Help

I tried to send a question earlier and pressed the wrong button and sent too soon!

I've gotten breast cancer back after being in remission for 16 years.  The cancer cells are the same as I had back then.  I have fluid in my pleura and my stomach.  They drained off most of what was in the pleura, but my stomach is distended with fluid and is very tender. I'm on a water pill (just recently) and on Ameridex (since December).  My tumor markers are down, but why isn't the fluid going away?

Also, should I be taking vioxx when I have asthma?  One of my primary symptoms is shortness of breath.  All I have to do is walk across a room and I start to breathe heavy.  Do you have an idea why this is happening?  Is it related to the vioxx?

Thanks,

Kate

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear Kate:  It is difficult to answer your question completely without knowing more about your situation.  Where did your breast cancer reoccur?  I am guessing in the lungs because of the pleural effusion but is your liver involved?  I am wondering about the source of the fluid in your stomach.  Have they ever tapped your stomach to remove fluid?  If this fluid is ascites, it may not go away, even with a water pill (diuretic).  Also, when ascites is removed, it will usually come back