What can you do for your ascites? ~Medical Treatment Options~

The medical treatment options for ascites vary depending on the severity of it.  Most often, a combination of changing eating and drinking habits with some kind of medication help to treat ascites.

• Medications used:

1. Diuretics: cause you to urinate more often in order to decrease the fluid.  It will cause weight loss and there are different amounts of weight that should be lost each day depending on what your doctor tells you. 
2. Antibiotics: if there are infections that are due to bacteria in the ascitic fluid, the antibiotics can help to fight them if they arise.  

• Changes in diet:

1. Sodium restriction 
2. Decrease in liquid intake

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

• Procedures:

1. Paracentesis: draining the fluid from the abdomen with a needle.
2. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS): changes the direction of the fluid from the portal vein into the central blood circulation by use of a catheter. 
3. Liver transplant: A liver transplant may be needed in the case of severe cirrhosis of the liver which may be causing the ascites.  

References:
http://www.drugs.com/cg/ascites.html
http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/ascites/overview.html
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/ascites/page7_em.htm#medical_treatment