Acites

[GrandmaDylan]

Does your cirrhosis tend to be quite advanced before you get acites? I am asking as my weight has gone up 4lb in a week and my waist measurement has increased by about an inch and a half.I had an abdo scan on Tuesday and the operative didn't make any comment.

[Millie09]

Hi, the only time I have ever had bouts of ascites is when my liver was struggling to work , this being said, as a recovering alcoholic, I relapsed once when I lost my dad with cancer so as I could not deal with things I drank every day for 2 years.. My first drink since 2007 when i had awful ascites, was drained 3 times and very poorly.

Have not touched a drop since and no ascites for 4 years .. I have however put a stone on in weight in 12 months but that's due to mobility issues.

You had a scan and nothing was found so may be it's just a bit of weight gain

[Gordon99]

When I developed ascites the change in my weight and measurements were much more pronounced than yours. My breathing became restricted as my lungs were being pressed on by the fluid and my stomach became distended so much I looked pregnant, with twins, and I’m a bloke. An ultrasound confirmed it. My cirrhosis was quite advanced.

[Gerbera01 in reply to Gordon99]

I have the pregnant with twins look with Ascites too. Even the tightest slimming pants can't hide it. Dr increased my dosage of diaurretic, doesn't make any difference, but I find if I reduce all salt In my diet, the bloat is slightly smaller. It can bring you down, always hiding it, I had to change nearly all of my tops to hide it.

[Gordon99 in reply to Gerbera01]

I changed my diet. Low salt, low fat, no sugar, no alcohol. I still had to be drained every week to 10 days as the diuretics stopped working after two years. I would typically have 10 litres drained and it took 6 hours. I put on half a kg per day even with a healthy diet. I did manage to cure myself of diabetes before I was given a liver transplant. I’m fine 18 months after transplant and have stayed on a healthy diet to keep my weight down and my health up.

[Isabelle2]

Hi

For me it was when my cirrhosis was very bad. I remember I had lost weight and bought a smaller size of trousers then a couple of days later my tummy had expanded and I had difficulty wearing them. Can you phone the specialist or gp and ask them what they think?

[Gerbera01 in reply to Isabelle2]

Yes, I can relate to this!

[Garyvh]

It's not hard to gain or lose 4lbs in a week, my weight fluctuates like that all the time.

How is your appetite? If you're eating well, it might just be that.

I've had ascites once about 6 months ago and it's progress was quite swift, and ithe completely put me off eating. Luckily water tablets got rid of it quite quickly.

I had horrid griping pains in my stomach too, and difficulty taking in a full breath of air.

I'm not sure, but I think it's when the ascites stops responding to medicines and it has to be drained again and again, that is when the disease is very advanced.

Hopefully its just a bit of healthy weight gain for you.

US radiographers always seem a bit recalcitrant when I ask them questions, and won't let on about what they are seeing on the scan so have to wait for a letter from the gastro doc or ring his sec.

[Gerbera01 in reply to Garyvh]

Yes, Ulta sound recently just said what I already knew, ' you have fluid because of ascites' dr upped my dose of diaurretic s, no diff, not sure they work on me anymore, no quick dashes to the look anymore. I have the occasional day when it looks like I'm smaller, then next morning, ballooned again. Dr reluctant about drainage, told it will come back. I have to live with it. I look and feel okay, weight without the boat is healthy, though cholesterol is a bit high, eat better than I ever have. Now getting bloods once a week, GGT is creeping up, it's now in the 500 area, no reason why, it's been stable. It's so dam confusing, no tangible answers, no one is the same. Have just found this forum, I'm in New Zealand, nothing like this here it's great to share and read peoples narrative from those who understand. It's a lonely disease, I don't know anybody but me who has it. It's my birthday today, picturesque day, eating dark chocolate cake for breakfast outside, screw the bloat and diet today, let's eat cake!