Bloating/ascites/fat stomach. (?)

[ThisIsSimplyBeyond]

Hi

I have a problem with my belly atm. I am concerned it is ascites, yet I feel I am having my concerns minimised because I am also fat. To be clear though, bigger or smaller; my fat has always been on my arse (except for the apron left from post DC), whereas this is all on my abdomen.

So, I am also hardly eating because it makes me feel sick. I basically feel like I'm seven or eight months pregnant, it feels heavy, puts pressure on my bladder, and I can't lay on my front cause it's like lying on a ball. It is so uncomfortable, and it sometimes makes me need to catch my breath. My thyroid has been checked and is fine. Results are the top end of fine, but fine.

I spoke to the dr at the end of March about it and was sent for the bloods for my thyroid. They also checked if I am in menopause as my periods have pretty much stopped (some spotting, that's all). I have now had a second lot of bloods today to (apparently, I didn't see what they are testing) check for PCOS. By the time I actually see a doctor (i have an appt for the end of next week), it will be nearly a month since I first spoke to her. In this time, no one has examined me.

Am I right to be concerned? I feel that because my BMI is high they aren't taking me seriously when I say this "swelling" (or whatever it is) is new. They're just thinking I'm fat. Then with the eating, I know how common it is to assume the fat person is lying when they say they don't eat 🙄
I am worried that my weight is staying pretty stable, despite me not eating enough because of the increased swelling. Even allowing for meds affecting my metabolism, I eat less than one meal a day, and my BMR alone is near 2000 (I'm tall). It is this problem with non-weight-loss that makes me think it is not just bloating (as obviously air wouldn't weigh anything)

So I know it's covid-times and everything takes longer, but IABU to think it should be taken more seriously?

Did you mention if you’d been checked for fibroids too,I can’t remember.

They can be the size of a football. Would need an ultrasound scan to confirm. There’s one they can put inside you too as well as the one on your tummy like a pregnancy scan.

sorry to be another voice to say that it is important they rule out Ovarian cancer as you are displaying 2 of the potential symptoms (swollen belly and full after eating) Of course there are many other things this could be but you must have a transvaginal ultrasound and a CA-125 blood test (although that test is not definitive so not enough on its own)
targetovariancancer.org.uk/about-ovarian-cancer/symptoms/top-tips-speaking-your-gp

Op, as someone with OC I’m going to suggest you are checked to see if you have an ovarian cyst that could (amongst other things such as benign) be malignant.

Don’t worry, I have been given a face-to-face appt with the doctor now, so should have some clue where we are going from here in the next 18hrs ish.

Thank you all for being so insistent. I knew at the back of my head that it should be ruled out at least, I’m glad I wasn’t imagining that.

Glad you have been given a face to face appointment. Fingers crossed it's something that's easily sorted

Just leaving the house now, wish me luck 😬

Good luck

Good luck, hope you get some answers

@ThisIsSimplyBeyond

'Scuse the mess...

Without seeing front on It’s difficult to ascertain how your belly sits in relation to your body as a whole

Your thyroid results are a bit low, I would ask them to test you for antibodies. I am hypothyroid and if my TSH is over two I feel rough and get fatter. They won’t medicate you yet at that level, although your T4 is too low, but you can ask for an antibody test and a full thyroid function re test soon. Test as early as possible in the day.

Sirvix, I asked for antibodies and they did periodoxase only, but that one was normal. 😕

Anywho, I'm back. Being given a course of hormone thingy (shes going to let me know which one this evening) to force me to have a period; the dr thinks it may be a build up of endometrium as I haven't had a proper period for about 18m. However she said she had no idea what the actual swelling was when I asked if it was fluid or air. Said she didn't have X-ray eyes

So I've been referred for an ultrasound, which might take two months before I see them cause covid.

@Lassy1945 do you need to see front on? I'll take another picture now...

Here.

Currently it feels like I've dropped ready for labour - so much pressure in my pelvis :(

You poor thing
Wishing you well
Do you have a prolapse by any chance?

Would finances permit you to get the ultrasound done privately?

@Marriagegoingtoimplode

Would finances permit you to get the ultrasound done privately?

I was about to ask the same

Why on earth is she not ordering an urgent scan?

Like others, I hope it's just some easily treated issue. But I also know someone who very sadly had the same symptoms & after being pretty much ignored for many months was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

I have heart failure - if you're concerned about that, I can answer your questions about symptoms, because it wouldn't only be a swollen stomach. I've never had fluid build up, and I am fairly symptomatic with other things.

One of the things I have to do is weigh myself daily, and if I have a rapid weight gain (more than three pounds in two days or six in a week), it's going to be fluid build up and I have to contact my HF nurse or the hospital.

Daily weighing is something you can do yourself to see if there are any changes. It will arm you with more information.

I hope this helps you to feel slightly better.

Lassy I did have a rectocele, but it's been repaired (good few years ago - four or five). It's now one of the places that I do have pain from the swelling - I assume it's heavy on the scar tissue ☹️

I'm going to investigate whether a private US is doable. Depends how much it costs whether it is or not...

Thanks Shiny, :) I've had trouble breathing, that was what made me think it might be my heart. (Been ignoring that since this time last year - been shielding). And I do have issues with swelling in general, but it's not body-wide every day as I use a wheelchair. Cold peripherals, blue lips - my sats can dip to mid eighties, especially if I'm laid down. High BP is new for me, and one of my meds can increase risk of HF in those who are already prone to it. Resting heart rate is about 110.

OP I have something similar - I had an ultrasound in Feb and then got rushed round straight to a CT Scan.
Turns out I have fluid in the lower abdominal cavity which apparently is caused by adhesions. I’m awaiting a Gyne app, but it all stems from having a C Section 5 years ago.
My lower belly is huge, and really painful. Some days it hurts even to stand, and at night I can’t lie on my side.
Yours might be something similar and not sinister? :)

Thanks onward, fingers crossed it is. And hope you'll be on the mend soon

Private US looks like it would be doable, if it had to be. So, plan at the mo is to take these tablets for a week-ish, see if the swelling does go down if I bleed. If not, I'll look into a private scan next week.
Unless I keep expanding, in which case I may just show up at A&E.

You mentioned ascites, have they tested you for cirrohsis of the liver? Apologies if you've already been tested and I missed it.

Not specifically for cirrhosis, but my LFTs were done. All normal.

Wonder if anyone here can answer a quick question for me... is it weird that I told her it makes me breathless, yet she didn't listen to my chest? She did check my oxygen, HR and BP, but didn't actually listen to my chest itself.

Also, it's definitely weird that she didn't percuss my abdomen, isn't it? She only gave it a few pokes before concentrating on my vag.