Swollen legs and abdomen advice

[McPam]

Hi everybody

I've lurked on the forum for a while but been too chicken to join in until now.

My husband, Mike, has been diagosed with pancreatic cancer. The mass is in the body of the pancreas, it's advanced and inoperable. You all know how utterly devastated we're feeling right now.

About four weeks ago Mike became jaundiced, went to hopsital to have a stent fitted, but was too agitated under sedation and they couldn't do the procedure. About ten days later they tried again under a general anaesthetic, but couldn't do the procedure because there was a 'kink' in the duct was too acute to work around without risk of puncture. Two days after that, they finally managed to fit the stent accessing through his liver.

The jaundice is going away, he feels a lot better, poo normal colour again and weeing fine again.

But now his serum albumin levels are down to 24 and his legs and abdomen are swelling up like mad. His legs leak and it's really unpleasant for him.

We don't know if it is related to what he has been through to get the stent fitted and a with bit of time and eating as much quality protein as he can will help. Or are we looking at the progression of the cancer and it's probably not going to improve.

Any practical tips or ideas to help are so gratefully received.

Thank you

Pam

[J_T]

Hi Pam and welcome to the forum family. There is lots of practical help and support to be had here as you know if you've been lurking!

I'm afraid I can't offer any informed advice regarding the swelling to Mike's legs and abdomen but would urge you to ring or email Jeni or Dianne, the support nurses here. They are brilliant with their advice and support. I think they finish at 5pm so maybe tomorrow?

Hopefully others may post with more experience of this problem.

Keep posting, we are here to listen and support whenever we can.

Best wishes

Julia x

[nikkis]

Hi Pam,

Sorry I haven't any advice I can give either, but also wanted to say welcome, and echo what Julia said about speaking to the nurses tomorrow,

Best wishes,

Nikki

[McPam]

Oh, thank you, thank you, I will do - I didn't know I could phone anybody.

It's SUCH a relief just to hear from other people, thank you, I look like I'm being so strong and positive for my husband - but I'm really scared and frightened about the future.

Thank you

Pam x

[PCUK Nurse Jeni]

Hi Pam,

Please do call us tomorrow on (020) 3535 7099

Jeni,

Support Team.

[nikkis]

Dear Pam,

Just looking like you are being strong and positive is pretty impressive under the circumstances! I fall apart on a daily basis, so don't feel you always have to keep it together. I am sure Jeni will be able to help you tomorrow,

Nikki

[McPam]

Thank you Jeni - will call tomorrow.

Thank you Nikki -

[McPam]

Thank you Jeni - will call tomorrow.

Thank you Nikki.

[misslittlestar2]

Hiya,

My mum suffered quite badly with swollen legs and we could never really get to the bottom of it but they thought it was due to her worsening liver function and lack of protein. She also had a swollen stomach and they did offer to drain this but she refused and it did get better on it's own accord. Her legs never improved much at all though. Thinking of you and your husband. This cancer seems to throw all sorts of symptoms at you, here if you want to talk xx

[marie souter]

Hiya....my mom suffered swollen stomach ... Few reasons cud b causing it ... Partial obstruction of the bowel causing a gassy build up ... Sludge in the stents .. Ascites .... Fluid in the abdominal cavity .... Cud push a scan?

[marie souter]

Hope u find out soon .. Tough times my heart goes out to you

[Bee]

Hi Pam,

I can't answer your questions about the swelling and low albumin, but like others have said I am sure the nurses will be able to help.

What I do know is that you have come to a wonderfully supportive forum, we all know how scared you are , but you are not alone.

Bee xx

[cestrian]

Dear Pam

Welcome to the forum and pleased to see it swing into action quickly to offer you help and advice. You should of course have a local medical professional available with whom you can discuss any problems Mike is experiencing but all too often this help is either non-existent or delivered by an ever-changing anonymous multitude who fail to take responsibility.

The great nurses on the forum are then a source of huge value with their vast experience and willingness to advise. Do however try to pin someone down locally as well as problems have a nasty habit of arising at the most inconvenient times! GP, Oncology team, McMillans, Marie Curie are all resources to use. The scandal is that you appear to have been left to worry on your own instead of being given all the back-up support that carers for sufferers of PC need to have available.

