Mom is quickly losing ground to severe ascites caused by ovarian cancer. Her bloating is the only symptom of cancer that she has. Is there a way to safely drain the fluids on a regular basis from home, has anyone had experience with a PV shunt or the like? Any information would be great. We will be talking with the doctor in two days but I fear he's thinking that her time is so short it's not worth the complications of surgery to improve her quality of life. To me it seems that it's the bloating that is speeding her down hill slide. She doesn't have cancer in her liver yet, as of last month anyway. She has been through 5 different rounds of chemo, in the 4 years since her diagnosis after surgery to remove what turned out to be a large tumor. She is an otherwise very healthy 75 year old.
Thanks
Lydia

I don't have any experience with the PV shunt, but I can... hmm, at least offer support for the idea that your mother's physician should do something to relieve her ascites, and preferably be fairly aggressive with it. Even if he doesn't think it will prolong her life, there are quality of life issues, too, to consider. Now your mother has issues with bloating. Eventually - if the ascites keep accumulating - they can become so painful.

My aunt lost her battle with metastatic breast cancer last month. The nominal cause was a massive stroke after receiving morphine in the ER b/c of the pain from severe ascites (she had metasteses in the peritoneal cavity). The ascites had been accumulating - and bothering her - for several weeks/months (how long is not clear), and her oncologist did some waiting and watching - until the pain was so severe that she went to the ER. Even after the stroke - when the neurologists assured us that she couldn't feel anything - she was obviously in a great deal of pain. I wish that she had had the ascites drained/that they had attempted a shunt/that something had been done before her condition so drastically deteriorated. I had fooled myself into thinking that her cancer could be managed for several - perhaps many - years after the recurrence, and she was a private woman, so she didn't tell us everything about her condition. I know that she was not going to be cured - but six more months would have meant another Christmas. Another year and she could have seen my brother come home from his first year of college. Three months and she could have seen me plant the bulbs she ordered me for my first house. At the least, she could have been comfortable and not in such terrible pain at the end of her life.

I hope that you mother's doctor listens to your concerns and answers them adequately. After four years and five rounds of chemo, I'm sure you know all the tricks of writing down questions beforehand, bringing research with you, and being your mom's advocate - and she needs you now as much as ever.

Good luck. I wish I had more concrete advice for you about the PV shunt v. paracentesis... but I DO think that both are relatively simple and pretty straightforward. It isn't as if your asking them to do a heart transplant...

I'll be thinking about you and your mom!

Thank you so much for your kind thoughts. I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your aunt. I agree, even a few extra weeks of pain free life is priceless. My mother has 3 young grandchildrenand I'm hoping they will have enough time left with her to form memories that will last them a lifetime.

Thank you again for your response. I see the doctor tomorrow, wish me luck!
Lydia

Lydia,

I hope your visit with your mother's doctor goes well today. You and your mother are in my thoughts.

Just an update. I had my moms doctor remove the water from her abdomin but not put in the shunt. It was done painlessly as outpatient procedure and she is THRILLED with the results! She was immediately able to eat full meals, was no longer in pain and could move about with ease. She said she felt 20 pounds lighter. We don't know how long it will last but it was worth it and the doctor now says he will do it again any time she wishes.
It's a great procedure for anyone in distress!
Lydia

That's such great news. I'm so glad to hear it.