Kidney removed after motorcycle accident

Greetings everyone,

I need advice. Long story short. I have always been an active guy. Military, Spec Ops, Martial Arts, Weight Lifter. I'm a Defense Contractor in Hawaii. I had a motorcycle accident in Jan. I stood up, moved my bike out of the road then the pain hit and I laid in the road and woke up in hospital 3 days later. I had a burst right kidney and a lacerated liver. My right kidney was removed. I was 247lbs of muscle and felt invincible before accident. I lost 22lbs in hospital. All tests came back good and Kidney Specialist said my left kidney is healthy and functioning 100% and picked up the slack and ill have no issues. I'm freaking out cause I lost an organ, lots of weight, my energy level is shot, strength gone and my ab incision hurts when I move or lift stuff. I just hit 6 week post surgery mark. I made myself get out of bed and go back to work 3 weeks early cause I was going nuts sitting around. I stopped pain pills 2 weeks ago cause I hate pills and feeling dopey. How does having one kidney affect your quality of life? How soon till my abs stop hurting so I can get back in gym? Am I freaking out for nothing cause its all new still? I'm sorry I just feel like wow Im vulnerable and can get hurt now and it's messing with my head. Your advice is greatly appreciated and wanted. Please reply!

Thank you,

Mike

Comments

  • section8kffk
    section8kffk Member Posts: 6
    I'm sorry I forgot to say Im

    I'm sorry I forgot to say Im a 37 year is male.

  • Rannf
    Rannf Member Posts: 8

    I'm sorry I forgot to say Im

    I'm sorry I forgot to say Im a 37 year is male.

    Hope coming

    Hi,  I too just had my kidney removed suddenly and was very active...ran, hiked, did car detailing for a living and just very active.  I thought the same thing as you.  I lost 15 lbs that I did not need too.  My energy was down to nothing and I too was afraid to do anything fearing something would happen.  My insissin still tender and the laparoscopic stab wounds as I call them are not healing as quickly as i would expect.  But, like magic, at 8wks I startefeeling more energy and able to do more.  I started walking 20-30 mins. And some wieghts.  I am finally not collapsing on the couch and wanting to sleep in the afternoon.  We just returned from Florida riding motorcycles for a week.  Feeling more and more normal.  Tomorrow it will be 12 weeks since the operation and the progress in the last two weeks is much welcomed.  I am still sore when I over do it but much better.  I am 50 and female by the way.  

  • section8kffk
    section8kffk Member Posts: 6
    Rannf said:

    Hope coming

    Hi,  I too just had my kidney removed suddenly and was very active...ran, hiked, did car detailing for a living and just very active.  I thought the same thing as you.  I lost 15 lbs that I did not need too.  My energy was down to nothing and I too was afraid to do anything fearing something would happen.  My insissin still tender and the laparoscopic stab wounds as I call them are not healing as quickly as i would expect.  But, like magic, at 8wks I startefeeling more energy and able to do more.  I started walking 20-30 mins. And some wieghts.  I am finally not collapsing on the couch and wanting to sleep in the afternoon.  We just returned from Florida riding motorcycles for a week.  Feeling more and more normal.  Tomorrow it will be 12 weeks since the operation and the progress in the last two weeks is much welcomed.  I am still sore when I over do it but much better.  I am 50 and female by the way.  

    Thank you for the reply. It

    Thank you for the reply. It is very encouraging. I guess time to heal and easing into the gym will get me back 100%. The wanting to sleep all the time thing is so annoying lol. I'm forcing myself to stay awake.

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member

    Thank you for the reply. It

    Thank you for the reply. It is very encouraging. I guess time to heal and easing into the gym will get me back 100%. The wanting to sleep all the time thing is so annoying lol. I'm forcing myself to stay awake.

