Obese but with pretty normal legs / arms etc but very fat, enormous belly ***Ovarian cancer diagnosis - title edited by MNHQ at OP's request***

[TwitterQueen1]

Hi
I'd be glad of any advice or personal experiences here. I am around 4 stone overweight, so definitely obese. Most of it is on my stomach though, which now looks like I'm 11 months pregnant with triplets. I'm in my 50s so this is not a possibility. It's very painful and I am short of breath when I walk etc.

I've put on a lot of weight in a short period - 10lbs in 2 months.

Six months ago I was bodyboarding in the sea, walking every day and doing an exercise class every week. Now it's a struggle to do anything.

I'm having bloods done on Friday but any ideas / comments? Am I just unlucky to pile it all on in one place?

Well done not well don't !

So sorry about puppy especially after losing your old dog.
Will try and post a picture of a fresh cashew I saw on holiday recently.
They grow individually on inedible red apples, no wonder they are so expensive.

Cashew!

Blooming heck I too have a massive belly generally overweight weight everywhere except arms and wrists. I have been back and forward to GP and had ultra sound for consistently high ALT liver readings. So obviously don't think it's the same as you in my case or surely they would have picked it up. Hope you are on the mend TWITTER?

Bright have you ever had an abdominal CT? Twitter's diagnosis is worst case scenario but is always worth checking out. You can also ask your doctor to check your CA125 (blood test).

Bright, I think if you are overweight on your face, your legs, etc, that is one thing, and generally that would indicate overweight/obesity. The concern comes when someone looks as though they could be pregnant, for want of a better word, and the 'weight' is all abdominal. In fact what can happen is that people can actively try and 'lose weight' so they can be really quite 'skinny' on the arms and legs but hugely 'overweight' on the abdomen.

That cashew is impressive stay. Looks like something Lewis Carroll would have conjured up.

I hope you are relaxing at home TQ, cashews are a good thing to take with you to hospital for your cupboard :) cashews and chocolate, ..... best leave the cheese and bread behind though.

OMG Stay that is truly amazing. I had no idea that's how they grow! 1st world ignorance on my part . How weird is that.

I HAVE RUN OUT!!!!!! I had the last few for breakfast so I think I can cope until I get out to the shops later.

Bright maybe ask for an ultrasound? That will show up any problems, as it did with me. Please don't leave it too long as I have done.

And no, I'm not on the mend. You don't 'mend' from ovarian cancer without a lot of treatment, which I haven't yet started (read thread).

General rant and AIBU?
I've had 2 'Get well soon' cards from people who know I'm in deep shit. AIBU to be pissed off with these and put them straight in the bin? I've had a 'Thinking of you', which is lovely, but I'm not going to get well soon and they should know that. And dog-owning friend who knows about having to give new puppy away came round with a dog cushion. I know people mean well, but really....

You can be as pissed off as you like Twitter in the circumstances.

Sounds like they just don't quite know how to deal with your news really TQ and they sent something rather than nothing. I could imagine my mum doing that tbh. Rushing out to the shops because she had to send something, going to the get well section because you are ill and sending the card without thinking too much about what you are facing.

I think you definitely need more nuts .

Very sorry about the puppy, that must feel rotten. Will you get to see him/her? When I was in hospital for a long time DH brought our dog (who was 9 months old) a couple of times. Only a couple of times though as I was 100 miles away from home. Still, great that your sister can step in.

I remember that with my Mum Twitter. 'Get well soon' seemed so trite, especially with a long treatment road ahead of her! I guess it's meant well but rather poorly executed.

Are they going to take the drainage out soon? I'm glad you've 'run out'. I imagine you feel a lot comfortable now?

Oh that's hard, TwitterQueen. It's that well-meaning, very thoughtful, thoughtlessness, that somehow hurts more than if someone hadn't thought at all. You're right, of course. You're no different now than you were last week, except that you're 7 litres of fluid lighter and have a whole lot of knowledge you'd probably rather not have. But whatever has caused that fluid remains exactly the same and until a treatment plan has been confirmed and begins, you will not get better. So 'get well soon' is....naive. But people don't mean harm and they do mean well.

