Question: Some time last year, my abdomen began swelling and I now look pregnant. I am 63.5 yrs old. My symptoms are: Pressure under my rib-cage, often get palpatations, breathing is difficult when I bend over to put my socks on and feel dizzy when I straighten up, often very tired and have to stop and rest when I'm trying to do housework, but sometimes I have good days.

I also had acute nephritis when I was 16. Have non-pitting Lymphodema over most of my body. Also have varicose veins and thrombosis in legs after having my last child (30 years ago). Had both ovaries removed, then a complete hysterectomy at age 36, after bleeding almost continually and eventually losing clots the size of dinner plates, over a 3-year period, after birth of last child.

Before our last child was born, we lived in a rural town for a few years, where pesticides were being used. My husband came into constant contact with 245T (the company didn't supply safety equipment). There was also aerial spraying over our house, to spray the crops across the road. We were only once, forewarned when the spraying was to take place, so it got into our drinking water (no town water there), through the windows and doors. Our youngest daughter was born with many problems and needed a series of operations (the first 7-hour op. was before she was 24 hours old). I had a miscarriage between my two youngest. The lady up the road did, as well. Other child and adults in the area, got brain cancers and other types of cancers.

MY QUESTION IS: Could these things have contributed to what I feel could be Ascites now, and possibly something even worse? My arms and legs are extremely huge. But I think this may also be hereditary, as my sister and some girl cousins also have this. My youngest sister died at 50, with cancer throughout her body. Her abdomen was extended (and she was tall and a good size). A cousin of mine is dying of something similar, also with an extended abdomen (she was also regular size).