Overwhelmed

tonib
tonib Member Posts: 33

This is my first post and I'm not sure where to start.  I hurt my back at work 6 months ago and on MRI they found what they thought was a kidney cyst.  Doctor said to recheck in 6 months.  I did, sono showed it has grown and suggested a CT.  I had CT done which suggested to see a Urologist and that it was solid, possibly renal cell carcinoma.  I went to see Urologist 7 days ago, told I had to have at least a partial nephrectomy.  He said 85% chance it's cancerous.  He also said it was on the back of my kidney and is relatively small at 2.3 x 2 cm.  With my back injury I had a couple of bulging discs low in my back which had gotten better and  I was in no pain for a couple of months.  However, it has gotten dramatically worse in the last 2 weeks and I am also having pain in the upper right side of my abdomen, kind of a deep almost burning pain.  I haven't hurt my back at work that I know of.  Could the tumor be aggrivating my disc problem?  Is the pain in abdomen due to the tumor?  I am scheduled for surgery Jan. 8.  Just need someone's opinion who has been there, thanks!

Comments

  • GSRon
    GSRon Member Posts: 1,303 Member
    Hi Toni.. Welcome even though

    Hi Toni.. Welcome even though you do not want to me here..  OK, relax.. breathe..  ah..  Your tumor is very small... and even if it is Cancer most likely after surgery you will be good to go.  I am not smart enough to say this tiny little tumor is your back issue.. I suspect not, but I could be totally wrong. My tumor was about 8 times the size and I had no idea it was there..  The surgery is not too bad, it is the first few days after that are the worst.  But, you can do this... and if you read some of the stories here I have a hunch it will give you an idea of what to expect.  More folks will reply soon, and it sounds like you are among some of the lucky ones that got their tumor found very early..

    Hang in there and keep us posted..!

    Ron

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    GSRon said:

    Hi Toni.. Welcome even though

    Hi Toni.. Welcome even though you do not want to me here..  OK, relax.. breathe..  ah..  Your tumor is very small... and even if it is Cancer most likely after surgery you will be good to go.  I am not smart enough to say this tiny little tumor is your back issue.. I suspect not, but I could be totally wrong. My tumor was about 8 times the size and I had no idea it was there..  The surgery is not too bad, it is the first few days after that are the worst.  But, you can do this... and if you read some of the stories here I have a hunch it will give you an idea of what to expect.  More folks will reply soon, and it sounds like you are among some of the lucky ones that got their tumor found very early..

    Hang in there and keep us posted..!

    Ron

    Normal reaction

    Toni,

    Being otherwise fairly healthy amd being told you have Kidney Cancer and that you are going to have surgery is overwhelming. In fact it nearly scared the s--t out of me. That was 11 and 1/2 years ago. For the last few years I have been tryng to help the newbies having been there and done that. The Surgery is anything, but fun, but based upon the size of your tumor my money is on a full recovery from the surgery alone. You are going to have a not so fun buldge for awhile, but that is part of the initiation.

    As far as back pain. It is very normal with a kidney tumor. Mine went away after surgery. Back pain could also can be a 1000 other things, but kidney cancer is definately one of them.

     

    Hearing the big C word is one of the scariest things you can hear. Having fully recovered from the Cancer part makes it a lot less scary when you know it can be beat and you beat it.

     

    Icemantoo

  • tonib
    tonib Member Posts: 33
    Thanks for the

    Thanks for the comments...trying to breathe but have my moments when I think the worst. The urologist said they will have to go through my back instead of the front/side.  Have/do you know of anyone that had it done this way?  He said there isn't as much room doing it this way so I am not sure what to expect.

     

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    tonib said:

    Thanks for the

    Thanks for the comments...trying to breathe but have my moments when I think the worst. The urologist said they will have to go through my back instead of the front/side.  Have/do you know of anyone that had it done this way?  He said there isn't as much room doing it this way so I am not sure what to expect.

     

    Surgery from the back

    Toni,

     

    Others have had surgery from the back on this board. Hopefully they will chime in to help with your concerns.

