Dad says he 'feels pregnant' as tummy balloons to the size of a beach ball

A dad-of-two said he 'feels pregnant' after a rare condition caused his stomach to swell to the size of a beach ball.

David Burgess was diagnosed with Wilson's disease in 2005, when he was around 20. He is now 37-years-old and is currently experiencing the worst bout of symptoms since his diagnosis, the Liverpool Echo reports.

David is in hospital waiting to find out whether he will be getting a new liver. He said 'it is all a bit scary at the moment' as he awaits the life-saving treatment.

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Wilson's disease is a rare genetic disorder characterised by excess copper stored in various body tissues, particularly the liver, brain, and corneas of the eyes. The disease is progressive and, if left untreated, it may cause liver (hepatic) disease, central nervous system dysfunction and even death.

David, who is a magician, became jaundiced on April 10, 2022, and was taken into Royal Liverpool Hospital. He also developed a condition called ascites, which is a fluid build up in your abdomen and lower limbs, causing his stomach to swell. While there, David had “all kinds” of tests done on him and was treated with antibiotics as the doctors thought he had an infection in the water around his liver.

However, he was unfortunately and unknowingly allergic to two different types of the treatments tried. Speaking to the ECHO, David said: “They asked was I allergic to anything and I said no and then we realised that I must have been allergic to the antibiotic. My legs went into a mad rash. They tried me on a different one and my arms went into a different rash.”

He was later referred to a liver specialist unit in Birmingham, where he has now been for two weeks.