Distended abdomen

I have been living with stage IV colon cancer with mets to the liver since my diagnosis in May 2007. Chemo shrunk the tumours and gave me 2 years of god quality life, but chemo doeesn't work anymore and the tumours on my liver are back with a vengeance.

The pain and and discomfort are constant. I feel like my skin is going to split open and that my abdomen is going to explode from the strain. I can only eat a little at a time because I just don't have the space in my stomach anymore. My abdomen is hard as a rock from the tumours, which press gainst my rib cage and other internal organs, particularly when I'm sitting or lying down.

I have a very lighweight pillow that I use to support and protect my abdomen when I go to bed. Keepin my knees bent also helps but it's hard to fall asleep in such a position. During the day, I find it difficult to move around because every movement reverbates to my abdomen..  

Who is suffering from this and what are you doing to alleviate it? Do you know of any type of underwear support that would hold my abdomen in place without pressing on it? I can't even wear a bra anymore because it's too uncomfortable.

Any practical suggestions would be welcomed.

Thank you. 

I'm so sorry to hear about the symptoms you're having...sounds so painful.  I wondered if they've ruled out ascites?  Isn't that excess fluid in the abdoment caused from cancer?  It can cause a lot of pain and distention in the abdomen but they can sometimes drain it to make you more comfortable?!  I might be off..you said it is the tumor itself?!  Just wanted to throw that out as a possibility?  I would push your doctor to figure out a way to make you more comfortable.  Let us know how things are going...hang in there! 

On 8/13/2009 Sagitelle wrote:

I have been living with stage IV colon cancer with mets to the liver since my diagnosis in May 2007. Chemo shrunk the tumours and gave me 2 years of god quality life, but chemo doeesn't work anymore and the tumours on my liver are back with a vengeance.

The pain and and discomfort are constant. I feel like my skin is going to split open and that my abdomen is going to explode from the strain. I can only eat a little at a time because I just don't have the space in my stomach anymore. My abdomen is hard as a rock from the tumours, which press gainst my rib cage and other internal organs, particularly when I'm sitting or lying down.

I have a very lighweight pillow that I use to support and protect my abdomen when I go to bed. Keepin my knees bent also helps but it's hard to fall asleep in such a position. During the day, I find it difficult to move around because every movement reverbates to my abdomen..  

Who is suffering from this and what are you doing to alleviate it? Do you know of any type of underwear support that would hold my abdomen in place without pressing on it? I can't even wear a bra anymore because it's too uncomfortable.

Any practical suggestions would be welcomed.

Thank you.