    One Kidney

    Section 8,

    All of us on this board have lost a kidney or partial Kidney. Mine was 10 and 1/2 years ago. I will be 70 this Summer. While you should be back to normal in 6 weeks this is major abdominal surjery and for the strenuous activities it may take up to a year. Some people are born with 1 kidney and lead normal lives. Others donate their Kidney to save a life. While it is always nice to have a spare you can live well without one.

    Over the long run see a Nephrologist to make sure your kidney function numbers are satisfactory (they are naturally going to be lower than the average population). Besides losing a kidney your Kidney function decreases with age, high blood pressure diabities and other medical conditions. I am worried the one I have left may not last for another 35 years.

    For what it is worth having not voluntered for a nephrectomy and having gone thru it, I nominate you for honorary membership in our club.

     

    Icemantoo

  • section8kffk
    section8kffk Member Posts: 6
    icemantoo said:

    One Kidney

    Section 8,

    All of us on this board have lost a kidney or partial Kidney. Mine was 10 and 1/2 years ago. I will be 70 this Summer. While you should be back to normal in 6 weeks this is major abdominal surjery and for the strenuous activities it may take up to a year. Some people are born with 1 kidney and lead normal lives. Others donate their Kidney to save a life. While it is always nice to have a spare you can live well without one.

    Over the long run see a Nephrologist to make sure your kidney function numbers are satisfactory (they are naturally going to be lower than the average population). Besides losing a kidney your Kidney function decreases with age, high blood pressure diabities and other medical conditions. I am worried the one I have left may not last for another 35 years.

    For what it is worth having not voluntered for a nephrectomy and having gone thru it, I nominate you for honorary membership in our club.

     

    Icemantoo

    Thank you for honorary

    Thank you for honorary membership lol

  • todd121
    todd121 Member Posts: 1,448 Member
    Welcome

    Sorry to hear what happened to you. I wanted to chime in and say that I suggest you see a nephrologist and go over your blood work with one at some point soon. I did that recently. One of the interesting discussions we had was about kidney function and how they measure it. He explained about creatinine levels and about how they came up with the GFR. Because you mentioned that you are a weight lifter and have high muscle mass, you might want to ask about this. The GFR (or eGFR as it really is an estimated value) is based to some extent on a supposition about your muscle mass. I'm not going to try and explain what he told me, but just want to point out that for you the number might not be correct if they haven't adjusted for your real muscle mass. I'd suggest talking to a nephrologist about this.

    Best wishes,

    Todd

  • foxhd
    foxhd Member Posts: 3,181 Member
    todd121 said:

    Welcome

    Sorry to hear what happened to you. I wanted to chime in and say that I suggest you see a nephrologist and go over your blood work with one at some point soon. I did that recently. One of the interesting discussions we had was about kidney function and how they measure it. He explained about creatinine levels and about how they came up with the GFR. Because you mentioned that you are a weight lifter and have high muscle mass, you might want to ask about this. The GFR (or eGFR as it really is an estimated value) is based to some extent on a supposition about your muscle mass. I'm not going to try and explain what he told me, but just want to point out that for you the number might not be correct if they haven't adjusted for your real muscle mass. I'd suggest talking to a nephrologist about this.

    Best wishes,

    Todd

    Must be these damn motorcycles.

    Oh how common it is to have discovered a kidney tumor status post motorcycle accident. Anyone whose insurance does not cover cat scan screening as a preventative health care service needs to go out and buy a motorcycle. GaryM found his tumor after crashing in the same place 2 times! I guess we each use different follow up procedures. For someone as active as you are, you will need to accept the fact that things will be different now. Take the time to recover. So what if it takes a year. Nothing would be worse than to create a medical setback by over doing it. Even if you think you feel ready for it. However, with time, chances are you will never even notice anything different living with one kidney. Good luck.

  • Texas_wedge
    Texas_wedge Member Posts: 2,798
    foxhd said:

    Must be these damn motorcycles.

