Has anyone experienced stomach swelling and discomfort

Pete

Pete

Member
Location
Texas
I know this may seem like a trivial physical malady but for me it is causing problems beyond the obvious. Last summer for some reason it felt like something I had eaten swelled up in my stomach, the discomfort lasted a few days and then it and the swelling went away. Over the course of this past year my stomach has ballooned to appear as if I was pregnant and the discomfort has returned. I am now in my fourth month of not smoking but have not slowed on the 'replacement' snacks that could be a cause of this 'pregnancy'. I am endeavoring to walk at least a mile a day or more but the pain from my stomach gets worse after mere minutes of walking, and when walking and I inhale it seems like there is no place for the air to go.



My doctor says the enlarged stomach is just fat
​
from over-eating
because of my quitting cigarettes
​
of course I think he is wrong
​
.... has anyone experienced something similar?
​
 

I have no personal experience with it, my stomach swelling is mostly from eating too much. The first thing that popped into my head was Ascites, it's liquid in the stomach area though, not air. It is a serious condition that may be related to the liver or cancer, so I would have expected your doctor to consider this too and do some testing to rule it out.

Congratulations on your quitting smoking, I did decades ago and I did gain ten pound after I quit, even though I kept active with exercise, my stomach was larger but I suffered no discomfort. Smartest thing I ever did, and the weight gain was a small price to pay. You've come a good way for four months, good job, keep it going and I really hope your stomach issues are only food related. More on Ascites here.

The organs of the abdomen are contained in a sac or membrane called the peritoneum. Normally the peritoneal cavity contains only a small amount of fluid, although in women this can vary (by 20ml, or less than an ounce) depending on the menstrual cycle. "Ascites is the term used to denote increased fluid in the peritoneal cavity, a situation that is not normal.

There are a variety of diseases that can cause the fluid to accumulate and the reasons that the ascites occurs may be different for each disease. Cancer that spreads to the peritoneum can cause direct leakage of fluid, while other illnesses cause an excess accumulation of water and sodium in the body. This fluid can eventually leak into the peritoneal cavity.

Most commonly, ascites is due to liver disease and the inability of that organ to produce enough protein to retain fluid in the bloodstream as well as obstruction to flow through the scarred cirrhotic liver. Normally, water is held in the bloodstream by oncotic pressure. The pull of proteins keeps water molecules from leaking out of the capillary blood vessels into surrounding tissues.

As liver disease advances, the liver’s ability to manufacture proteins is decreased, so oncotic pressure decreases because of lack of total protein in the body, and water leaks into surrounding tissues.

In addition to ascites, the extra fluid can be appreciated in many other areas of the body as edema (swelling).

Edema can occur in the feet, legs, chest cavity, a variety of other organs, and fluid can accumulate in the lungs. Symptoms caused by this excess fluid will depend upon its location.
Click to expand...
 
SeaBreeze the doc and I did talk about Ascites but it was ruled out, although I do not remember why.
I have been seriously thinking of smoking again especially in the evening when just sitting around to keep my hands and mouth busy without taking in any more calories.
 
Pete said:
SeaBreeze the doc and I did talk about Ascites but it was ruled out, although I do not remember why.
I have been seriously thinking of smoking again especially in the evening when just sitting around to keep my hands and mouth busy without taking in any more calories.
Click to expand...
Your choice, but a bad choice. Smoking is dirty and bad for your health. If you've made it for four months (the most difficult), why waste your brave effort and start it again? I've never smoked and glad for it. Re your stomach swelling, I doubt it has to do with smoking, but there's definitely something there, get a second opinion by another doctor. Overeating WILL make your stomach swell, but not cause the discomforts you mentioned.
 
Pete said:
I know this may seem like a trivial physical malady but for me it is causing problems beyond the obvious. Last summer for some reason it felt like something I had eaten swelled up in my stomach, the discomfort lasted a few days and then it and the swelling went away. Over the course of this past year my stomach has ballooned to appear as if I was pregnant and the discomfort has returned. I am now in my fourth month of not smoking but have not slowed on the 'replacement' snacks that could be a cause of this 'pregnancy'. I am endeavoring to walk at least a mile a day or more but the pain from my stomach gets worse after mere minutes of walking, and when walking and I inhale it seems like there is no place for the air to go.

My doctor says the enlarged stomach is just fat
from over-eating
because of my quitting cigarettes

of course I think he is wrong

.... has anyone experienced something similar?
​
Click to expand...

Pete, I sent you a private message about a similar problem I experienced.
 
Pete said:
I know this may seem like a trivial physical malady but for me it is causing problems beyond the obvious. Last summer for some reason it felt like something I had eaten swelled up in my stomach, the discomfort lasted a few days and then it and the swelling went away. Over the course of this past year my stomach has ballooned to appear as if I was pregnant and the discomfort has returned. I am now in my fourth month of not smoking but have not slowed on the 'replacement' snacks that could be a cause of this 'pregnancy'. I am endeavoring to walk at least a mile a day or more but the pain from my stomach gets worse after mere minutes of walking, and when walking and I inhale it seems like there is no place for the air to go.



My doctor says the enlarged stomach is just fat

from over-eating
because of my quitting cigarettes

of course I think he is wrong

.... has anyone experienced something similar?
​
Click to expand...


Hey Pete, don't play around with this condition. It may be nothing, but then again, it may be something. IMO. I think that you should get yourself to a Gastroenterologist. I had something similar several years ago. The Gastro doctor ordered some tests and determined that I had nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. He ordered an immediate change of diet and some pretty expensive meds. Thankfully, my liver did not suffer any damage and my insurance paid most of the bills. It took me about 3 months to return to normal. I am forever grateful to him.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top