Update & slight rant

T1ffanyz
T1ffanyz Member Posts: 41
in Kidney Cancer #1

in the days/months after my surgery I was here a great deal.  I will never forget the support that I have received from everyone.  It's been 7 months since my partial nephrectomy in which I found our that I had RCC. Everyone was so warm and welcoming and responsive to my questions. 

 

I went back back to work before I should have, I am a teacher and hated the idea of missing the first week and getting to know my students.  I had an amazing support system at work and it hasn't been too bad.  

 

Ive gotten so busy, this cancer has been a wake up call, I spent the last month applying to graduate school, and I begin May 5! I'm so excited, afte that it's med school!  

 

Now ow for my rant, the past few nights I have been having severe pain at my incision and stabbing needle like pain.  My mom kept telling me to come ask for advice and I shrugged it off... Well in desperation I googled what to expect 6 months after a nephrectomy and it brought me to a thread on here... Where I should have came from the start. After reading a lot of posts I gather that the pain will last some time, but I guess the question that hasn't been answered is how do I manage this stabbing pain?

 

tiffany

 

 

Comments

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #2
    6 motnths after

    Tiffany,

     

    Six months after it is normal to have a little swellling and discomfort, but not stabbimg pain. Have this checked out by your doctors.

     

    The first thing a new doctor has to do is listen to your body. Hopefully I am wrong, but check it out.

     

     

    Icemantoo

  • T1ffanyz
    T1ffanyz Member Posts: 41
    #3
    icemantoo said:

    6 motnths after

    Tiffany,

     

    Six months after it is normal to have a little swellling and discomfort, but not stabbimg pain. Have this checked out by your doctors.

     

    The first thing a new doctor has to do is listen to your body. Hopefully I am wrong, but check it out.

     

     

    Icemantoo

    Thank you

    I will email them today,I was trying to avoid urgent care, my dr is in ny, I am home in fl and I know they will say go to the er. The pain is horRible

  • donna_lee
    donna_lee Member Posts: 1,042 Member
    #4
    T1ffanyz said:

    Thank you

    I will email them today,I was trying to avoid urgent care, my dr is in ny, I am home in fl and I know they will say go to the er. The pain is horRible

    Pain

    Glad you came thru the first run and have been recovering.  Way to go to want to go to Grad school and then some.  Cheers to you!!!!

    I didn't have stabbing pain, although I would suspect it's because the incision also had to go through several layers of muscle and fascia, which of course, has lots of nerves.  You need to determine if it occurrs in just one spot or is localized along the incision before you see the Dr.  It will help him figure it out.

    My Zorro line was over 14"; and the most problem I've had over the years is the itch along the incision.  Some lotions work, but not the heavily scented kind. Also I finish off a shower with cold spray to that area to cool all the tissue and that helps some.  And after almost 8 years since surgery, the little holes made by the staples that had healed over, have now been working their way to the surface like white heads.  They form a small bump, which itches, I scratch it off, and it looks like a tiny white tube. 

    If you have a primary Dr., see if you can get in there.  The next most expensive is Urgent Care.  And the biggie is ER.

    Good luck. Let us know what happens and if you find an answer.

    Donna

     

  • T1ffanyz
    T1ffanyz Member Posts: 41
    #5
    donna_lee said:

    Pain

    Glad you came thru the first run and have been recovering.  Way to go to want to go to Grad school and then some.  Cheers to you!!!!

    I didn't have stabbing pain, although I would suspect it's because the incision also had to go through several layers of muscle and fascia, which of course, has lots of nerves.  You need to determine if it occurrs in just one spot or is localized along the incision before you see the Dr.  It will help him figure it out.

    My Zorro line was over 14"; and the most problem I've had over the years is the itch along the incision.  Some lotions work, but not the heavily scented kind. Also I finish off a shower with cold spray to that area to cool all the tissue and that helps some.  And after almost 8 years since surgery, the little holes made by the staples that had healed over, have now been working their way to the surface like white heads.  They form a small bump, which itches, I scratch it off, and it looks like a tiny white tube. 

    If you have a primary Dr., see if you can get in there.  The next most expensive is Urgent Care.  And the biggie is ER.

    Good luck. Let us know what happens and if you find an answer.

    Donna

     

    Thank you Donna

    The pain seems to be up and down the incision line, it's occuring at all times of the day. In my research I believe it's nerve pain from the nerves still mending, but it's sucking the life out of me. I've hesitated calling the dis, my surgeon, primary, etc are all in new York. I know they will send me to the er.  urgent care centers here suck. I went to the er in September with severe pain after the surgery and it was a waste. They did scans checked the incision and said I was dealing with healing pain. It's 8 months march 11, just wondering we when it will end.  

     

    As as for college thank you, cancer made me realize I need to pursue my dream

  • Jan4you
    Jan4you Member Posts: 1,330 Member
    #6
    So sorry for all you are

    So sorry for all you are going through. But YAY for going to grad school and forward with your career!

    I would get this checked out since you describe it as "severe and daily"..

    It could be adhesions, but need to rule out any obstructions or hernias.

    Is your incision very big? And does it cross over the midline? (line down your body diving us from left to right)

    I have had lazer light therapy. No MD will offer this, nor will probably know about it. It was not expensive, but gave the nerve endings much need light to continue healing. I had my done by a specialized Nutrionist and also by my highly trained Chiropractor. So you would need to do a search in an alternative type clinic.

    BUT first get this checked out in case it is something more serious.

    Good luck and let us know what you learn!

    Warmly, Jan

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