how do we know if it is Ascites after cisplatin treatment

[LILLIAN577]

My moms ascites is back I think? Her home health nurse is measuring her belly and were weighing her. Shes gone from 34-37 inches and 102 to 107 in 12 days. how do we know if it is weight gain or ascites? Before her debulking surgery she had to be drained once a wekk. Feels like the chemo helped slow it down but not long enough for the next treatment which is this coming tuesday. She is on Lasix pills. Do those help? I dont know what to think? Can this be dangerous?

[Angie_Lou]

Dear Lillian,

I'm not on the same chemo as your mom, but I recently had a very bad experience with build up of ascites and it was in a matter of two weeks.  It started on Thurs, Aug 6th.  I told my family, if the bloating didn't go away by the weekend, I would call the doctor on Monday, which I did.  I had a CT scan done on Tues and a follow up visit with my doctor two days later.  By then, the ascites had built up to the point I was in pain and very uncomfortable...even when laying down.   I asked my doctor to drain me, but she felt I didn't have enough.  All the while, the CT scan report said, "moderate to severe ascites present."  I had chemo the following Monday and did nothing but vomit for three days straight.  Since I didn't have a BM in a week and nothing to keep down, not even a swallow of water, I ended up in emergency that Thurs (two weeks after the bloating began and a week after I asked my doctor to drain me.)   Needless to say, the special procedures doctors removed 5 liters of ascites.  I'm still re-covering and feel as though I went through major surgery.  Oddly enough, I only had 4 liters drained at the time of my initial surgery two years ago.

So, all I want you to gather from this, if your mom is not comfortable, take her to emergency.  They will take blood tests and X-rays and determine if it's ascites.  And, if it is, they will drain her body so that she can feel better.

My best to you and your mom.  Angie