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Suggest Treatment For Ascites
Question: I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. I was sent for an echo today and because I was so worried the technician said I don't think it's your heart. He said your heart looks good. So now I'm not sure what it could
be. I have fluid in my abdomen not constantly but more when I lay down or when I get out of breath.
When I initially went to the hospital I could hardly walk any distance because I was gasping for breath and felt like I was drowning from the inside. It has improved due to being prescribed fluid pills. I am diabetic, have
Fibromyalgia, on many meds. & insulin at night. Just wondering if this could still be a heart problem or now
Possibly the liver? What should I do now?
be. I have fluid in my abdomen not constantly but more when I lay down or when I get out of breath.
When I initially went to the hospital I could hardly walk any distance because I was gasping for breath and felt like I was drowning from the inside. It has improved due to being prescribed fluid pills. I am diabetic, have
Fibromyalgia, on many meds. & insulin at night. Just wondering if this could still be a heart problem or now
Possibly the liver? What should I do now?
Brief Answer:
I would suspect that this is from your liver.
Detailed Answer:
Welcome to HCM: What you describe is called ascites. It is normally due to the liver having trouble (cirrhosis which can come about due to long time alcohol use, NASH/fatty liver disease, and long standing hepatitis from hepatitis B or C). I would therefore urge that you have liver function tests done and more easily first an ultrasounds of your abdomen, this will tell you how much fluid is there and if there is enough to be sampled. An echo was the correct approach as normally this is the common cause of fluid buildup in the body.
I would suspect that this is from your liver.
Detailed Answer:
Welcome to HCM: What you describe is called ascites. It is normally due to the liver having trouble (cirrhosis which can come about due to long time alcohol use, NASH/fatty liver disease, and long standing hepatitis from hepatitis B or C). I would therefore urge that you have liver function tests done and more easily first an ultrasounds of your abdomen, this will tell you how much fluid is there and if there is enough to be sampled. An echo was the correct approach as normally this is the common cause of fluid buildup in the body.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
I have just moved and don't have a doctor nearby.My Dr. is 1 1/2 hrs. Away
Should I go to hospital in the next couple days and explain the situation or can
I wait till the results go to my Dr. And can this mean I have a type of cancer?
Should I go to hospital in the next couple days and explain the situation or can
I wait till the results go to my Dr. And can this mean I have a type of cancer?
Brief Answer:
Do you have long alcohol use? How about exposure to hepatitis,
Detailed Answer:
please provide me with more of your medical history so that I can answer your questions accurately.
In any event, as long as you are not having breathing difficulties you can wait for the testing to get to your current doctor, unless you have acute symptoms, the ER will tell you to make an outpatient appointment and /or get a new doctor.
And yes, many ailments can be due to cancer, I just do not know what your risk factors are based on the information that I have before me. But this could be liver cancer, but, other tell tale signs should have come up by now, like profound weight loss, night sweats, fevers, and sever yellowing of the skin.
Do you have long alcohol use? How about exposure to hepatitis,
Detailed Answer:
please provide me with more of your medical history so that I can answer your questions accurately.
In any event, as long as you are not having breathing difficulties you can wait for the testing to get to your current doctor, unless you have acute symptoms, the ER will tell you to make an outpatient appointment and /or get a new doctor.
And yes, many ailments can be due to cancer, I just do not know what your risk factors are based on the information that I have before me. But this could be liver cancer, but, other tell tale signs should have come up by now, like profound weight loss, night sweats, fevers, and sever yellowing of the skin.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
I do not drink at all because of all the medications I am on & I haven't been exposed to hepatitis that I'm aware of.
I used to have terrible night sweats a lot maybe two to three years ago - now
not so much. Since having the heart diagnose I started eating better & lost
11lbs. My current weight now is 277lbs. So my weight is definitely against me I
know. I have watched the salt intake and have stopped drinking pop. As far as
Yellowing of the skin or weight loss this is just not the case.
What started all this in the first place I was walking my dogs the day before I went
to emergency and I was literally gasping for breath and this couple came along
and the husband wanted to help me back to my car. I said I was fine but when I
went to bed that night the fluids started swishing in my abdomen as soon as I laid down. And when I went up the 15 stairs to bed I couldn't breath when I got to the top. This all started two weeks after a stressful move. I felt fine when I moved
but two weeks later boom!
I used to have terrible night sweats a lot maybe two to three years ago - now
not so much. Since having the heart diagnose I started eating better & lost
11lbs. My current weight now is 277lbs. So my weight is definitely against me I
know. I have watched the salt intake and have stopped drinking pop. As far as
Yellowing of the skin or weight loss this is just not the case.
What started all this in the first place I was walking my dogs the day before I went
to emergency and I was literally gasping for breath and this couple came along
and the husband wanted to help me back to my car. I said I was fine but when I
went to bed that night the fluids started swishing in my abdomen as soon as I laid down. And when I went up the 15 stairs to bed I couldn't breath when I got to the top. This all started two weeks after a stressful move. I felt fine when I moved
but two weeks later boom!
