On the subject of abdominal distendedness

Hi,

this is something I was aware of when I was first diagnosed in October last year, and it has become an issue again this time round.

Others here may not have had this experience if it is more to do with having a combination of distendedness as well as being severely overweight to begin with.

Although I have, as others have, the discomfort caused by bloatedness in my abdomen, I also found that the level of distendedness was such that my abdomen not only got bigger but also seemed to *drop*, so that the bottom of my abdomen fell lower. The skin there, at the bottom, also felt sore as if the skin were being pulled so taut that it might tear any moment. The soreness seems to come as well from beneath the skin, as if the entire area were being stretched beyond its limit. Nowhere else on my abdomen do I experience that soreness or the feeling of the skin (or beneath it) being close to tearing.

Recently, I got the idea of rubbing in lots of cream, in the same way that a woman might do who wants to avoid stretch marks when she is prognant. I imagine that my experience might be similar to that of some women whose pregnancy makes their skin stretch almost beyond its limit. I don't know. As I say, I don't have that same soreness anywhere else over my abdomen, no matter how distended I become.

Developing that lowered "pocket" of fat was one of the few things that helped me to distinguish between my usual full stomach caused by overeating and believing that something different was happening. It was what sent me to a different GP to find out what that was. And that led me to have an ultrasound and finally being diagnosed with cancer.

I will understand if others here have not had this experience if it really has to do with a combination of being very overweight as well as having cancer. Most people are not so overweight.

I'd just like to know if anyone at all can place it for themselves.

Thanks,

AussieMaddie