    Oh how common it is to have discovered a kidney tumor status post motorcycle accident. Anyone whose insurance does not cover cat scan screening as a preventative health care service needs to go out and buy a motorcycle. GaryM found his tumor after crashing in the same place 2 times! I guess we each use different follow up procedures. For someone as active as you are, you will need to accept the fact that things will be different now. Take the time to recover. So what if it takes a year. Nothing would be worse than to create a medical setback by over doing it. Even if you think you feel ready for it. However, with time, chances are you will never even notice anything different living with one kidney. Good luck.

    Getting back in shape

    Mike, do follow Fox's advice and put full recovery of health before full recovery of strength - 2 things:  don't try to bulk up with a high protein diet (bad for the remaining kidney and over a given level the extra protein is not utilised for muscle growth and is therefore an expensive waste)  and don't try to jump in close to your normal workout poundages or total tonnage - you'll set yourself back and delay regaining your former strength.   So acknowledge your body has taken a hammering and start back accordingly and build back up gently. 

  • HPRonhovde
    HPRonhovde Member Posts: 22
    Take it easy

    Mike,

    I am just seven weeks post surgery for a full left kidney removal.  I have been feeling much better and decided to help carry groceries into the house for my wife.  Being a thick headed Norwegian my idea was 'why make 2 trips when 1 will do'.  The bags were not that heavy but I have been feeling the strain I put on my incision and my nausea has returned also. 

    I guess the story behind this is you may want to lift some light weights to keep some muscle tone but do not push it.  I was totally suprised how much I use my abdominal muscles.  It was not too long ago where I managed to sit up in bed without deep pain.

    Take it easy and let your body heal.  This is not the movies, we are only human.

     

    Ron

  • dhs1963
    dhs1963 Member Posts: 513
    Give it time

    You were apparently in a bad accident.  You probably had internal bleeding.  Then, the kidney removal.  Most of us have symptoms like you without the insult of the injuries.(of course, we have the insult of the surgery).

     

  • foxhd
    foxhd Member Posts: 3,181 Member
    dhs1963 said:

    Give it time

    You were apparently in a bad accident.  You probably had internal bleeding.  Then, the kidney removal.  Most of us have symptoms like you without the insult of the injuries.(of course, we have the insult of the surgery).

     

    work outs

    Reading these made me remember that when I began feeling better and started working out, I began with my normal routine. But I didn't use any weights. Fake bench presses, fake curls, etc. Slowly added resistance. Sometimes I remember that I'm a therapist and that what I would suggest to others is also good for me.

  • section8kffk
    section8kffk Member Posts: 6
    foxhd said:

    work outs

    Reading these made me remember that when I began feeling better and started working out, I began with my normal routine. But I didn't use any weights. Fake bench presses, fake curls, etc. Slowly added resistance. Sometimes I remember that I'm a therapist and that what I would suggest to others is also good for me.

    All of your comments have

    All of your comments have been very uplifting, thank you so much. I'm gonna start gym on Mon. Ill keep y'all updated as to how it goes!

  • GSRon
    GSRon Member Posts: 1,303 Member

    All of your comments have

    All of your comments have been very uplifting, thank you so much. I'm gonna start gym on Mon. Ill keep y'all updated as to how it goes!

    HD guy

    Fox, you sure made me laugh... yes get a motorcycle, and get a scan... right..!!  Ha  ha ha...  OK, on  a serious note, I have been urging my pals to get a full body scan as a preventative measure...  True, sometimes it seems we do not want to know what is lurking inside..  But, as we all know, early detection makes a huge difference...   I keep thinking why didn't my Cancer get found when I wrecked in 2000..?  Or was it not there at that time.. dunno.. but I do wonder...

    Secion 8. heal up..!   Then start the work out..!

    Good Luck.!

    Ron - I don't want a pickle... just wanna ride my motor sickle....

  • garym
    garym Member Posts: 1,647
    foxhd said:

    Must be these damn motorcycles.

