Does anyone else have long term "achiness"?

Septemberzoe

Hello again...hope everyone is staying warm through this cold January. I had a laparoscopic robot assisted partial nephrectomy of a 3.5 cm clear cell rcc ( stage 1 grade 2) in the beginning of September. i have been blessed with a good recovery. Have had 2 rounds of ct scans since then with good results ( lung nodules showed up which seem to be benign) here's my question...in the last couple of weeks I have a definite "achiness" on my nephrectomy side in the back wrapping around to front kind of right under my ribs. Has anyone else had this? I am windering if this is part of the recovery? thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge xo

dhs1963

I have had this

I did not know what was causing it....I asked, and the Dr's did not have a clue.  This is 19 months post nephrectomy (and going on since the surgery).  I mentioned it to my Primary care physician, and she suggested it might be nerve pain, and to use lidocane patches and stuff like ben-gay on in.  After two days, I think she may have been right.  (all the Surgeons did was rule out hernia).

Septemberzoe

dhs1963 said:

I have had this

I did not know what was causing it....I asked, and the Dr's did not have a clue.  This is 19 months post nephrectomy (and going on since the surgery).  I mentioned it to my Primary care physician, and she suggested it might be nerve pain, and to use lidocane patches and stuff like ben-gay on in.  After two days, I think she may have been right.  (all the Surgeons did was rule out hernia).

Thanks

Thanks! In my logical moments I tell myself that its normal achiness from surgical recovery...in my anxious moments I worry that it is  because the cancer has spread.

dhs1963

Septemberzoe said:

Thanks

Thanks! In my logical moments I tell myself that its normal achiness from surgical recovery...in my anxious moments I worry that it is  because the cancer has spread.

I hear you

Every new ache gets me concerned.  But it is usually either unrelated, or related only from the surgeries.  Did you have any symptoms of the cancer?

Frank302

dhs1963 said:

I hear you

Every new ache gets me concerned.  But it is usually either unrelated, or related only from the surgeries.  Did you have any symptoms of the cancer?

Hey Zoe

I had the same surgery you did , going on three years ago and I have an odd pain on my left side right under my rig cage . At times it becomes an intense muscle cramp . The doctors say there is no obvious reason for it . It's pretty close to one of the little scars from the surgery so it is probably related to that in some way .

Septemberzoe

Frank302 said:

Hey Zoe

I had the same surgery you did , going on three years ago and I have an odd pain on my left side right under my rig cage . At times it becomes an intense muscle cramp . The doctors say there is no obvious reason for it . It's pretty close to one of the little scars from the surgery so it is probably related to that in some way .

No...I never had any symptoms

No...I never had any symptoms of the cancer...it was found when I went to the ER for something totally unrelated. Thanks for sharing frank, good to hear from someone 3 years out!  

foxhd

Septemberzoe said:

No...I never had any symptoms

No...I never had any symptoms of the cancer...it was found when I went to the ER for something totally unrelated. Thanks for sharing frank, good to hear from someone 3 years out!  

one has to

understand. That a major organ has been removed or cut apart. The skin, muscle, physiology and function of your body is now different than it was for your entire life prior to surgery. Your nervous system has operated for umpteen years exactly the same way. Now everything has been affected. Maybe the shock has worn off. Maybe the way you move has slightly adjusted. Maybe the strength won't be the same. I could go on for a while. This question never comes up 5 years out. Because there are changes and with time, the "new" you becomes the normal. It takes a long time for your body to adjust. Be patient. Expect differences. Then with time , it is all the same.....

You used to be skinny, now you're not, had hair, now not so much, white teeth, etc.....

unless the way you feel is so way off what you might expect, go with it. adapt, adjust, and move on. You'll never be the same. Just different.....just like the rest of us.

Jan4you

Glad to know most of your

Glad to know most of your recovery has been going well.

I learned that with any surgery you are CUT, the nerve pathways cannot communicate the way they used to and so may not be completely healing. So I had lazer light therapy for any scars I had. I was told especially if you were cut anywhre midline, the communication from the brain to the "injured" area has stopped. So the healing process is never complete.

The coost was cheap and the number of minutes they used the lazer light was 5-10 mins. I felt better. You need to inquire where "alternative" therapies are offered, some chiropractors are using lazer light for pain management too. Mine was done by this most amazing, specialized Nutritionist. Again Alternative treatment places. Your regular MDs probably have not even heard of this.

Good luck, with the rest of your healing Jan

Galrim

Had more or less the same experience...

Lasted about a year or so after the nephrectomy. I asked my surgeon at one pont and he said, quote: "Its relatively often seen. The direct causes are unknown but you had a major organ removed, so for the body to react and adjust in some way is only as it should be".

One thing to look out for though, is if you start to experience any kind of bulging in the incision area as it could be a hernia developing which is not uncommon post-op either.

/G

GSRon

Galrim said:

Had more or less the same experience...

Lasted about a year or so after the nephrectomy. I asked my surgeon at one pont and he said, quote: "Its relatively often seen. The direct causes are unknown but you had a major organ removed, so for the body to react and adjust in some way is only as it should be".

One thing to look out for though, is if you start to experience any kind of bulging in the incision area as it could be a hernia developing which is not uncommon post-op either.

/G

Yes, I have a bunch of aches

Yes, I have a bunch of aches and pains all over my mid section area...  I can almost ignore them after almost 2 years.  Just part of the deal...sigh

Ron

Septemberzoe

GSRon said:

Yes, I have a bunch of aches

Yes, I have a bunch of aches and pains all over my mid section area...  I can almost ignore them after almost 2 years.  Just part of the deal...sigh

Ron

Thanks!

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences...I will definitely ask about this during my next appointment in march but it puts my mind at ease knowing others have had similar aches..thanks! Xoxo