habit change, tenesmus, blood/ mucus in stool
GUT- how are waterworks/ any blood or pain when urinating/ frequency/ periods
NS- weakness in muscles/ pins or needles/ headaches/ problems with vision or other senses
MSK- aches or pains in muscles, bones or joints/ stiff joints in morning- how long for
Any lumps or bumps anywhere
Any malignancy
Symptoms relevant to that malignancy
Colon cancer
Elderly
Blood/ melaena PR
Change in bowel habit
IBD
Diarrhoea with blood/ mucus
Abdominal pain
Coeliac disease
Diarrhoea, steatorrhoea Anaemia Sx (SOB, tired) Abdominal discomfort
Thyrotoxicosis
Diarrhoea Heat intolerance Irritability Tremor Oligomenorrhoea
Anorexia/ bullimia
BMI decreases
Binge eating
Effort to lose weight
Menstrual cycle disturbance
Others
DM type 1
SH
Who’s at home with you
Who cooks your meals
How many meals a day
Tips
Ask about clothes/ rings that no longer fit
Using a belt for trousers eg
Canditime surgical sieve
C- congenital: genetic abnormality
A- acquired
N- neoplasm: primary or secondary malignancy (or benign- unlikely)
D- degenerative: COPD or MS
I- infection/ inflammatory: viral, bacterial, fungal, TB, SLE, RA, vasculitis, IBD
T- trauma: unlikely
I- iatrogenic/ idiopathic: recent major surgery eg. Gastrectomy
M- miscellaneous: anirexua nervosa, depression
E- endocrine: hyperthyroidism/ DMT1
Investigations for weight loss
Physical exam of all systems Bloods- FBC, UE, LFT, glucose, TFT, CRP, ESR Urinalysis CXR CT scan
