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Help with ascites
Hello everyone, my mom is an advanced pancreatic cancer patient. She had the whipple in July 2020, but the cancer came back a few different times starting in Dec 2021, but we were able to handle it through surgeries. She recently left an immunotherapy trial that targeted her particular genetic fusion. Unfortunately, it didn’t work and she began getting ascites during the trial. Since April, she had to get drained once every three weeks, but now it is 1-2 times a week. Does anyone have any advice on the best way to handle this? She has not received chemo and will he staring her first course very soon. The ascites is making her very symptomatic, but she feels a lot better once it is drained. I’ve heard some things about the at home catheter. Thank you for your advice
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asingh90,
I am so sorry to hear of your mother's battle.
My sister went through this horrible experience with ascites - with several in-hospital drainages, then at home with home health care nursing assistance every few days.
If your mother has not started chemo, she should. This may give her some additional time.
No advice but thank you for sharing your very difficult story.
Is ascites the same as edema? My husband has been in the hospital for 18 days and has had tremendous swelling in legs and ankles and genitalia. Very uncomfortable . He had a liver infection which was treated w antibiotics, but he was also dehydrated and malnourished due to his vomiting and lack of appetite. He had a stent put in to help food go down, but by then he had to go 3 days with no food and little drink, bc he had tube in his nose sucking the fluids out prior to the surgery to clean him out . Now kidneys are damaged. So many problems. Drs don't want to give too much lasix bc that can also damage kidneys. I haven't heard of this draining procedure. Any advice?
https://www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk/information/end-of-life-care-for-pancreatic-cancer/symptoms-towards-end-of-life/swelling-ascites-and-oedema/
https://pancan.org/facing-pancreatic-cancer/symptoms/ascites/
Hundreds of other articles online.
Thanks for link.
Ascites is the buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity, while edema is the buildup of fluid in other parts of the body (usually in the legs/ankles). My Mom has both, but the edema has become much less because of the diuretics prescribed by the doctor. The ascites is causing her much malnutrition, dehydration, and lack of energy, because it makes it difficult to eat until all the fluid is drained. There is a procedure called paracentesis that drains the fluid in the abdomen by sticking in a needle to the stomach and using a vacuum to suck the fluid out. Of course, until the cancer is controlled, the fluid continues to re-collect very soon, so this is a procedure that my Mom has to have at least once a week. As far as I know, I don't think there is a procedure to drain the fluid in the legs/ankles. Our doctor never mentioned it to us anyway. The diuretics took a while to work for my Mom and only after an increase in dosage along with the use of a second diuretic did we begin to see some some results (it took three weeks of using one diuretic on low dose for three weeks with no effect, and then around four additional weeks of using the increased double diuretics to see some shrinkage of the edema). Even now, it is not completely gone, but is is improved. It also helps to keep the legs elevated above the heart and lymphatic massage can be somewhat helpful as well. I'm so sorry he is going through this. I pray he feels better very soon.
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1 Reaction@k13, this article helps explain the difference between ascites and edema.
- Swelling (ascites and oedema) https://www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk/information/end-of-life-care-for-pancreatic-cancer/symptoms-towards-end-of-life/swelling-ascites-and-oedema/
In short, ascites is fluid buildup in the tummy area (abdomen) and edema is fluid buildup in other body part (arms, legs, feet and/or genetalia. Ascites can be drained. Edema can be helped with pressure stockings or lymphatic massage.
It sounds like your husband is dealing with many symptoms. This must be so hard to watch. Do you have a symptom management nurse or palliative team to help him manage these symptoms and be comfortable? How are YOU doing?
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1 ReactionHi my sister in law was diagnosed October 17/22 she finished her first round of chemotherapy was feeling better after a month started feeling pain new lesions in stomach lining and ashites very very uncomfortable had to get drained regularly then her legs swelled upto the thighs hard as a rock limited standing now fluid build up on her lungs. She has been taking diuretics and has catheter in her lungs but fluid keeps coming back. The legs remain same. She was diagnosed with stage 4 metastasized to liver but is a warrior and continues to fight this fight. Anyone go through this? Thank you 🙏
My sister completed six months of neoadjuvant chemo, then radiation for five weeks to prepare for Whipple at Mayo.
She presented with ascites as she was completing radiation, and was told she was no longer a candidate for Whipple. She had numerous paracentesis, but this was to relieve discomfort. She tried to restart chemo, but it was devastating. Metastasis was occurring to liver, lungs and abdominal lining.
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1 ReactionHi did she continue with chemo therapy?