    Oh how common it is to have discovered a kidney tumor status post motorcycle accident. Anyone whose insurance does not cover cat scan screening as a preventative health care service needs to go out and buy a motorcycle. GaryM found his tumor after crashing in the same place 2 times! I guess we each use different follow up procedures. For someone as active as you are, you will need to accept the fact that things will be different now. Take the time to recover. So what if it takes a year. Nothing would be worse than to create a medical setback by over doing it. Even if you think you feel ready for it. However, with time, chances are you will never even notice anything different living with one kidney. Good luck.

    Actually...

    It was the same road, but two different curves and about 37 years between crashes, sounds like I need training wheels the way you said it.  LOL

  • foxhd
    foxhd Member Posts: 3,181 Member
    GSRon said:

    HD guy

    Fox, you sure made me laugh... yes get a motorcycle, and get a scan... right..!!  Ha  ha ha...  OK, on  a serious note, I have been urging my pals to get a full body scan as a preventative measure...  True, sometimes it seems we do not want to know what is lurking inside..  But, as we all know, early detection makes a huge difference...   I keep thinking why didn't my Cancer get found when I wrecked in 2000..?  Or was it not there at that time.. dunno.. but I do wonder...

    Secion 8. heal up..!   Then start the work out..!

    Good Luck.!

    Ron - I don't want a pickle... just wanna ride my motor sickle....

    Alice's restaurant

    Hey Ron, just thought I'd tell you that I don't live too far from Alice's restaurant. I do alot of riding in that area of New England. Gorgeous land. Also the home of Norman Rockwell.

  • GSRon
    GSRon Member Posts: 1,303 Member
    foxhd said:

    Alice's restaurant

    Hey Ron, just thought I'd tell you that I don't live too far from Alice's restaurant. I do alot of riding in that area of New England. Gorgeous land. Also the home of Norman Rockwell.

    Alice's part two

    Hey Hardley Guy... we have an Alice's out here as well..  A nice place to visit... and the bikes congregate in several parking lots on the weekends... good twisty and scenic roads..  Great bugers... Ooops... have not had a burger in a long time.. oh well...  usually a lot of interesting bikes... and of course scenery of the fairer kind... heh.. (I may be 60, but I still can look..!)..

    Perhaps one day we should plan a ride and meet up somewhere in the middle... maybe collect a few coins for RCC research or something like that... dunno...

    Be well my fellow biker friend..

    Ron

  • Limelife50
    Limelife50 Member Posts: 476
    I am a Mike also

    I hit a pothole with my motorcycle found out 2 days later i had cancer in my right kidney,my weight  has increased since nephrectomy still get cramps around incision area but i am almost where i was physically before surgery,it takes some time Mike

  • GSRon
    GSRon Member Posts: 1,303 Member

    I am a Mike also

    I hit a pothole with my motorcycle found out 2 days later i had cancer in my right kidney,my weight  has increased since nephrectomy still get cramps around incision area but i am almost where i was physically before surgery,it takes some time Mike

    I now wear a Kidney Belt...

    I now wear a Kidney Belt... one with straps to hold everything up... it helps... especially if you hit a big bump... my mid section has not fully healed, and it may never fully heal... oh well... not my main concern..

