Ascites medical mystery?My mother has a recurring ascites, has been in the hospital for 3 weeks, has had every test you can think of, and they still don't know why she has it. The doctor's are calling her a medical mystery. She is 60 years of age, has been morbidly obese for over 35 years, a smoker (pack a day) for 35 years, a heavy drinker on weekends only for 35 years, type 2 diabetes for two years, high blood pressure, has had 2 stints placed in arteries surrounding her heart (one in 2003 and 2007), and has been taking a host of medications for years. For the ascites she's had 2 abdominal CT's, 2 MRI's, 2 upper GI tract scopes, 2 colonoscopies, and loads of blood tests by two different hospitals all showing nothing of any real significance. She has tested negative for cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, kidney infection, congenital heart disease (though she has symptoms), her ovaries LOOK fine, and her digestive system LOOKS normal (no bowl movement in a week and throwing up all she takes in). She's loosing weight rapidly (58 pounds since the beginning of March) and getting weaker by the day because she can't keep any food down. Yesterday, the hospital did laparoscopic surgery on her abdomen and though they say they didn't see anything specific, they found that her anatomy wasn't normal. They found a thick coating surrounding her intestines and all her abdominal organs are stuck together by these small fibrous tissues. They've taken samples from their abnormal findings and are waiting for the results. In the meantime, they've decided to release my mother while they wait for the results but she is still very ill. I don't know what else to do. Can you help? Have you ever heard of anything like this or know of someone who can help?
Posted by dude
wow im sorry tp hear that
gout?
Posted by abijann
What she has is known as "Adhesions".
Adhesions are not just known to glue body
parts together, they are similar to rubber bands
that can also cause obstruction to the flow
of blood, things going through the intestines, etc.
Infection can develop very easily when this
takes place: bacterial, fungal, or even
parasitic.
Here are some links, you can click on, to learn
more about these Adhesions...
This link will tell you about it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhesion_(medicine)
These two links are a patient's guide to learning
about why they cause pain:
http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/guide-153911-75.html
http://www.adhesions.org/ptguide_print.htm
Ascites can develop for a number of
different reasons.
Here is a link that will list them for you:
http://www.fpnotebook.com/GI/Exam/AsctsCs.htm
If this ascites, that is developing, becomes too
much in her abdomen...they can do a procedure
known as a paracentesis to remove it and
make her comfortable again.
It may be a combination of many things happening in her body together. Since you
said her organs seem to be glued together....
most organs work together for the benefit
of keeping the body healthy. They may not
show diseases...but the organ cells may become
stressed or damaged and not function as well.
Wish I could be of more help.
Orignal From: Ascites medical mystery?
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