wieght gain like basketball in belly

[amicraxy]

5 weeks left of 6 month treatment.  Around the 10th week my stomch would blow up.  After the 4th week I had a 6 week period where reality got very strange.  I didnt work much, if at all. I fell into a pretty heavy depression.   Strange leg pains and other just sharp pains around my body.  I refused anti depressents because adding something else in my head would put me over the edge, but then again I have been over the edge.  In that 6 week period, I could not see or hear normally. Maybe I still can't but just got used to it.  And in that six week period I tried to run over two motor bikers with my car.  I must have been very frightening to them because they ran.
I cried and sceamed inside my head all day day after day. The person that used to be in my body is gone. I have replaced me. I dont think Doctors know what the hell its like. I don't even want to see mine or talk to him.  About 3 week ago I got a sore throat and have lost my voice. I still have it, 3 week now.  Well back to my stomach.  Its big.  Even when I was in the middle of freaky land on my way to never ever land, I was still able to tread mill 30 min. or more a day then drop.  So though I have gained wieght from less activity, nothing can count for this basketball that seems to come with even a small drink of water.  Its like that alien movie.That underware shot was the best.  But now with 5 weeks left my blood work came back that my platelet blood work is a little off. and uritic acid in blood. But I didnt need blood work to tell me something was off, I can't lift my arms up but try tell doc.

[LvdByGod]

this really sounds like asceties... you really need to see the liver doc to rule this out... if it is there is help. stop all extra salt added to the diet... lasix is the med they use alot. what are your blood labs showing? what stage/grade are you???
here is an EXCELLENT site to find more info on it and support...

http://forums.delphiforums.com/liverfailure/messages

go here and look under "ASCITES"

God bless, and let us know what the doc says...

sandi

[friole]

Hi - good to see you, gal.  Things are rocking along post tx.  My business partner (mastectomy in July) is doing fine.  Then a mamogram post tx turned up a "suspicious abnormality" on me.  I had a breast biopsy on Monday and won't get the results until next Monday but the doc says it looks benign so that is what I am going with until told otherwise!  That plus two sons divorcing in October (both of them are turds) made it a pretty stressful month.  I am trying to get my eating in order - gained 20# post tx (only lost 10 on tx) so am trying to make some major changes there.  Hemoglobin finally coming back, but not the hair.  I will hold you to a year!

be well, friend
bean

[jmjm530]

Is the small bowel study you mention where they do an endoscophy and then biopsy a small part of the intestine? If your changes in the small bowel studies suggested Celiac's, why do you think you may not have it? I guess I'll try eliminating both gluten and wheat for a few days. Eliminating gluten I imagine is harder because jsut from some brief reading it's found in lots of stuff including soy sauce as mentioned, some medcines/vitamins and even oatmeal although there seems to be some controversy here. F*ck those tx drugs, it's like a real pact with the devil. "Sure I'll get rid of the virus, but there's gonna be a PRICE, including no bread, pasta, pizza or bagels for the rest of your life." LOL.

-- Jim

[friole]

No you are not - crazy.

I am so sorry you have gone this alone for so long.  THis websight got me through tx and many many others.  I didn't experience the gut problems many do, but you should be able to go thru the archives and get some good information.

That;s pretty funny - trying to run down those bikers!  I surely can relate to that.  Honest, that person inside of you will be back.  Just remember, as Chevy said to me many times, this is only temporary

frijole

[jmjm530]

I actually did start eliminating bagels but what else now? Do I elminate Gluten or Wheat first. Or is what part of Gluten. Don't have a clue here as never had this problem before. So do you have a gluten/wheat allergy or Celiac disease? Confused. Also, once things get under control, is it possible to reintroduce wheat/gluten back into the diet. I do like my daily bread :) I'll check below later or tomorrow.

-- Jim

[Eisbein]

Tried to answer you below, but you didn't see.
While I am waiting for a dozen tests to come back, telling me hopefully what is wrong with my gut, I have done pretty much the same as you, eliminating what I thought were offending foods. Nothing worked, carried this big buddha belly around, growling and gurgling, and stinky little farts.
When I got the results of a small bowel study, suggesting changes compatible with celiac, I jumped the gun, went on a gluten free diet and hit the jackpot. Took only 24 hours, and my gut is at peace, and reasonable flat, as flat as it can get on a 60 year old women.
I don't think I have celiac, will know soon. One thing is for sure though, I am allergic to wheat. Boy, I thought the vegetables are the trouble makers, but no, it's the damn soysauce I have been using in stir fries. Never crossed my mind that some soy sauces contain wheat. Until all results are in, I stay on a gluten free diet. Maybe it's only wheat allergy, maybe gluten.
I lived a whole lifetime without allergies of any kind or any intestinal problems.
I crossed path with Interferon, and new and strange things are popping up.
Dare I say this, could this all be due to tx.
Of course if it turns out I carry the Celiac gene, that would have been there since birth. But 40% of people that have the gene never have any signs of gluten sensitivity.
Sooo, of course I blame tx...57 years of a healthy gut...tx starts, Crohn's disease starts...tx ends, different gut problems and allergies start...now tell me it's old age.

