ascites fluid

SHANNON1231
SHANNON1231 Member Posts: 53
in Ovarian Cancer #1

Hi ladies. I stared my first dose of Doxil on monday,and I know it may take a little bit to start working. However, in the mean time I am starting to get uncomfortable from the ascites fluid. I am always bloated, and having stomach pain, and I am very tired all the time. My doctor said they will base it on me, and I can have it drained again if needed. Well the 1st time I had that done was before my surgery cause I was having trouble breathing, and It hurt pretty bad. Anyone else had this procudure done? I'm wondering if they can maybe put me to sleep for it? Just getting so frustrated waiting for something to work, and having no energy is depressing.

Comments

  • Glad to be done
    Glad to be done Member Posts: 569
    #2
    I have never had this s I am

    I have never had this s I am no help.  Just wanted t let you know you are in my thought

    In

  • Glad to be done
    Glad to be done Member Posts: 569
    #3
    I have never had this s I am

    I have never had this s I am no help.  Just wanted t let you know you are in my thought

    In

  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #4
    Parasentesis

    Shannon,

    This procedure should not hurt.  As terrifying as it appears, it is a minor procedure and should be essentially painless, except for the injections to numb the site.  I had about 20 of these done, when I was in treatment, and I learned that there are varying degrees of ability when it comes to the doctors who perform the procedure.  I learned who the best ones were and always opted to wait until they were available to perform it.  The nurses in the Interventional Radiology Department know who the good ones are and should be able to direct you to the doctors who are best at the procedure.

    It is best to wait as long as you can to have the fluid drained.  You lose a lot of protein with each procedure and you can end up in the cycle I did, where the ascites just accumulates faster and faster between drainings. If it is really interfering with your ability to eat or makes it hard to breath, then you have to get it drained.  If you need to have it drained repeatedly, keep an eye on your albumin level, which is one of the tests your doctor runs. If it drops below 2.0, you really need some nutritional support to get it back up into the normal range.  I know how miserable and scary ascites is.  Once I finally got over it, everything else seemed like nothing in comparision.  I hope you get some relief soon.

  • wholfmeister
    wholfmeister Member Posts: 315
    #5
    No experience

    Ascites is one problem I have not had to deal with yet.  It does sound miserable.  As a nurse, it makes sense to delay as long as possible, for the reasons cited above.  Only you can judge.  Do not let it interfere with breathing or sleeping.  I haven't had the procedure done myself, but it should not be painful, except for the initially numbing stick.  Quite frankly, we shouldn't have to suffer pain with any procedure done to us.  There are drugs for that, and we deserve them! Good luck.

  • Alexandra
    Alexandra Member Posts: 1,308
    #6
    Hello Shannon

    Doctors never offered ascites draining to me and told me that ascites will resolve with chemo. I am not a fan of delayed gratification; unwilling to wait I insisted on it.

    I had ascites tapped twice two week apart (1.6 liters + 3 liters) before starting chemo. It was funny watching 6 bottles fill up with Guinness-looking liquid. Overall it was a simple and painless procedure that brought me major relief. I can only compare it to the feeling of soft empty tummy after giving birth. One time it left a bruise, second time - nothing.  

  • MJensen
    MJensen Member Posts: 93
    #7
    Ascites

    Hi Shannon,

    I have had fluid removed 3 times.  It sure takes the pressure and discomfort away but it will come back if the chemo doesn't knock it down. But I had it removed because I needed the pressure out of my abdominal area so if you are ready I would ask them to go ahead and if you have to do again before Doxil puts you in remission then you may have to do it again and that is OK.  I hope you feel better soon and the Doxil works well for you!!!   Xoxo Michele

  • SHANNON1231
    SHANNON1231 Member Posts: 53
    #8
    MJensen said:

    Ascites

    Hi Shannon,

    I have had fluid removed 3 times.  It sure takes the pressure and discomfort away but it will come back if the chemo doesn't knock it down. But I had it removed because I needed the pressure out of my abdominal area so if you are ready I would ask them to go ahead and if you have to do again before Doxil puts you in remission then you may have to do it again and that is OK.  I hope you feel better soon and the Doxil works well for you!!!   Xoxo Michele

    Thank you!

    Thank you for you responses! It makes me feel alot better just knowing others have had it done too (although I wish none of us had to) and it doesnt sound too bad now. I appreciate all of your opinions so much!

  • 123Miley
    123Miley Member Posts: 94
    #9
    I too had some uncomfortable

    I too had some uncomfortable bloating before I went on Doxil.  It was the first time I felt it since my orignal diagnosis in 2007.  My clothes got tight, and I had a little bit of trouble breathing, bad heart burn etc.  My CT also showed some pockets of fluid this time.  

    My CA125 was 146 when we started the Doxil and went up to 190 after the first treatment.  In addition to the bloating I felt pretty tired and crummy - until a few weeks after my second treatment in February.  Then things began to turn around.  After a couple of Doxil treatments not only did my blaoting go away I began to feel tons better!  I had my fourth treatment last week and am hoping my marker took another good hit!

    I know your primary question was about draining the fluid and that is something I have never had done.  But my primary point to all of this is what ever you decide - to drain or not to dran - hang in there and don't give up on the Doxil too quickly.

     

  • seatown
    seatown Member Posts: 261 Member
    #10
    My ascites experience

    Just wanted to share my ascites experience. Had fluid drained twice--once as the first step in diagnosis, the 2nd time a few weeks later, just after I started chemo on Taxol & Carboplatin. I think it was 4 liters the 1st time, 2 liters the second. My abdomen had got so big I couldn't wear my normal clothes. The 1st draining was a great relief, but my abdomen started filling up right away so I requested the 2nd draining. By that time I'd had chemo several times & it was working, so I didn't need another draining. 

    I just wanted to agree with those that say the procedure shouldn't hurt. Mine didn't, tho it was unnerving since I had never heard of such a thing. When I asked about the procedure, the people who prepped me said the procedure was primarily to detect cancer. That was my 1st tentative confirmation that my diagnosis would be cancer. So it was pretty shocking--but not painful.

  • dorothymarion
    dorothymarion Member Posts: 28
    #11
    Hi Shannon.  I've had three

    Hi Shannon.  I've had three paracentesis since my initial diagnosis back in February, 2011 (the first one was shortly after my cancer was diagnosed).  Although uncomfortable, the procedure was not painful. 

    I have also had two thoracentesis procedures done in the last few months, due to fluid on the lungs. (Each procedure was done on both the right and left lungs, one day apart as doc doesn't like to do both lungs on the same day.)  Despite being currently on chemo (Taxol) the fluid has built up again and I'm scheduled for yet another thoracentesis next Monday, 15th April.  Breathing has become very difficult and I am also having difficulty in just doing day today things, as there is also ascites in my abdomen.  I'm going to ask if that can also be drained.  Sometimes our chemotherapy treatments can cause a lot of discomfort with their various side effects, but since the Taxol is the first chemo that I've seen knock down my CA125 numbers, I'm hoping I can stay on it despite the issues I'm currently experiencing.

    Hope you feel better soon.

    Dorothy

     

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