Why am I never hungry?

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Appetite fading for a few days is usually unremarkable - stress, a bug going around, a new medication, grief, or even heat. MedlinePlus notes decreased appetite accompanies a wide range of temporary illnesses and emotional states, and it usually returns on its own. Common chronic drivers: depression - where food stops being interesting, and appetite fades with it - anxiety, many medications including stimulants and some antidepressants, underactive thyroid, and simply aging, since taste, smell, and hunger signals all dull with the years.

The rule for acting: appetite loss that persists past a week or two, or that arrives with unintentional weight loss, fatigue, nausea, or feeling full after a few bites. That last one - early fullness - especially deserves mention to a doctor. The workup looks at mood, medications, thyroid, and the gut.

Practical moves while appetite is low: eat small and often rather than three big meals, favor calorie-dense foods you actually like, and keep drinking - dehydration makes everything worse. In an older parent, watch the scale: quiet weight loss in seniors accelerates frailty, and that is worth a doctor visit on its own.

Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text. Describe how long it has lasted and what else changed, and it can help you decide whether to get checked.

Why am I never hungry?

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