If I were you, I would eliminate gluten for a few days and see. At least try wheat free, you never know.
I still can't believe what is happening, just can't believe I actually have food allergies. We used to make vacation in Las Vegas just to pig out at the different buffets, I could eat anything, that was only 6 years ago.
The first 6-12 month post tx can bring on as many new problems as tx itself...for some of us.

Ina

[jmjm530]

Per the article, I also notice that drinking hot drinks can aggravate the problem. Coincidentally, or not so coincidentally, I've been drinking a lot of hot liquids (coffee, tea, herbal tea) toward the end of treatment and after. Easy enough to cut down on that and see what happens.

[jmjm530]

Very interesting. I always thought Metamucil *increased* transit time, but this article suggest it can also decrease it. Think I've got some experimentation to do with Metamucil. Any other suggestions -- basic symptons are stomach bloating, increased frequency of bowel movements and some occasional "gurgling". No pain or real discomfort but things aren't exactly like the way they were before. I've upped my exercise program to see if that can help.

Here's the article: http://www3.mdanderson.org/depts/hcc/summer99/surgarticle.htm

-- Jim

[jmjm530]

Do you mean the treatment drugs "decrease" transit time or increase it? The reason I ask is because I thought Metamucil decreased transit time so wouldn't it be counter productive if the problem was caused by decreased transit time? I also started taking probionics as well as pretty much eliminating milk products and coffee. I'm thinking part of the problem is my body is having a hard time processing fiber (salads, vegetables) since I ate so little of it during the year of treatment. Yet, decreasing fiber isn't a very healthy solution. Any suggestions welcome.

-- Jim

[St. George]

Decrease

[Morgaina]

I also had wild digestive problems, at 4mo.post tx, it's what still bothers me the most. I use acidophilus or pro-biotics and they have really helped. They are also ok to take with treatment. What really sparked my interest was your problem with the crazies and concurrent female problems. It's just horrible to deal with because there is no way to explain it to people and the more you try, the worse it feels , the more ackward and terrible you feel. I had a bad session of crazies (only did 22wks, but hit me hard right away). After a wild crying spree in front of people, I went on AD's and got some relief (prozac worked right now for some things) but I never could be around people and still have problems with my period. Actually I think that problems with your liver could easily result in problems with your hormones, I had some degree of problems during that time even before treatment. Think about AD's. You can allow yourself any form of help right now, as long as it wont interfere with treatment. Take care, dont let yourself stay in this he!!. Mental pain can be much more dangerous than physical pain........peace to you

[St. George]

I have had the same basketball belly all through treatment and attribute it to poor digestion being caused by the ribavirin.  I am a health food nut and I am studying to be a doctor of chiropractic medicine.  Through my schooling I have learned how medications can inflame the bowels and reuce transit time of bodily wastes.  In the last few weeks I have added psylium fiber to my diet and it has helped the belly bloat incredibly.

[amicraxy]

I just found this site today. I tried to explain the past few months expirence in my question.  As I have been reading here, it makes me feel better to hear others having simular experiences.  Like not being able toleft your arms or legs and the brain fog stuff is great.  I am in recovery now for 18 yrs and could not imagine doing anything that could hurt me that would put me through something like this again

[mycoldfeet]

It may be acities which is fluid build up in the intestines, I don't know what condition your liver is in, but might get the Doc to rule that out. It is abnormal to have weight gain in one place like you desribe.

[jmjm530]

My stomach also expanded toward the end of treatment disproportanate to my weight. Same problem to a certain degree 7 months post treatment.

The problem could be another screwed up digestive system complements of interferon and ribavirin, causing bloating/abdominal disension. It might be excess gas, IBS, an inflammation or any number of things. There's also a more serious liver-related condition that can cause abdominal disension called Ascites. But ascites usually doesn't present itself in a vaccum and your doctor should have other clues.

Bottom line is not to avoid the doctor but to have things checked out. Hopefully, when you finally get off the treatment drugs your digestive system will return to normal.

Hope you feel better.

-- Jim