Lumps, bumps & hernias

[tonicwater]

I'm posting to find out if anyone else has similar issues to myself. I have cirrhosis, was diagnosed around 9 years ago, have no ascites or varices, but I do have portal vein hypertension and a grossly enlarged spleen. About a year ago I started noticing small veins on my stomach, I think they are called medusa something or other, these have gone from very small and hardly noticeable to really quite chunky bumpy bulgy veins. Another thing I've noticed, and I'm not sure if it is cirrhosis related ... Is that I appear to have several hernias. If I were laying down and were to do a mini crunch, I have a great big bulge in the centre of my abdomen, two large bulges, one on either side of my abdomen, and my belly button pops out. My stomach is absolutely enormous, despite the fact I do not have a ascites. No one at the hospital seems to be able to explain or pays much interest to all of this.

Does anyone else have all these lumps and bumps, with what appears to be my intestines pushing through the stomach wall, is this possibly another side effect of cirrhosis or do you think perhaps unrelated?

[Breakfastbabe]

My husband was diagnosed with Cirrhosis 4 years ago and has similar to you, protruding veins on his tummy and a huge inguinal hernia which noone seems bothered about. Have you been told that you don't have ascites as he does and has had two drains in 4 months. Please get a second opinion on that as his ascites was ignored and he got Peritonitis so is on a daily prophylactic antibiotic. I hope you are okay and get the outcome you are looking for.

[tonicwater in reply to Breakfastbabe]

I definitely don't have ascites 🙂

[looby24]

Hello my husband was diagnosed with cirrhosis August 2023. He too has this hernia like bulge if he does a mini crunch. He's had a couple of CT scans of the abdomen as part of his care and the hernia has never been mentioned as an issue, even when he did as about it. He does not have the veins you mention but I wonder whether they could be part of the new vein formations which I understand sometimes takes place when there is portal pressure? One doctor told us, for example, that if the flow to the liver is impaired, the body generates new veins for the blood to flow through. That's a crude explanation of my unerstanding anyway

[MilliganHorse]

Ditto the reply from Looby24, my hubby has a huge inguinal hernia and was told it is not a priority for the time being, there is speculation that his first bout of ascetis which he let go on for far too long may have caused it. I noticed similar very large veins on his stomach this time around he has now had 4 drains in as many months and I just assumed the veins were part of this. Honestly I would get a second opinion on whether you have ascetis.

Good luck