    Ron

  • roaddr23
    roaddr23 Member Posts: 77
    Take It Slow

    I promise I am not laughing at you but I love your statement about realizing you are vulnerable...I just posted today that after beating this cancer twice I was on such an incredible, amazing adrenalin high I thought I could do everything I wanted to...then reality hit and I crashed hard...I am 62..I had my left kidney removed 10 years..ago...you will be fine as long as you what meds aren't good for kidney...I don't take anything but Tylenol which sucks but Advil etc I was told to avoid..you need to make a list of questions for your Dr but the biggest thing is you need to slow down and allow your body time to heal or it is actually going to backfire on you and make it harder and longer...this is straight from the tough girls mouth who is forcing her 62 yo to rest while her 20yo mind is saying lets get out there and have some fun...do some stuff...I think you also may have a teeny weeny touch of PTSD...as a retired Medic reading your message I know that you were in a very critical accident...BTW, again not to laugh at you but with you...I love that you moved the bike out of the roadway but laid your butt down in the road...LOL...but seriously, Like myself I think inside you realized you could have easily died in that accident and now you have survived and been told you should be fine down the road after you heal etc you have the urge to get out there now and start doing things at the same level you did before the accident because if you don't someone might realized you lived and change their mind but if you can do all those things right away you know you are really going to be ok....I can identify because that is sort of what I did...this cancer is so lethal and so many are suffering and I just go in twice in ten years and have surgery and am cured..I am overjoyed, feeling survivor and wanted to get right back to normal immediately before someone called and said sorry, it was a mistake...basically, no matter what the situation you are in at the time there will always be that first time we totally come face to face with the fact we are vulnerable and that is very scary.When I was a medic and helping to train new medics for driving the hardest thing sometimes was convincing them that just because they had red lights flashing and a siren blaring it didn't suddenly turn the ambo into some magic vehicle that could never crash...it was crazy...they would turn on the lights and sirens and turn off their common sense....I am glad you came here though...we are a great group of amazing assorted people and I am glad you came by...just slow down for a little while and you'll be back to you old self soon enough and a little wiser from this experience..

  • section8kffk
    section8kffk Member Posts: 6
    roaddr23 said:

    Take It Slow

    I promise I am not laughing at you but I love your statement about realizing you are vulnerable...I just posted today that after beating this cancer twice I was on such an incredible, amazing adrenalin high I thought I could do everything I wanted to...then reality hit and I crashed hard...I am 62..I had my left kidney removed 10 years..ago...you will be fine as long as you what meds aren't good for kidney...I don't take anything but Tylenol which sucks but Advil etc I was told to avoid..you need to make a list of questions for your Dr but the biggest thing is you need to slow down and allow your body time to heal or it is actually going to backfire on you and make it harder and longer...this is straight from the tough girls mouth who is forcing her 62 yo to rest while her 20yo mind is saying lets get out there and have some fun...do some stuff...I think you also may have a teeny weeny touch of PTSD...as a retired Medic reading your message I know that you were in a very critical accident...BTW, again not to laugh at you but with you...I love that you moved the bike out of the roadway but laid your butt down in the road...LOL...but seriously, Like myself I think inside you realized you could have easily died in that accident and now you have survived and been told you should be fine down the road after you heal etc you have the urge to get out there now and start doing things at the same level you did before the accident because if you don't someone might realized you lived and change their mind but if you can do all those things right away you know you are really going to be ok....I can identify because that is sort of what I did...this cancer is so lethal and so many are suffering and I just go in twice in ten years and have surgery and am cured..I am overjoyed, feeling survivor and wanted to get right back to normal immediately before someone called and said sorry, it was a mistake...basically, no matter what the situation you are in at the time there will always be that first time we totally come face to face with the fact we are vulnerable and that is very scary.When I was a medic and helping to train new medics for driving the hardest thing sometimes was convincing them that just because they had red lights flashing and a siren blaring it didn't suddenly turn the ambo into some magic vehicle that could never crash...it was crazy...they would turn on the lights and sirens and turn off their common sense....I am glad you came here though...we are a great group of amazing assorted people and I am glad you came by...just slow down for a little while and you'll be back to you old self soon enough and a little wiser from this experience..

    Day 2 at gym. Incision a

    Day 2 at gym. Incision a little sore when doing leg raises and pull-ups, everything else went well. When there was pain I laid off. I think it is going well. I feel good. I WILL be a beast again! Lol PTSD is just a reminder of a level of awesomeness I attained on e and need to strive for again lol. Thank you all for advice and support!