Symptoms Of Hypervolemia

Abdominal Swelling

Abdominal swelling due to hypervolemia, also called ascites, occurs when the excess fluid accumulates in the abdominal cavity. Sometimes, the abdominal swelling is minor and may not be noticed. Patients usually seek medical help after the swelling becomes noticeable, does not go away, and their abdomen starts to feel weighty or full as if they’ve eaten a heavy meal. They may also find it hard to breathe because their swollen abdomen interferes with the action of their diaphragm, a sheet of muscle beneath the lungs that helps in breathing. Some patients have so much fluid in their abdomen that the doctor notices a wave of fluid when they push on one side of the distended abdomen.