Weight Loss From Ulcers
An ulcer is a break in the skin layers in your body. Although an ulcer can occur in many places, including your eye or your leg, the word ulcer often makes you think of a peptic ulcer. Peptic ulcers are breaks in the stomach lining. They also can cause several complications, including weight loss.
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Peptic Ulcers
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Peptic ulcers (also known as stomach ulcers) are small holes in your intestinal tract. They occur when the intestinal lining is damaged or has been deteriorated. The hydrochloric acid that is normally present to aid in digestion can eat away at your intestinal lining and cause these ulcers. Risk factors include psychological stress, genetic predisposition and cigarette smoking.
Weight Loss
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Weight loss can be caused by the symptoms of peptic ulcers. Ulcers can cause loss of appetite because of the pain in your upper intestinal area and the general malaise that usually accompanies them. They also can cause nausea and vomiting when you do eat. If left undiagnosed, stomach ulcers can cause a dramatic weight loss in just a few months. Even if you are obese, losing weight too fast can be dangerous to your health.
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Diagnosis
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If you are experiencing stomach pain and loss of weight, you should see your health care provider for a professional diagnosis. He probably will perform a procedure called esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), which is an endoscopic procedure. You will be told not to eat for about six hours before the procedure. The health care provider will use a lidocaine spray to numb your throat. Then he will insert an endoscope into your esophagus and down to your stomach, where he can look at the video monitor and/or take pictures for later diagnosis.
Treatment
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If your health care provider determines that your weight loss had been caused by stomach ulcers, she will treat the problem by treating the ulcers. She may prescribe medication to reduce the stomach acid you are producing, such as proton pump inhibitors. In mild cases, there also are over-the-counter medications that can do the same thing. Your health care provider also will advise you to change your diet to avoid acidic foods, carbonated beverages and medications such as ibuprofen. After your stomach ulcers have been treated, your appetite should return to normal and the weight loss will stop.
Prevention
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To prevent future weight loss from ulcers, do not let them worsen in the first place. Carbonated beverages and alcohol should be avoided. Fatty and spicy foods should be removed from your diet, too. Add lots of fiber to your diet, which will promote mucus secretion in the stomach and protect the lining. You also should avoid smoking cigarettes as they aggravate even minor ulcers.
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