Maintain a healthy weight. Exercise regularly. Stop smoking. Limit salt in your diet. Practice safe sex to decrease your chance of getting hepatitis. Do not use recreational drugs to decrease your chance of getting hepatitis. Living with ascites Be sure to follow your healthcare provider's advice for lowering your salt intake.
Key points Ascites is a condition in which fluid collects in spaces within your abdomen. As fluid collects in the abdomen, it can affect your lungs, kidneys, and other organs. Ascites causes abdominal pain, swelling, nausea, vomiting, and other difficulties. Stopping all alcohol intake, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, not smoking, and limiting salt intake can help prevent cirrhosis or cancer that may lead to ascites. Next steps Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider: Before your visit, write down questions you want answered.
Bring someone with you to help you ask questions and remember what your provider tells you. At the visit, write down the names of new medicines, treatments, or tests, and any new instructions your provider gives you. If you have a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that visit. Know how you can contact your provider if you have questions. When the fluid builds up, a drainage bottle or bag is attached to the catheter. The catheter is then opened and drains fluid from your tummy.
Your doctor or nurse can tell you more about this and show you how to look after the catheter. Some people have a tube, called a shunt, put into their tummy. You need to be quite fit to have this procedure. It drains the fluid directly into a large vein. Doctors call this a peritoneo-venous shunt. You will be given either a sedative which makes you drowsy or a general anaesthetic when the doctor puts the shunt in.
One end of the shunt goes into the fluid in the tummy. The other end goes into a vein in the neck. A valve in the shunt means the fluid can only flow in one direction — from the tummy into the vein in the neck. You will need to stay in hospital for a short time while the hospital staff check the shunt is working properly.
The shunt stays in permanently. Your doctor and nurse can give you more information about this. Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy can help to reduce the number of cancer cells. This can sometimes improve ascites. Your doctor may give you a water tablet diuretic , such as spironolactone. This may help the body get rid of excess fluid as urine pee.
Your doctor or nurse may also advise you to reduce the amount of salt you have in your diet. Taking a water tablet can help slow down the build-up of the ascitic fluid. It usually makes you want to pass urine more often. You may have blood tests to check how well your kidneys are working during this treatment.
If you have ascites, the way you think and feel about your body body image may change. You may find it helpful to:. Below is a sample of the sources used in our ascites information. If you would like more information about the sources we use, please contact us at cancerinformationteam macmillan. Paracentesis for Malignant Ascites Procedure; Management of drainage for malignant ascites in gynaecological cancer Review. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; Naga P.
Updated April Digestive Health Topics A-Z. Basics Resources Print. Causes Cirrhosis of the liver is the most common cause of ascites, but other conditions such as heart failure, kidney failure, infection or cancer can also cause ascites.
Symptoms Most patients who develop ascites notice abdominal distention and rapid weight gain. Risk Factors In general, the development of ascites indicates evidence of advanced liver disease.
Treatment The development of ascites generally suggests that the liver is not working well. What are the risks involved? Very rare problems include: bleeding inside your tummy making a hole in the bowel when the drain goes in called perforation of the bowel infection. External websites Macmillian Cancer Support for more information on ascites caused by cancer British Heart Foundation for more information on heart failure British Liver Trust for more information on liver conditions.
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If other please specify optional. Which country do you live in? Word verification. About this information This information is not intended to replace any advice from health or social care professionals. Related content. Feeling sick and vomiting. Loss of mobility. Fluid build-up. Ascites booklet Our free booklet has information on ascites and ascitic drainage. Order or download now. Join our online community Talk to other people who are living with or caring for someone who has a terminal illness and share your experiences.
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