Support, Support, Support!

http://webfl.alsa.org/site/PageNavigator/FL_8_SupportGroups.html

Having any kind of abnormal condition or disease can be difficult to handle if you feel like you have no support or are alone in the matter.  Sometimes it may seem like you are the only person in the world who has ascites if you don't know anyone else who has ascites also.  That it why it is important to find support groups where you can feel accepted, ask any questions you may have from other people who have experienced it also, and hear other peoples' stories about their road to treatment and recovery.  I have found an online support group and also a support group around the Portland area. Depending on where you live, you can use this website to try to find a support group near you: http://www.liverfoundation.org/chapters/pacificnw/resources/

• Online support group:  http://www.mdjunction.com/forums/cirrhosis-discussions/general-support/3355425-ascites
• Online support group: http://m.delphiforums.com/liverfailure/messages/1409
• A cancer support group (some causes of ascites) near Portland:             http://liversupportnw.org/ :the website for a support group in Portland, OR.  

References: 

 http://www.liverfoundation.org/chapters/pacificnw/resources/

http://www.mdjunction.com/forums/cirrhosis-discussions/general-support/3355425-ascites

http://m.delphiforums.com/liverfailure/messages/1409

http://liversupportnw.org/ 

Helpful Apps!

Although there are no apps that I was able to find that directly have to do with ascites, I was able to find one that is very helpful for healthcare professionals that are working with people who have had liver problems which sometimes lead to ascites.  It is called HepCalc and is an app that is made for apple devises such as iPhones.  It has a collection of calculators that have to do with the liver and you can put in information that you may have about yourself or your patients' liver.  There are alcohol hepatitis calculators, fibrosis calculators, portopulmonary hypertension calculators, and more.  If you have liver disease and are struggling with it and side effects such as ascites, I would recommend this app.  You can find it in the iTunes store and is by Gary Poleynard MD.





















References:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hepcalc/id586813135?mt=8

Nursing Care for a Person with Ascites

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ascites-symptoms.html

• It is important for nurses to make the patient feel respected and adequately cared for.  The Lippincott Advisor for Education website is a great resource for nurses to be able to look up how they should perform certain procedures such as paracentesis.  It gives detailed instructions on how to make the patient comfortable, which is a top priority, and how to accurately drain the fluid from the peritoneum.  There is also a large amount of other information about ascites and how to help the patient with the condition on the Lippincott website.  It contains expected outcomes for the condition and nursing interventions.  The information can be found at http://advisor-edu.lww.com/Ina/document.do?bid=3&did=410070&hits=ascites if you have access to Lippincott.  
• It can also be important to support your patient by offering them information and answers about ascites.  Providing them with trusted websites and references to apps that will help them on their road to recovery can help to gain their trust and respectability as they go through the treatment process.    

• An informative webpage that I would recommend to a patient with ascites would be http://www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/coping/side-effects-and-symptoms/other-side-effects/ascites.html#tcm:9-46181 because it has simple language and an easy and welcoming format to read.  

References:
http://advisor-edu.lww.com/lna/document.do?bid=3&did=410070&hits=ascites

Does it matter what you eat? ~Dietary Consideration~

Diet can play a huge role in the prevention and treatment of diseases and their symptoms.  

http://www.slideshare.net/sumeryadav/ascites-51550763

1. Sodium restriction: A low sodium diet can be difficult to follow considering the sodium dense foods in the US.  But sodium causes the body to hold onto more water and in the case of ascites, it can have a negative effect.  The reduction of salt causes the person with ascites to have less salt concentration and more fluid concentration which increases the amount of urine output.  Maintaining a low sodium diet with no more than 1,500 mg/day can be important in the treatment of ascites. 
2. Decrease in liquid intake: If a low-sodium diet doesn't help reduce the amount of fluid in the abdomen, a decrease in liquid intake can possibly help prevent anymore excess fluid.  Depending on the treatment plan, it may be recommended by doctors to decrease fluid intake to about 34 ounces a day.  
3. Decreasing alcohol intake helps to prevent liver damage.  

References:

http://medvin2u.net/ascites/

http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/ascites/overview.html

http://depts.washington.edu/hepstudy/mgmt/mgmt/ascitesMgmt/discussion.html