Ask a doctor on the topic of Other questions to doctors

Wasting legs, bloated stomach and mental decline.

November 19, 2010 | 15,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Ralf Berg

My girlfriend is 47 years old, 1.63 meters tall, and weighs 49 kilograms. She has very thin legs and arms, but a bloated stomach. Her hearing loss is getting worse and she often repeats sentences 3-4 times. Her legs are very stiff, for example, she cannot sit cross-legged. What could this be?

Dr. med. Ralf Berg

Dear inquirer,

The medical history is as thin as the legs.
One can definitely speak of underweight.
Do you know the background of your friend?
The overall appearance most likely suggests a liver disease with protein deficiency. There also seems to be a limitation of cognitive ability.
However, since we are talking about a third party, even if anonymously, I do not wish to comment on the possible causes here. You should ask your friend about this yourself. A visit to the doctor for examination and blood tests is certainly advisable. Perhaps you can convince your friend to go. Maybe she already knows some things about the underlying causes.

Best regards,
R. Berg