Love and Peace

Mike

[jules 2015]

Hi Pam

I echo what everyone else has said, there are many reasons for both the swelling in legs and tummy which need to be checked out asap. I would call your gp and ask them to come out as a home visit and explain the urgency or failing that speak to your oncology team that is what they are there for you shouldn't have to be worrying about this on your own

Wishing you lots of luck with your journey with this terrible disease

Julie x

[Cathy]

Hi Pam

I am afraid I can't offer any practical advice myself not having had experience of what your hubby is experiencing but just wanted to welcome you. If you have been lurking, as Julia says, you will probably already know some of our stories. This is a great site for support and advice as I am sure you will find.

All the best with getting to the bottom of your hubby's legs and stomach swelling.

Cathy xx

[kwaitang]

Hi. My husband has had swollen legs a couple of times that lasted just a couple of days. The doctors at the hospital offered no explanation as to why it was happening.

Anyway 3 days ago they swelled up agagin - worse than last time.

We went to see our GP and he says he thinks it is a circulation problem. Keith also has angina which makes him breathless with chest pain.

He recommended that we ask at the hospital tomorrow when Keith goes for his chemotherapy about have a blood transfusion. He says this is the best boost that Keith could have. I will let you know, if we can have it and if this works.

Arlene.

[Jwilson]

Pam. Hi. My husband always had legs like twiglets but they became very very swollen with fluid as did his feet. You need to keep all of the skin in really good condition by putting moisturising cream on every day. What you don't want is the skin to crack and split. Also Bill was given full leg tube type things to wear to help support his legs. We put lots of pillows under the sheet on the bed to elevate his legs. Just be very careful as all the swelling round the feet and legs might make your hubby unsteady. Get a rolator to help with waking and be very careful when using stairs. Bill fell down the stairs and that was awful. The legs can give way under you for no reason and you really need to be careful. Hope this helps

June

[PCUK Nurse Dianne]

Hi Arlene,

It would be good to hear how you got on today with your husband's appointment. The swollen legs can occur for many reasons, it can be related to chemotherapy, Gemcitabine is known to cause leg swelling, and as mentioned the best way is to rest with them elevated when sitting. There are other reasons as well. Clots in the legs can also cause swelling of the leg, this is more recognisable if the patient is complaining of pain, tenderness or heat along the back of the lower leg, and needs an urgent review. Also, if the patient's kidneys are not functioning as well as normal, this 'dependant oedema' (meaning swelling in dependant areas) can occur. One good way to ascertain if it is increasing or decreasing is to weigh the patient on a daily basis if you have bathroom scales. Usually at the same time each day, ie when having a shower or bath in the morning is good, and make a note of it, a sudden increase in weight associated with an increase in the swelling is a good indicator that you need to contact one of your medical team about.

Also our bodies manufacture proteins and often the amount of swelling is related to low protein levels, so this may be due to dietary reasons, or maybe the liver is a bit slow in manufacturing the proteins as well. Arlene is your husband is becoming short of breath, is it since the swelling began, as it there may be some fluid accumulating in the abdomen or lungs that is making him feel breathless, or it could indeed be due to the low haemoglobin and need for a blood transfusion.

All the other 'family members' have given great tips on helping to look after the skin around this delicate area, so well done.

Regards,

Dianne

Support Team

[Jwilson]

Yip Bill had a DVT in one calf then he developed clotting in the lungs which made him very unwell and he was admitted to hospital for a couple of days. Clexane injections were prescribed for the clotting and he was able to do those himself. Twice a day. Hope your man picks up soon!

June

[kwaitang]

Follow up to my husbands treatment.

Keith had a partial blood transfusion on Friday evening and the rest on Saturday.

He has also been given water tablets.

He has lost 4 pounds in 24 hours but his legs are still swollen though not as badly.

The blood transfusion seems to have helped his breathing and pain in his chest.

He was discharged on Sunday and the hospital says he should continue to improve.

His Chemo was cancelled last Thursday and we do not know yet if he will be able to have any this week. The trial medication has also been stopped.

Arlene.