Some people ignore mesothelioma symptoms at first thinking they are just common ailments. Most people experience mesothelioma symptoms for two to three months before they go to the doctor and are diagnosed with the disease. Some people let symptoms go unchecked for at least six months. Other people experience no symptoms at all. This is why mesothelioma is often far advanced by the time it is diagnosed.

Pleural mesothelioma symptoms can include one or a combination of the following:

• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Cough
• Coughing up or spitting up blood
• Hoarseness
• Difficulty swallowing
• Weight loss
• Fever
• Fluid in the chest cavity (pleural effusion)

Peritoneal mesothelioma symptoms can include one or a combination of the following:

• Abdominal pain
• Abdominal mass
• Increased abdominal girth
• Fluid in the abdomen (ascites)
• Digestive disturbances
• Fever
• Weight loss
• Elevated white blood count

Both peritoneal and pleural mesothelioma symptoms can be cruel and painful. As fluid fills the chest or abdomen, it puts pressure on vital organs. Patients usually have trouble sleeping comfortably and they lose their appetites. Removing the fluid provides only temporary relief from these mesothelioma symptoms.

If you have been exposed to asbestos and you are experiencing any of these possible mesothelioma symptoms, you may want to visit the Mesothelioma Diagnosis Support Center.