Ascites preventing debulking surgery?

[LovingNana]

My oncologist has again put off my surgery and now says he's not sure when we will be able to do it at all. He says unless we find a chemo that will take the ascites down, he will have a hard time during the surgery to get everything like he wants to. I have had 7 or 8 rounds of taxol/carboplatin which did nothing for the ascites, and not much for my CA125 levels (started at 9800 and now climbing back up to 3600 from 3300). I was finally switched to doxil this last visit, hopefully that will start to make a difference. I just wonder if anyone else had surgery despite the ascites or if it is standard to wait for the ascites to go away before surgery.

Thanks all!

[Chelleypugs]

Hi. I don't normally post so here goes. I had debulking in August 2014. They removed a 10cm growth from right ovary. My first symptoms were the bloating and sickness. I had 1.5 litres of fluid drained off when I had my CT scan. This was very quickly replaced. When I went in for the biopsy, I was so big and uncomfortable that they drained off another 9 litres. This was drained off over 2 days but again it only took about 10 days to come back. When I had my debulking, they also drained off another 10 litres whilst they did the op. I feel I've been very lucky (if you can call it that) My tumour turned out to be a rare type that is benign. My CA125 was 3423 before the op. Last week I was told it had come down to 10! I've had no further treatment since the op - in fact, I haven't even had a checkup at the hospital. I only got the ca125 done last week because I moaned at my GP. Hope this helps you but I'm sure some other nice ladies will give you their experience xxx

[Woody64]

I had 20 litres of as cites drained off at three different times it did come back but not as bad and y the time I had my second chemo it had gone.

Good luck hope they sort you out soon. X

[daisies]

Hello. While each of us are different, I can only tell you my story with ascites. It was found after a series of ct scans and ultra sound , and a drain was inserted - and have not have a problem since with ascites. However, while cancer came back, ascites is one problem I don't have to deal with. I am past the stage of further surgery - such as debulking (what a horrible name for it), as the tumours have spread over too large an area. At present, bowel & intestines are managing and long may that continue.

Do talk to your oncologist though and ensure you understand what he is proposing, etc.

Best wishes, Daisies

[LovingNana]

Thanks all. He is my second oncologist so far and I am having a hard time understanding why he would not just drain the fluid at the time of the operation as others have had. I look 9 months pregnant and though they have drained off several liters twice now, it returned both times. I even have a spread of fluid retention down to my legs and ankles, which was actually my first sign of the the cancer over a year ago, before any abdominal fluid, along with bladder leakage which went away after my use of the thigh-master exerciser. I know the nodules on my lungs have grown since the initial CT along with a few other things, and as much as I don't like the idea of surgery itself, I certainly like the idea that he could remove everything and give me a chance to beat this.