So this was something new apart from the medication I was doing since the past 3-4 months. What is tapping?
What started off as a way to remove water and ease the pain quickly turned into a once a month session, later increased to two times a month and then it was once a week so four times a month. The procedure isn’t a walk in the park as it’s painful and they stick a needle in your stomach without putting you to sleep. the ascitic water flows like water from a tap, but sudden movement, sniffing or so much as a cough can damage and bend the needle, and the procedure to reinsert the tube starts again.
Here is a link to read and understand more on the procedure in simple terms.
Tapping is usually done in conjunction with diuretic tablets, also called as water tablets. I must say those water tablets work pretty well but if the liver is so damaged that its at the last leg struggling to even have an appetite, then its paired with tapping.
Its not easy with water filling your tummy and the pressure building up like a pregnant lady, trying to restrict your intake of water to just 250ml per day, yes thats 250ml where stool is dry and you bleed from down there everyday, your skin starts to chaff, peel and bleed. the pressure docent allow you to sleep. This is the moment you start to wish for a quick end.
Leave a Reply