The short explanation
Losing weight without trying and having little appetite for a couple of months is a reason to see a doctor. There are many possible causes, and most are treatable. Common ones in younger women include an overactive thyroid, diabetes, depression or anxiety, eating difficulties, stomach infections, ulcers or coeliac disease, and certain medicines. Less commonly, unexplained weight loss can be a sign of a long-term infection such as tuberculosis, inflammatory bowel disease or cancer, which is why doctors check carefully. A doctor will ask about your symptoms, weigh you, examine you and usually order blood tests to look for these causes.
What depends on your situation
The parts of this that change from woman to woman. Uncertainty is stated, not hidden.
- Note how much weight you have lost and over how long, and any other symptoms such as fever, night sweats, diarrhoea, palpitations or low mood.
- Stress, busy schedules and skipping meals can reduce appetite, but should not be assumed to be the cause until other things are checked.
- Government hospitals offer basic blood tests at low cost.
What this answer cannot determine
The boundary of online education. These need a clinician who can see you.
- This cannot tell you what is causing your weight loss. A doctor needs to assess you and arrange tests.
Questions for your clinician
Take these with you. You can add any of them to an appointment card.
- Which tests should I have for weight loss?
- Could my thyroid or sugar be the cause?
- Could stress or low mood be contributing?
- When should I come back if nothing is found?
When to seek help
Clinician-approved guidance for this topic. When in doubt, being seen is never the wrong choice.
Get help the same day
- Get care the same day if you have high fever, vomiting blood, black stools or severe abdominal pain.
Book an appointment soon
- See a doctor within a few days, since the weight loss has lasted weeks.
Sources
The evidence this explanation is built on.
- Indigestion NHS
- Stomach ulcer NHS
- Stomach ache NHS
Who wrote and reviewed this
Every AskHer answer names its author. A clinically reviewed answer also names the clinician who signed it off — if no clinician is named below, it has not been clinically reviewed.
- Author
- AskHer Editorial (AI-assisted draft) AskHer's editorial team — not an individual clinician Works in English, தமிழ், हिन्दी
- Clinical reviewer
- Nobody yet No clinician has signed this answer off, and no person on the editorial team has read it yet. That is what the “Written with AI assistance” label means. It is queued for an editor to read, and then for a clinician who works in this area. The sources it was drafted against are listed above.
- Review status
- Written with AI assistance — not yet reviewed by a person
- Last reviewed
- Not yet reviewed by a person
- Version
- 1
Correction history
Substantive changes are listed, not quietly edited away.
No corrections have been made since this answer was first published.
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