Malnutrition possibility?

Posted by blackscarecrow @blackscarecrow, Jan 18 7:30am

M36, 5ft7,169 pounds ...

Hi all, I have a problem and a question; Lets say I have some malabsorption/malnutrition issues for the last year (still not officially diagnosed)...but those are my thoughts based on the infos i read on the internet. Sudden weight loss after blood donation (8kilos in 3 weks) , dry, pale, somewhere saggy skin, vertical nail ridges, greasy stool/diarrhea, hair falling all over body (legs,eyebrows,pubic hair), bleeding from gums, swollen tongue with white coating,sunken eyes and so on... could point towards that diagnosis...I even lost facial fat and fullness of my face like that lipoatrophied HIV positive ppl. (I dont have HIV btw). Even my sweat is smelling on ammonia indicates my body is breaking down more proteins for fuel maybe? So its either malnurishement or some of those issues like SIBO or BAM fat malabsorption or carb malabsorption + nutrient malabsorption...or Whipple's maybe? Got tested for celiacs, blood draw tTIga, negative.
Ive been eating very bad food for a quite a time, like only junk food like hot dogs and stuff like that, not too many vegetables and fruits...usually food with high calories but without nutritional value + Ive been donating blood every 3 months...is it possible that i got my body to the point of malnutrition? Cuz i even got anemic (iron deficient) dark circles around eyes, but ive managed to correct that with iron pills... Anyway...are those malnutrition symptoms? And, could malabsorption/malnutrition cause elevated cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels? Maybe from constant weight loss body is burning stored fat and regards to that i now have constantly elevated lipids? Ty

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celia16 | @celia16 | Jan 18 7:59am

Have you had a blood panel done to check your vitamin level for deficiencies? Do you have a primary?

Scott R L | @scottrl | Jan 18 9:38am

I'm no doctor, but it almost sounds like scurvy.

Do you take a multivitamin daily?

blackscarecrow | @blackscarecrow | Jan 18 10:31am

In reply to @celia16 "Have you had a blood panel done to check your vitamin level for deficiencies? Do you..." + (show)

Did iron panel, vit D, B12 and folate....but that was a year ago... Had low folates and iron. Corrected that,but symptoms remained. Except raccoon eyes and anemia. That got better after iron supplements 4months. But pale skin and other symptoms still there. I have symptoms like some HIV positive person. But I don't have it. Got tested twice just in case cuz i have tattoos ( which btw i got in normal tattoo shop,not some homemade) and only had 1 sex partner my whole life ,my wife, as I am her only too....so HIV isnt,but something acts like it....

blackscarecrow | @blackscarecrow | Jan 18 10:32am

In reply to @scottrl "I'm no doctor, but it almost sounds like scurvy. Do you take a multivitamin daily?" + (show)

Nope ..i take nothing. Should i try? Im afraid if i got to the immunologist now,that supplements will affect further tests he will do

celia16 | @celia16 | Jan 18 2:28pm

I would think your primary could do new blood test to see what’s going on? My primary has a walkin clinic where you can show up and see a PA, since it may take a while to get an appointment with a primary. They can order blood tests and see what’s going on. They can also examine you checking your heart, lungs, blood pressure, blood sugar, etc.

blackscarecrow | @blackscarecrow | Jan 18 4:11pm

Ive been already to gastroscopy, colonoscopy, endocrinologist, hematologist,infectologist...abdomen MRi check ✔️....
Had Epstein Barr and CMV reactivation, and rest fine...
got my thyroid tested and all hormones check ✔️
Sugar check ✔️
Im heading now to immunologist,maybe we found out there whats the matter.
Theres not much left...either is malnutrition/vitamins/minerals deficiency or some infectious malabsorption disorder like Whipple's disease (i am btw HLA-B 27 ,means i have a possibility of Whipples)
or Celiacs, although blood test was negative it is not dismissive, should do the biopsy too

rits | @rits | Jan 18 11:02pm

Have you considered cutting out junk food and trying a healthy diet? Chicken, cheese, eggs for protein, raw veggies in salads and cooked with meals, fresh fruits., etc. , milk, tea, juice, no alcoholic beverages until you are better. Obviously no smoking or drugs. Give it a month or two without blood donations and see what happens.

You can find healthy diets online. Good luck.

blackscarecrow | @blackscarecrow | Jan 19 12:05am

In reply to @rits "Have you considered cutting out junk food and trying a healthy diet? Chicken, cheese, eggs for..." + (show)

Havent donat blood since then. I can't cause of elevated cholesterol and tryglicerides. So that from October 2022.
Never did drugs, and dont smoke for over 10 years. Alcohol, a few beers weekly...

parrot53 | @parrot53 | Jan 19 5:07am

If you try to nourish your body with plenty of good food and water it may respond well. If that doesn’t work maybe a rheumatologist or an endocrinologist could help you. Wishing you a successful journey back to a healthier body.

debhammel | @debhammel | Jan 19 10:34am

Have any of the doctors you've seen run a fecal sample test for Pancreatic Elastase? If not, you might want to push for one. Collecting the sample isn't fun but worth it to find out if you have low pancreatic enzymes. If yours are low, you would not be able to digest food and your symptoms - especially the greasy stools - align with what I know of this condition. I was diagnosed after sudden onset of diarrhea, weight loss, fatigue after a bout of food poisoning. Stool samples were taken and along with a diagnosis of microscopic colitis, it was found I had severely low pancreatic enzymes (34 - normal level is 200. I started Creon in November and it has been a total game changer.