When you are living with ovarian cancer, there may come a day when your trousers suddenly won't button, or when you lie down and feel your belly sloshing to one side. You haven't gained weight, yet only your belly swells out, you feel full after eating just a little, and you even become short of breath. This is ascites. Fluid pools inside the abdomen — more precisely, within the peritoneal cavity. It appears quite commonly in ovarian cancer, so I hope you won't blame yourself too much or be frightened from the start.
As for why the fluid builds up: the cancer cells irritate the peritoneum, so fluid leaks out inside it, and at the same time the lymph flow is blocked, so the fluid that should drain out cannot leave in time. With a lot coming in and little going out, it gradually pools. So ascites is not simply a 'protruding belly' problem but also a signal of what is happening inside the body. If your belly noticeably enlarges over a few days, if you suddenly find it hard to breathe, or if your urine volume drops sharply, it is right to tell your medical team without delay.
When you feel stifled right now, the surest method is a procedure called paracentesis, in which a thin needle drains the pooled fluid. Sometimes several liters come out at once, so many people say that right after the procedure their belly deflates, their breathing opens up, and they feel so much better. The catch is that when the fluid is drained, protein leaks out along with it, so you may feel even more drained of energy. That is why, after the procedure, taking extra care to get protein — eggs, tofu, fish, lean meat — helps with recovery. When the fluid keeps refilling, a thin tube is sometimes placed in the belly so you can drain a little at a time at home, so discuss this with your attending doctor.
There is more you can do at home than you might think. Eating salty makes the body hold onto more water, so it is better to cut back a little on broths, salted fish, and instant-noodle soup. Rather than eating a lot at once, eating small amounts often reduces the bloated feeling. Propping a pillow behind your back when sleeping to raise your upper body slightly makes breathing much easier. Measuring your waist circumference with a tape measure at the same time each day, in the same clothes, or writing down your weight, lets you see the flow of how much fluid builds up and drains, which also helps you judge when to go to the hospital.
And honestly, when ascites builds up, what is hardest is often the mind more than the body. Every time your belly swells, you grow anxious, wondering 'has the disease gotten worse,' and since your clothes don't fit, you become reluctant to go out. That feeling is entirely understandable. But please don't conclude everything from the single fact that ascites has built up. There really are many people who go through the same situation, manage it well, and carry on with their daily lives. Don't struggle alone — listening to the stories of those who have been through the same illness, and honestly telling your medical team about your discomfort, both help.
What is written here is only a general account, and the answer that fits your body's condition exactly is, in the end, best known by the attending doctor who sees you directly. If a new symptom arises or something feels different from usual, don't hesitate — be sure to ask.