Private unexplained weight loss clinic in London, same-day endocrinology.

How much counts

Clothes becoming loose, a belt needing tightening, or someone else commenting are often the first signs — many people do not weigh themselves. If you have old weights recorded anywhere, bring them; the trend matters more than a single figure.

Causes worth excluding

• Diabetes — particularly with thirst and frequent urination. Weight loss can be the presenting feature.
• Overactive thyroid — with palpitations, tremor, heat intolerance and anxiety.
• Cancer — the reason for urgency. Bowel, stomach, oesophageal, pancreatic, lung, kidney and lymphoma all present this way.
• Coeliac disease and inflammatory bowel disease.
• Chronic infection — tuberculosis in particular, which is more common in East London than nationally, and HIV.
• Depression, anxiety and eating disorders — common causes, and eating disorders occur at every age and body size.
• Heart, lung, liver or kidney disease, and dementia in older people.
• Medicines, dental problems making eating painful, and simply reduced food intake for social or financial reasons.

What investigation involves

• Documented weight, and comparison with any previous records
• Blood tests — full blood count, inflammatory markers, kidney and liver function, calcium, glucose or HbA1c, thyroid function, coeliac screening, and often ferritin, B12 and folate
• Urine testing, and a stool test for blood or calprotectin where relevant
• Chest X-ray, particularly in smokers or with any cough
• Further imaging or endoscopy guided by the findings
• HIV and TB testing where risk factors are present — both are treatable and both are missed

If everything comes back normal

That is a good result and it is not the end of it. Persistent unexplained weight loss with normal initial tests warrants a period of documented monitoring with repeat assessment rather than discharge, because some conditions declare themselves over weeks. Meanwhile, nutritional support matters — continuing to lose weight causes muscle loss, falls and poorer outcomes from whatever is eventually found.