     

    Icemantoo

  • Djinnie
    Djinnie Member Posts: 945 Member
    tonib said:

    Thanks for the

    Thanks for the comments...trying to breathe but have my moments when I think the worst. The urologist said they will have to go through my back instead of the front/side.  Have/do you know of anyone that had it done this way?  He said there isn't as much room doing it this way so I am not sure what to expect.

     

    Surgery!

    Hi Toni, 

    I am sorry to hear your news, to be told you may have cancer is such a shock to the system. The main thing for you to hang on to is that if it is cancer they have caught it early. Just keep that thought in your head! The tumour is small so your kidney should make a good recovery:) Will you be having keyhole surgery?

    Are you saying that your disc pain has come back coupled with the burning in your abdomen, or you are just experiencing a burning pain in the abdomen?

    Djinnie

     

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

    Surgery!

    Hi Toni, 

    I am sorry to hear your news, to be told you may have cancer is such a shock to the system. The main thing for you to hang on to is that if it is cancer they have caught it early. Just keep that thought in your head! The tumour is small so your kidney should make a good recovery:) Will you be having keyhole surgery?

    Are you saying that your disc pain has come back coupled with the burning in your abdomen, or you are just experiencing a burning pain in the abdomen?

    Djinnie

     

    back pain

    Toni, it could be related pain. And maybe not. Your body is making adjustments to it's recent changes. I suggest you not worry about that too much. Wait until nephrectomy and let it sort out. You have other things to think about other than if it is the same pain. Take it easy for the next few weeks. Let your disc pain settle down and get that bugger out of you. Then concentrate on getting better.

  • HarleyMom117
    HarleyMom117 Member Posts: 27 Member
    Hi, Toni

    My name is Terri.  I'm 46, and I had an open radical nephrectomy on Oct. 2.   Like you, my tumor was found completely on accident while my doctor was investigating something unrelated, and mind was also very small (4cm cubed).   I did have my entire left kidney removed through the front -- I was in the hospital for 5 days (on an epidural for 4, which did an awesome job of controlling my pain).   The recovery wasn't easy, but it wasn't as bad as the back surgery I had for a herniated disk in '05.

    My tumor was found to be the chromophobe type of renal cell carcinoma (and not the more common clear cell).   While my urologist and the oncologist I see next month will watch me closely in the future, we are pretty sure all of my cancer came out with the kidney, and that I won't need any further treatment.  I'm sure you've been doing a ton of research on kidney cancer, and some of it will undoubtedly confuse and worry you.   I've found that this is an incredible site to come to for information and to ask questions.

    Please come back often, and keep us updated on how you're doing (both approaching -- and after -- your surgery!)

    Terri

  • tonib
    tonib Member Posts: 33
    This has been an incredible

    This has been an incredible site!  I have been looking around and it is helping with the shock of recent weeks.  Djinnie - I am not sure what keyhole surgery is, they are going to try to do a lap procedure I think if they can. He said something about the Di Vinci but right now I have forgotten all he said about it.  My disc pain is worse than it was a couple of months ago and am also having the abdominal pain as well.  Terri - I am so glad to hear that you have good news and had a good recovery!  I am sure I will be coming back often.  It is really comforting hearing from you all and I really appreciate it!   

  • Eims
    Eims Member Posts: 423
    tonib said:

    This has been an incredible

    This has been an incredible site!  I have been looking around and it is helping with the shock of recent weeks.  Djinnie - I am not sure what keyhole surgery is, they are going to try to do a lap procedure I think if they can. He said something about the Di Vinci but right now I have forgotten all he said about it.  My disc pain is worse than it was a couple of months ago and am also having the abdominal pain as well.  Terri - I am so glad to hear that you have good news and had a good recovery!  I am sure I will be coming back often.  It is really comforting hearing from you all and I really appreciate it!   

    hi tonib.....yes lap

    hi tonib.....yes lap procedure is keyhole surgery in europe.  i must admit i had shoulder pain before i had my diagnosis and that can sometimes be related to the kidney!!  crazy i know.  your body is probably trying to cope with everything and it is surprising how it reacts!!  you can and will get through this that i can guarantee......truly tonib this is a great place and we are all here to listen and talk......

    eims x

  • tonib
    tonib Member Posts: 33
    Thanks Eims! It's nice to

    Thanks Eims! It's nice to talk to people who know exactly how you're feeling!