I had no idea that's how Cashews grew!!

twitter it would be totally understandable for those cards to have enraged you. Yes they meant well, but they didn't really engage their brains at all!

Twitter really really sorry it's a very long thread and I didn't manage to read every single comment sorry. I was relieved you had got rid of the fluid and naive to think solution simple one once fluid drained.
People don't understand and don't often know what to do and want people to get better so often assume they will. I have had had ultra sound on my liver twice in last 12 months. Had X-ray, CT and PET scan as I also have blood cancer (just on w&he no treatment). But fortunately I'm well enough to carry on with every day life but do get tired.

So sorry it turned out to be ovarian cancer op.

There was an article on the BBC website a couple of days ago discussing biological therapies for cancer and it mentioned olaparib - which is now used on the NHS for advanced ovarian cancer. It might be worth asking your MDT about, these new biological/immunology therapies seem to offer real hope for some advanced cancers. (Can't link to article sorry - but was under a picture of Angelina Jolie).

Have a restful weekend with many cashews.

Thanks Patsy. that's interesting - I will take a look.

Barchester - nuts purchased! Sorry you were so far away from family and dog - 100 miles! wow. Fortunately I'll only be around 25/30, depending on which hospital I end up in.

Puppy seemed OK. Sad, but fortunately she'd only been here 4 weeks and I thought it better she went sooner rather than later before I and the girls got too attached. We will see her regularly though. And tbh, I'm still grieving for my beautiful Lucky who saw me through so much over the last 8 years.

Bright - best wishes to you.

Iougle - you are right of course. wise words.

I am truly flabbergasted by the cashew revelation! I would never have imagined it. It has almost shocked me as much as my new-found knowledge that the plural of cul-de-sac is culs-de-sac and not cul-de-sacs, as I had always assumed, although never had the occasion to use.

Twitter you are not being unreasonable at all. Rant away. You've been in my thoughts all week.

Cashew flabbergasted here as well.

Thinking of you TQ. My dad has blood cancer and the ascites on his stomach was a real shock to see. He, too had loads drained away.

and cashews for you.

I think I will title today's post as: I am so brave not

The nurses put on my last stomach dressings on Wed am, before I was let out. I knew the consultant had plugged the biopsy sites (he told me) with something dissolvable and my drain hole had been sealed watertight after a day of spurting, but I figured I did actually need to check if they were OK last night.

I admit to going to the dr's surgery yesterday am to ask if a nurse was around to help (the hold is under the belly area, which is still large, so I can't see it unless I'm looking in a mirror). Anyway, nurses maxed out, no spaces, running late so I said "no problem, I'll woman up", and I did!

Holes seemed to have stopped leaking, which is great.

Today I treated myself to a stylish kimono from Debs. I've spent the last 5 days wandering around in a hospital gown with my right hand holding my drainage bag and left hand failing to hold gown together to avoid treating everyone to the sight of my bum! DDs bought in size 12 knickers for some strange reason - I haven't been a size 12 for at least a decade!

Note to self: avoid excessive use of exclamation marks

Go you! It sounds like you are womaning up spectacularly well. Are you out on home leave or do you have an outpatient type appointment for a plan on Monday?

Iougle someone (specialist nurse) is going to ring me apparently, either Mon/Tues/Wed. Though if they haven't rung by Tues lunchtime I will start chasing. I'm in limbo - not on leave nor outpatient appt. Just waiting..

Very good news indeed on the lack of leaking. Kimono, cashews, new small pants all sound great.

Remember all those things I forget - charger, something to watch something on, something to read, treats to eat and or drink, nice handcream.

Ahh well, specialist nurses have things all covered, so you're in safe hands, I'm sure.

So what's the plan for the rest of the weekend?

People are so clueless about what to say or do. I think it's because these days illness is hidden, to a very large degree, so many people haven't encountered it and so don't know how to act when they do.

I hope you're happy to be home anyway, eating what you want, sleeping in your own bed, and I'm glad the drains are no longer leaking. The limbo must be hard though and I'm surprised the NHS can't commit to giving you a call on Monday, since you've now been home for several days and must be very eager to know when your treatment will start and what it will be. I hope you get that call tomorrow so you can start preparing yourself and have some peace of mind that things are being set in motion.