Brief Answer:
Thanks for the added info Definitely sounds like heart failure symptoms
Detailed Answer:
The added history really helps put all this into perspective. Like I said the echocardiogram would have been the first test I ordered, however, not too often is it responsible for fluid in you stomach without fluid retained in your legs, feet and thighs. At this point I think liver needs a little more investigation, and you are right I do not think this is cancer based on your history that you have provided.
Thanks for the added info Definitely sounds like heart failure symptoms
Detailed Answer:
The added history really helps put all this into perspective. Like I said the echocardiogram would have been the first test I ordered, however, not too often is it responsible for fluid in you stomach without fluid retained in your legs, feet and thighs. At this point I think liver needs a little more investigation, and you are right I do not think this is cancer based on your history that you have provided.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Also when this happened so suddenly I couldn't walk a few feet let alone take
the dogs for a walk. So I had to slow right down and was super tired all the time
Then when the Dr. gave me the fluid pills and I cut right back on the salt intake
I started feeling really good. And I now can walk a pretty good distance.
And another query I have is why does the fluid start really at no specific time.
It can be when I've sat down after walking a bit, but not always. And always when I
get into bed at night???????
I neglected to tell you. - Yes there was fluid retention in my ankles & feet
SORRY
the dogs for a walk. So I had to slow right down and was super tired all the time
Then when the Dr. gave me the fluid pills and I cut right back on the salt intake
I started feeling really good. And I now can walk a pretty good distance.
And another query I have is why does the fluid start really at no specific time.
It can be when I've sat down after walking a bit, but not always. And always when I
get into bed at night???????
I neglected to tell you. - Yes there was fluid retention in my ankles & feet
SORRY
Brief Answer:
These are definitely symptoms associated with heart failure.
Detailed Answer:
However, the fluid in your belly also mean that you need a liver ultrasound.
The fluid retention can start at anytime, all it takes is even 1 hour of worsening heart failure, remember, the heart is supposed to redistribute the fluid and then this fails to happen, then you get fluid buildup, and also fluid likes the feet due to the laws of gravity, when you sit down and raise your feet, the fluid in your legs is closer to your heart and kidneys and in essence you are able to easily redistribute the fluid/blood easily and it does not have to travel all the way to your heart when you are standing. Salt makes this worse as salt retains fluid by nature and thus trapping more water in your blood and thus you have more volume that once again your heart cannot process efficiently. At night the fluid is thus redistributed to your chest area and many cannot sleep flat in bed and need pillows, other awaken from a drowning feeling as the water has got to their lungs.
These are definitely symptoms associated with heart failure.
Detailed Answer:
However, the fluid in your belly also mean that you need a liver ultrasound.
The fluid retention can start at anytime, all it takes is even 1 hour of worsening heart failure, remember, the heart is supposed to redistribute the fluid and then this fails to happen, then you get fluid buildup, and also fluid likes the feet due to the laws of gravity, when you sit down and raise your feet, the fluid in your legs is closer to your heart and kidneys and in essence you are able to easily redistribute the fluid/blood easily and it does not have to travel all the way to your heart when you are standing. Salt makes this worse as salt retains fluid by nature and thus trapping more water in your blood and thus you have more volume that once again your heart cannot process efficiently. At night the fluid is thus redistributed to your chest area and many cannot sleep flat in bed and need pillows, other awaken from a drowning feeling as the water has got to their lungs.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Sonia Raina
Could the echocardiogram have missed something? The technician did say
that I should see a Specialist but in his opinion my heart was good.
Where do I go from here? I know you said I could wait for the results to go to
My Dr. Is this still the route I should go
Would the echo show valve problems?
Thank you for answering my questions tonight
that I should see a Specialist but in his opinion my heart was good.
Where do I go from here? I know you said I could wait for the results to go to
My Dr. Is this still the route I should go
Would the echo show valve problems?
Thank you for answering my questions tonight
Brief Answer:
You are welcome! My pleasure. The echo shows results at a point in time
Detailed Answer:
now it is possible that you may have had worse echo readings before you reported for the echocardiogram, this is what we call compensated CHF. Now when you have decompensated CHF is when your heart fails and you have more fluid retained and the water pills are not able to contain the fluid you have on board, then at that time your hearts function could be lower and caught on Echocardiogram. At this point I would still wait for tests and let your doctor process the results and put them into context. yes the echo would show valve problems too, how large your heart is, weather you have areas of muscle that do not function properly.
You are welcome! My pleasure. The echo shows results at a point in time
Detailed Answer:
now it is possible that you may have had worse echo readings before you reported for the echocardiogram, this is what we call compensated CHF. Now when you have decompensated CHF is when your heart fails and you have more fluid retained and the water pills are not able to contain the fluid you have on board, then at that time your hearts function could be lower and caught on Echocardiogram. At this point I would still wait for tests and let your doctor process the results and put them into context. yes the echo would show valve problems too, how large your heart is, weather you have areas of muscle that do not function properly.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Sonia Raina
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