Chest pain, trouble breathing, sudden weakness on one side, a fit or heavy bleeding needs help now, not an appointment.

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General and whole body

Loss of appetite

Also called loss of appetite, no hunger, bhook nahi lagti, not eating, appetite kam

What it meansSafe at homeDo not doSee a doctorWarning signs

What this means

Not feeling hungry for a short while is common with minor illness or stress. When it continues, it can sometimes signal a digestive, liver or other health issue.

Safe to do at home

  • Eat small, light meals more often instead of large ones
  • Stay hydrated through the day
  • Include foods you usually enjoy and that are easy to digest

Please do not do this alone

  • Do not take appetite stimulants on your own
  • Do not force very heavy meals
  • Do not ignore it if it lasts with weight loss

Book a consultation if

  • Appetite loss continues for more than a week or two
  • It comes with weight loss, nausea or yellow eyes
  • You feel weak or unable to keep food down

Get help immediately if

  • Unable to keep any food or water down with severe weakness
  • Appetite loss with vomiting blood or severe abdominal pain

The right doctor for this

General Physician

This is the specialist who sees this symptom most often and can examine you properly. If you are not sure, a general physician is always a safe place to start and will refer you onward if you need it.

Consult a General Physician

Get care for this

Doctors and care for loss of appetite

Verified Teleprac doctors you can see online or in a clinic, lab tests with home sample collection, and genuine medicines delivered to your door.

See all symptoms

How to use this page. It explains what a symptom usually means, so that you can decide whether to watch it, book a consultation or get help now. It does not diagnose you, it does not know your age, your pregnancy or your other medicines, and it cannot replace being examined. Please do not start, stop or change any medicine on your own.

Consult a doctorGeneral Physician

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Emergency numbers in India

Save these in your phone now, not when you need them. Tap any number to call it.

112Any emergencyOne number for police, fire and ambulance across India108AmbulanceFree emergency ambulance in most states and union territories102Pregnancy and newbornAmbulance for mothers and babies in most states14416Mental health supportTele MANAS, free counselling every hour of the day, many languages1800 116 117Poisoning or overdoseNational Poisons Information Centre, AIIMS New Delhi1098Child in distressChildline India, free and confidential

Where to read more

Public health sources written for patients rather than for doctors, and kept up to date.

Ministry of Health and Family WelfareOfficial Indian health programmes, advisories and public guidanceWorld Health Organization health topicsGlobal fact sheets written for the public, on hundreds of topicsNHS health A to ZPlain language pages on symptoms, conditions, tests and treatmentsMedlinePlusPatient information from the United States National Library of MedicineTele MANASIndia's national mental health support service, free and available all day

Important: Everything in Teleprac patient resources is general health education. It does not give you a diagnosis and it cannot replace examination by a qualified doctor, because it does not know your age, your reports, your pregnancy or the other medicines you take. Please do not start, stop or change any medicine on your own. Teleprac Healthcare is not liable for decisions made on the basis of this information. In an emergency, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest hospital immediately.