  • Vivaldi
    Vivaldi Member Posts: 27
    tonib said:

    Thanks Eims! It's nice to

    Thanks Eims! It's nice to talk to people who know exactly how you're feeling!

    85 is not a hundred

    I very rarely comment here, because it is a little weird given I don't have kidney cancer......but one year ago on Tuesday I was told I had kidney cancer, or rather I was told 90% certainty that my kidney mass was RCC. Four months later I had surgery, an open partial nephrectomy to remove a tumour that was 2.5 x 3.5 cms.  Six weeks later at follow up, my pathology report indicated it was an oncocytoma.  See, even thought 85 or 90 is a big number, there are still those of us who end up in the small percent.  Only 3-7 percent of kidney tumours are oncocytomas, but it does happen.  Until the pathology is in, there is still the possibility.  I know I embraced the big number and really had no thought of anything but having cancer.  I wanted to let you know that there is hope for something other than this dreadful disease.  I still read and keep up with people here, for the six months I believed I had kidney cancer this was such a resource of comfort for me.  The positive attitude and helpfulness of the people here will lift you up no matter what the pathology finally says, but I will personally root for you to be one of us three percenters.  Best of luck.

  • tonib
    tonib Member Posts: 33
    Vivaldi said:

    85 is not a hundred

    I very rarely comment here, because it is a little weird given I don't have kidney cancer......but one year ago on Tuesday I was told I had kidney cancer, or rather I was told 90% certainty that my kidney mass was RCC. Four months later I had surgery, an open partial nephrectomy to remove a tumour that was 2.5 x 3.5 cms.  Six weeks later at follow up, my pathology report indicated it was an oncocytoma.  See, even thought 85 or 90 is a big number, there are still those of us who end up in the small percent.  Only 3-7 percent of kidney tumours are oncocytomas, but it does happen.  Until the pathology is in, there is still the possibility.  I know I embraced the big number and really had no thought of anything but having cancer.  I wanted to let you know that there is hope for something other than this dreadful disease.  I still read and keep up with people here, for the six months I believed I had kidney cancer this was such a resource of comfort for me.  The positive attitude and helpfulness of the people here will lift you up no matter what the pathology finally says, but I will personally root for you to be one of us three percenters.  Best of luck.

    Thank you for your support!

    Thank you for your support!  I am trying to concentrate on that 15% and that it isn't cancer. I am glad you were in that small percentage!

  • rchalmer
    rchalmer Member Posts: 15
    my 2 cents..

    Toni,

     

    I was diagnosed 10/2011

    Partial Nephrectomy on right kidney 11/2011

    pathology came back - malignant

     

    I had my cyst found on an abdominal CT that was done because of abdominal and back pain. 

    I had a 7.62 cm ?(don't remember exact dimensions) tumor. 

    Mine was on the front but I had massive amounts of back pain... probably because our kidneys are located towards the back...

    I was lucky to live in the Washington DC metro area and I had my surgery at Johns Hopkins. My surgeon and "Da Vinci" (the robot) performed mine laprascopically from the front. 

    I'm brand new to the site myself. I do know that having had a small cyst/tumor makes having it completly removed via surgery very much easier. 

    I've not had to do anything except CT scans every 6 months to make sure nothing has come back or spread. 

    not sure if you pray or not... or would accept prayers from others... but I found that it helped my state of mind.. no matter what Higher power you have.

     

    -Ross

     

  • tonib
    tonib Member Posts: 33
    I do pray....daily if not

    I do pray....daily if not more.  Yes, it does help!  Thank you for the encouragement!

  • tonib
    tonib Member Posts: 33
    rchalmer...glad you are doing

    rchalmer...glad you are doing well and welcome!