Son's Weight Loss

[lofwyr 215]

So a quick question for everyone. I am not overly freaked out, but a little nervous. My son keeps losing weight. Not much, but enough given that his diet is not exactly low calorie, and his activity level is not that high. He is 19, and over the course of the last couple months, the scale has dropped him from 176 to 169 pounds. He eats enough, and does not work out, though he does work. Some days he will eat less, like one or two meals, but being the anxiety nut I am, I am of course fearing the worst.

When one talks about cancer weight loss, am I correct in assuming it is generally more extreme than that, and more rapid as well?  

[Holls 1505]

1 hour ago, lofwyr said:

So a quick question for everyone. I am not overly freaked out, but a little nervous. My son keeps losing weight. Not much, but enough given that his diet is not exactly low calorie, and his activity level is not that high. He is 19, and over the course of the last couple months, the scale has dropped him from 176 to 169 pounds. He eats enough, and does not work out, though he does work. Some days he will eat less, like one or two meals, but being the anxiety nut I am, I am of course fearing the worst.

When one talks about cancer weight loss, am I correct in assuming it is generally more extreme than that, and more rapid as well?  

I think cancer weight loss is drastic in it happens in like a two to three week time span.. my friend lost twenty pounds in two weeks. She had liver cancer.. your son is 19.. he might be anxious about tests if he is in school.maybe he has stuff in his mind... I remember when I was 19 the smallest thing was such a big big deal. 

[Peanut 9]

2 hours ago, lofwyr said:

So a quick question for everyone. I am not overly freaked out, but a little nervous. My son keeps losing weight. Not much, but enough given that his diet is not exactly low calorie, and his activity level is not that high. He is 19, and over the course of the last couple months, the scale has dropped him from 176 to 169 pounds. He eats enough, and does not work out, though he does work. Some days he will eat less, like one or two meals, but being the anxiety nut I am, I am of course fearing the worst.

When one talks about cancer weight loss, am I correct in assuming it is generally more extreme than that, and more rapid as well?  

An individual's weight can fluctuate depending on a myriad of variables. It's likely that your son's eating habits are simply changing or he is weighing at different times under different circumstances. You should always weigh first thing in the morning because that will provide the most accuracy and consistency. It's also a good idea to weigh either naked or wearing something light, such as boxers, so that the measurement is as accurate as possible.

Furthermore, his eating habits may very well be the cause of any weight loss that he is experiencing. We often assume that we are consuming enough to gain weight or limiting ourselves enough to lose weight. Until you track your calories and macro-nutrients, however, you will not be able to accurately track your intake and therefore have no true bearing on your weight loss/gain.

[lofwyr 215]

He is 6'2 or so, but a lean frame. I am sure it is no big deal, I just worry when he tells me out of the blue that he weighed himself and he is 169. He has never weighed that little, well, not since he broke 6' years ago. He does and did weigh himself consistently at the same time, naked before getting in the shower in the morning first thing before eating or drinking. 

One thing I did not factor in though, is that he did get braces at the end of January (long story why he had to wait until he was 19). I am sure his unwillingness to snack so he doesn't have to brush his teeth accounts for a lot of it. He probably does eat less than he used to because after adjustments he is in pain, and then after the pain diminishes, he takes his hygiene so seriously he brushes after EVERY time he eats. He is way better than I was with braces.

The moment of panic I had has more or less passed, just a reaction to him telling me his weight this morning.  He did decide to weigh himself once a week at the same time etc to see if he needs to eat more.
 

[mollyfin 366]

I remember when I had braces as a kid the wires rubbed sores in my mouth and everything was so swollen I couldn't open my mouth wide enough to eat!  And then whenever they were tightened, chewing was incredibly painful.  I think you're onto something with the culprit there.

[lofwyr 215]

Apparently not as "over it" as I thought, as I woke up sleepless two hours earlier than my alarm. 

The logical brain in the early hours of the morning "he only lost seven pounds and he has been eating two meals a day on average, so big deal!"

The illogical, anxiety-ridden part of my brain, "what if this is just the start, and something *is* wrong?"

I know we have all been there, we have all dealt with those "what-ifs," and as bad as it is when it affects me, I really hate it when my anxiety zeros in on my kids or my wife. 

And what is worse, while my son does not have health anxiety, he does suffer with anxiety in general, and can get pretty worked up about things. Sorry to have passed this on if it is genetic at all.

Man, do I just loathe anxiety in general.

(I am cross posting this between the two anxiety forums I follow, so sorry to repeat myself if you also frequent both places)