Out of breath

Im always out of breath all the time, simple things like making my bed or just walking upstairs or even down makes me huff and puff, im like an old woman.

And also my stomach is so big i look as thought im 9 months pregnant, its not water in the stomach because i am checked for that regularly, i also have a spleen twice the size it should be. is this normal for my stomach to be so big?

Catherine, being short of breath to the point that you are struggling to do simple activities is an issue that needs to be addressed with your Dr as soon as you can make an appointment. How often are they doing blood work on you? I would ask the Dr to do ammonia levels and to do a biox. The biox can be done very easily by putting a little specialized clip on your finger. It tells them what your oxygen level is. For your age it should be between 97-100%. Also, are you weighing yourself everyday? Whenever a patient has any fluid retention we always reccommend a daily weight be done first thing in the morning. If you do then start a journal to keep track of your weight. Some weight gains are normal (like before your periods) but other than a very minor fluctuation you should not have any substantial weight gains. When it is elevated it is probably fluid retention. When you see the Dr you can show him your journal. It is really important that you stay on top of all this.

Catherine, please make a list of the questions you want answered. It will help you to organize your thoughts as well as getting the answers you need. As you ask your questions write down his/her answers so you won't forget later on. I want to help you to be proactive in your own care. Sometimes it just helps to take a minute and listen to your own body. It's amazing how much we can be ahead of the game if we pay attention to what our body says. You know yourself better than anyone else so when you feel out of whack make a note of it. Sometimes you'll see patterns to how you are feeling as time goes by so keep journals. For example, if you eat salty foods and find that you feel ill afterward or the next day and your full of fluid the next day then you know it's from the salt. Just an example.