Ovarian Cancer Community
continuing ascites/fluid after ovarian cancer
About This Community:

This patient support community is for discussions relating to ovarian cancer, biopsy, chemotherapy, clinical trials, genetics, hysterectomy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, screening, and staging.

Font Size:
A
A
A
Background:
Blank
Blank
Blank
Blank Blank

continuing ascites/fluid after ovarian cancer

We are looking for ways to help the abdominal fluid (aka ascites) dry up for my mom.   Does anyone have suggestions of doctors or practitioners we could consult?  
She was dx-OC IIIC-in Feb 2010, had 7 hour debulking surgery immediately (removed all female organs, appendix, colon re-section, peritonium, omentum, all abdominal lymph nodes), then a clinical trial with Cysplatin, Taxol, Avastin (IP and IV).  Today they are saying she is cancer free.  CA-125 went from over 2,000, now around 31. She has weekly check-ins with her Onco. and also her Onc/Gyn/Surgeon. All is well, except for the lingering ascites (non-malignant, no cancer cells present) and stomach discomfort/sometimes pain, to the point where she has yet to gain back all her weight. She is normally a petite 115, went down as low as 79 lbs, now hovering around 99.  She goes weekly to have a paracentesis - average amount drained is 2.5 L, although this week, after starting on a water pill, it was less than usual.  Her onco. doesn't have anything new to add.  her liver and all other organs are watched and seem fine.  Labs and CT scans done regularly to check for reoccurrence.  We are puzzled.  She had to stop the clinical trial early (June) because the chemo cocktail was making her so sick.  The good news, it killed the cancer before it killed her, although there were some extremely close calls over the summer months.  The IP port was particularly troublesome for her.  She developed a hernia in that area and it eventually became infected, causing fluid to be present constantly there.  It was removed, finally.  She still has the IV port since it hasn't been a year yet.  My mom tested positive for the BRCA 2 mutated gene.  No prior history of ovarian cancer or any other type of "big" cancer like this.  I think she's still in shock, but she is getting stronger and healthier otherwise.
Tags: debulking
Related Discussions
2 Comments
Blank
155056_tn?1333642288
I have only known women that received chemo for the ascites.
Blank
Avatar_f_tn
Ascities is an infection - did they give her any antiobiotics.  If not she should
be getting that. I see she has the fluid drained  - that usually is a procedure done in the hospital.  I am not sure why she has the water pill.
I dont think that would help her except to lose the weight.  Make sure that
her port is flushed every few weeks because you can get an infection there too.  Glad to here she is cancer free on the clinical trial.  I will be starting the avastin drug soon too - hope it works to kill the cancer in me as well.
Take vitamins D, B complex - told helps with the cancer.  Make sure she eats to build up her weight - taste often is off when chemo drugs so give her whatever she wants to eat.
Blank
Continue discussion Blank
Go
Blank
Chemotherapy Tracker
Log symptoms & treatments
Start Tracking Now
Blank
Weight Tracker
Reach your weight goal faster
Start Tracking Now
MedHelp Health Answers
Top Ovarian Cancer Answerers
155056_tn?1333642288
Blank
nyc lady
NYC, NY
187666_tn?1331176945
Blank
ireneo
Portland, OR
107366_tn?1305683975
Blank
gah_70
Murray, KY
667078_tn?1316004535
Blank
HVAC
Durham, NC
136849_tn?1327325110
Blank
Jane39
Solomons Island, MD
RSS Expert Activity
1741471_tn?1349564002
Blank
Parkinson Awareness Month: Parkinso... Blank
May 10 by Michael Gonzalez-WallaceBlank
233488_tn?1310696703
Blank
NEW STUDIES ON PREVENTING PROGRESSI...
May 08 by John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAOBlank
2126606_tn?1346348724
Blank
Heroin Use in the U.S.
May 08 by Clare Waismann Kavin, Blank