Swollen tummy

[Juliette35]

Hi ladies, I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this. One side of my tummy is quite swollen and it feels a bit hard whereas the other side is quite soft.. So wondering if it's normal, I finished chemo last December and been taking tamoxifen since. I see my oncologist on the 4th of December,. I hope you guys are keeping as well as can be with this horrible disease. Xx

[ScardyCat40]

How are your bowels are you going regularly? Appetite ok? Or are you getting full quickly? I would either get in touch with your CNS or get your GP to check it out as I think you have mentioned this before

[triplets in reply to ScardyCat40]

Did you have any surgery there? For 9 months after my hysterectomy if I was doing too much, carrying too much I used to get a hard area on my left side, right side was soft. I got checked and all was fine, they said adhesions, all gone now. If its worrying you see your gp for reassurance. Hope all is well. xx

[Juliette35 in reply to triplets]

Thank you triplets, yes I did have a debulking three years ago. Yes I will make an appointment this week. Xx

[Juliette35 in reply to ScardyCat40]

Thanks scardycat, yes my bowels are working OK and I did go up to see my GP the last time I mentioned it and said it seemed OK. X

[Purple_k_in_Oz]

Hi Juliette, first and foremost absolutely raise this with your CNS, GP or oncologist. Generally speaking, an abdo ultrasound scan should be easy enough to arrange to check out what, if anything, is going on. There is a bit of a consensus amongst a lot of women who have had total abdominal hysterectomies that afterwards, we can experience the technically termed "swelly belly" and this is often more prominent on one side than the other. I had right sided bloating and tenderness that I mentioned to my onc at my 3-month check up. USS was normal and I've had (unrealted) CTs that didn't show anything in that spot so I reckon it's the swelly-belly, lols. It has settled a bit since then (now 7 months post chemo). Constipation and adhesions are also potential causes as the other ladies have mentioned. Good luck xx

[Juliette35 in reply to Purple_k_in_Oz]

Thankyou purple, I am hoping it will be swelly belly ☺️. Also I have put a lot of weight on all round that area since being on these hormone tablets. 😏 but going to make appointment to see my GP. Xx

[Annr5h]

I have that and it turns out it’s a hernia xx

[Juliette35 in reply to Annr5h]

Thankyou Ann, what did they do about your hernia and did you have any pain. Xx

[Annr5h in reply to Juliette35]

Nothing they said to leave it if it wasn’t bothering me. X

[jmackmom]

hystersisters.com/vb2/artic...

[Juliette35 in reply to jmackmom]

Hi it was two years ago when I had debulking, so I don't think it's the op, Because my stomach wasn't like that, it's only got like this this year. 😏

[Hidden]

Hi Juliette

I'm just going to echo the advice you've received here - you should try to talk to someone prior to Dec 4.

Best wishes!

Juliet x

[Juliette35]

Thank you juliet, yes I will see if I can see my GP. Xx

[Sherrym]

I have pain in my right side fairly frequently & will def ask about it. Please ask for an ultrasound at least. Informed is armed, ‘be aware of changes’ is my mantra.

[Juliette35 in reply to Sherrym]

Thanks sherry, I have no pain and I have seen my GP. She said she couldn't feel any hardness there or lumps. 😏

[Sherrym in reply to Juliette35]

Ok. But if u worried, best gently push for ultrasound. Does anyone on here know what that costs?

[Colman]

I had my op last January and am still having pains on my right side and have also put on lots of weight. It's very frustrating not knowing what'sgoing on inside your body. I hate phoning the CN I feel like I'm wasting there time and my GP doesn't say that much either. I sometimes feel very alone.

Claire

[Juliette35 in reply to Colman]

Sometimes I think the doctor's can be very unfeeling and abrupt. My own GP is very understanding, though when I first went about my symptoms it was another doctor I saw. She just said oh it sounds like you have bowel cancer. I hadn't even been for a ct scan. I was so upset, as it turned out I did have ppc but not bowel cancer. I wish I could give you a big hug,. Have you a macmilan nurse you could talk to. Sending you big hugs. Xx

[Lily-Anne]

Last year I had a similar thing, we were away staying with friends and I noticed one side of my tummy was swollen and hard it turned out to be a hernia. So don't lift anything until it's been checked out. I stupidly had no clue and helped our friends move some heavy things to prepare for a party.

LA xx

[Juliette35 in reply to Lily-Anne]

Thanks lily Ann, xx

[SuperHubby24]

Morning Ladies, My wife has had a similar 'swelling' in her tummy/abdomen. It was picked up on a scan and was noted a 'significant' fluid on her pelvis. We were booked in for an ultrasound and a consultant would then look to drain if off. In we went, to have this done only to be told that there was 100ml - 200ml of fluid (which the consultant explain was actually not much at all, and to put that into context, was used to draining off 6ltrs - 7ltrs). He went onto explain that the risks far outweighed the benefits of draining off such a 'small amount' of fluid. He called our Oncologist while she was laid out with gel on her tummy, and she agreed with him.

The bump makes her look 4 months pregnant as she's tiny!

An unscheduled meeting with the Oncologist now on Tuesday to discuss next steps. It looks very likely that my wife's wish to hold off more chemo until after Christmas is going to be scuppered. Gutted.

Looks like we will be putting on our 'tin hats' and going to battle (again!) rather sooner than we had hoped.

I don't want to, and will not go down the whole 'its soooo unfair' route, but we are a month away from Christmas and she was so desperate to have a chemo free run up to Christmas and New Year.

Really wish I could do it for her, but I can't. Feeling in freefall a bit at the moment. That all too familiar 'helpless' feeling is washing over me a yet again. Must try to be strong for her.

Xx

[Juliette35 in reply to SuperHubby24]

Hi superhubby, I really sympathise with you and your wife. I go see my oncologist on the 4th of December but when. I saw him four weeks ago he said he would put off me having chemo till the new year so I could enjoy Christmas.. Could you ask if it's possible to do the same. Sending best wishes to you and your wife. Xx

[Rlenesue]

I'll chime in as well. As the ladies have suggested, a ct scan is easy enough to get scheduled so they can see if anything is there. Or maybe they can do an ultrasound to see about fluid buildup. Either way I would contact your doctor before the 4th. Good luck!

[Juliette35 in reply to Rlenesue]

Thanks rlenesue, I will be going to see my consultant on Monday. So not long now before I see him. ☺️ xx

[Rlenesue]

Excellent! Please let us know how it goes. Fingers crossed..

[Juliette35 in reply to Rlenesue]

Hi rlenesue, I saw my oncologist today or rather I saw another doctor as my doctor was off poorly. Anyway she examined me but didn't seem to think anything was wrong. My ca125 as gone up to 397 from from 319 in six. Weeks. 😕 Have to go back in five weeks. Hope you are keeping as well as can be with this horrible disease. Xxx