An unhealthy weight and your well-being

Megace ES is indicated for the treatment of appetite loss, severe malnutrition, or unexplained, significant weight loss in AIDS patients.1 It is a reformulation of megestrol acetate oral suspension and is prescribed for patients to help improve appetite and gain weight.

Taking Megace ES can help increase your appetite and your daily caloric intake. By increasing your caloric intake, your body gets the nutrients it needs to function. Eating a well-balanced diet will help you gain weight, which can improve your sense of well-being.1

If you are losing weight without trying, talk to your healthcare provider about treatment options that are right for you.

If you are at an unhealthy weight, it may be a result of a more serious complication, including unintended weight loss, anorexia, and/or cachexia.10,22 Not being at a healthy weight could mean that your body isn’t getting the nutrients it needs, which can weaken your immune system and make you more vulnerable to infection.28

Unintended weight loss is a decrease in body weight that is not voluntary.22

It’s important to recognize unintended weight loss early, because it may lead to what healthcare providers call “wasting.” Wasting in HIV patients is defined as losing 7.5% of your body weight in a period of 6 months5 and can be associated with disease progression.7 Everyone diagnosed with AIDS, including those who take the different types of antiretroviral therapies and other medications, can be susceptible to wasting.9

Anorexia is an uncontrolled lack or loss of appetite. Anorexia can contribute to a more severe condition, which is called cachexia.

Cachexia is a physical wasting with loss of weight and muscle mass in someone not actively trying to lose weight.10

In cachectic AIDS patients, the metabolic (energy) demands of the body are often increased.2 When the body does not receive sufficient calories and nutrients to meet these energy requirements, it uses fat and muscle as a source of energy. This results in weight loss and wasting.