Hello expat,

I got a reply from the nutritional advisor on Maggies Online (Maggies Centres UK). She says ascites is difficult to treat nutritionally other than by trying to reduce salt and increase potassium intake - bananas, avocados, fruit and veg generally, dandelion tea (a diuretic).  Please speak to your oncologist first as I would not like to suggest anything that may be bad for your husband, or interfere with any drugs he is taking.  You can look at her answer if you go to maggies online and into the conversations section - it is the first question on there as it is a much quieter site than this one.  I hope your husband is feeling a bit more comfortable after getting the fluid drained away, and hope you find something that helps keep it from coming back,  Katielouie  

Hello expat,

I got a reply from the nutritional advisor on Maggies Online (Maggies Centres UK). She says ascites is difficult to treat nutritionally other than by trying to reduce salt and increase potassium intake - bananas, avocados, fruit and veg generally, dandelion tea (a diuretic).  Please speak to your oncologist first as I would not like to suggest anything that may be bad for your husband, or interfere with any drugs he is taking.  You can look at her answer if you go to maggies online and into the conversations section - it is the first question on there as it is a much quieter site than this one.  I hope your husband is feeling a bit more comfortable after getting the fluid drained away, and hope you find something that helps keep it from coming back,  Katielouie  

Hi Katielouie,

Thanks so much for your help. It's daft, a dietician visited him yesterday on the ward and the focus was so much on diabetes and trying to stop him losing weight that how to control ascites as well got forgotten. Brain dealing with one problem at a time, definitely no more than two.  The diabetes limits the bananas to one small one a day and no more than half an avocado; fruit generally is OK as long as it's spread throughout the day in small portions rather than a binge. In 3 years since he was diagnosed with cancer and diabetes this was the first time he has had a prper conversation with a trained dietician!

I haven't tried the Maggies site although I've heard it's a good organisation; I know myself - might get sucked in so what you have done for me is a great help.

My husband is still in hospital but at least the flow has slowed down.  Unfortunately I can't be there at ward round time today or tomorrow but will be there with my questions later in the week.

Expat