Pain Resulting from Kidney Cancer

Bonngo

Hi Everyone,

I had an open partial nephrectomy in January 2012 which was found after complaint to my doctor of right sided pain. I am curious to know how many of you experienced only pain as a symptom of your kidney cancer? 

A few months ago I started experiencing the same sort of pain again and unfortunately was in the middle of moving from NH to Iowa so have kind of ignored it til now but it is getting worse.  After reading the posts below about the recurrence time frame I am a bit concerned.  My doctor had given me the 10% chance of recurrence but never did I hear within any time frame.  The facility I was using in NH only do CT Scans ever other year for follow-up which means I did not have one last year.  I am overdue now for follow-up and have begun the task of getting my medical records transferred to a new medical facility in Iowa.

I am thanful that I at least had the pain as a symptom as otherwise I would have never known about the kidney cancer.  Look forward to hearing if anyone else's experience has been the same.

Thank you.

Bonnie

icemantoo

Welcome to the Midwest

Bonnie,

 

The pains you describe could be a hundred different things, only one of which may have to do with Kidney Cancer. Get your scans up to date and check with a GP for his/her take on your pain issues.

 

Icemmantoo

 

LynninNC

Symptoms

 

Bonnie, my diagnosis 2 plus years ago was sparked by very high blood pressure during a routine check up. I was asked to monitor it and it stayed high for a week. I then had a day of a stitch in my side high up on left side that made me look up what a heart attack felt like. Two days later I realized while carrying a heavy casserole dish that I could not breathe very well. Now, if I had not been aware of the elevated BP I am not sure I would have gone to the doctor. But it was enough to make me go. some blood work, an EKG, a chest x-ray, and then a contrast CT scan all in the course of the afternoon and evening showed the mass in the kidney. I never felt anything before that. My kidney was removed about 3 weeks later.  I would not jump to conclusions but be diligent in getting back into screenings.   L~

APny

icemantoo said:

Welcome to the Midwest

Bonnie,

 

The pains you describe could be a hundred different things, only one of which may have to do with Kidney Cancer. Get your scans up to date and check with a GP for his/her take on your pain issues.

 

Icemmantoo

 

I had absolutely no pain and

I had absolutely no pain and had it not been for suddenly seeing blood in my urine, I'd never have known there was anything wrong. Thank god my urologist suggested a CT scan even though he thought it's most likely a UTI and put me on antibiotics. Well, unfortunately it wasn't a UTI but at least it was caught early (3.5 cm). I get follow up US and x-ray every six months. Definitely go for a scan since you did not have one last year.

angelsnls

LynninNC said:

Symptoms

 

Bonnie, my diagnosis 2 plus years ago was sparked by very high blood pressure during a routine check up. I was asked to monitor it and it stayed high for a week. I then had a day of a stitch in my side high up on left side that made me look up what a heart attack felt like. Two days later I realized while carrying a heavy casserole dish that I could not breathe very well. Now, if I had not been aware of the elevated BP I am not sure I would have gone to the doctor. But it was enough to make me go. some blood work, an EKG, a chest x-ray, and then a contrast CT scan all in the course of the afternoon and evening showed the mass in the kidney. I never felt anything before that. My kidney was removed about 3 weeks later.  I would not jump to conclusions but be diligent in getting back into screenings.   L~

symptoms

HI I had no symptoms at all, my Dr found that I was severely anemic after a routine blood test, he sent me for scopes to check bowel and stomach, nothing found so was sent for ultrasound where they found a large tumour on my right kidney, it measured more than 8cms that was in march 2014 it was removed in may 2014 and it had grown to 9.8cm. No symptoms at all except anemia which was only picked up by chance.

Take care x

APny

angelsnls said:

symptoms

HI I had no symptoms at all, my Dr found that I was severely anemic after a routine blood test, he sent me for scopes to check bowel and stomach, nothing found so was sent for ultrasound where they found a large tumour on my right kidney, it measured more than 8cms that was in march 2014 it was removed in may 2014 and it had grown to 9.8cm. No symptoms at all except anemia which was only picked up by chance.

Take care x

That's interesting because I

That's interesting because I was also severely anemic the year before my cancer was diagnosed but the colonoscopy that was ordered found a large polyp so it was assumed that's what was bleeding and causing the anemia. Had they not found a polyp they would have probably ordered a scan for me too and my cancer would have been found a year ealier.

foroughsh

I had little flank pain and

I had little flank pain and GP thought it is UTI, after few days i still had that pain so visited a urologiest who sent me for US just to make sure it's not kidney stone. he couldn't believe a 10cm mass is my kidney as US showed so sent me for CT, finally I was told I have kidney cancer 6 days since the pain started!!!! It's best to talk to your urologist to have a piece of mind about abdominal pain, I think. Forough

Allochka

foroughsh said:

I had little flank pain and

I had little flank pain and GP thought it is UTI, after few days i still had that pain so visited a urologiest who sent me for US just to make sure it's not kidney stone. he couldn't believe a 10cm mass is my kidney as US showed so sent me for CT, finally I was told I have kidney cancer 6 days since the pain started!!!! It's best to talk to your urologist to have a piece of mind about abdominal pain, I think. Forough

Hello,
i haven't had kidney

Hello,

i haven't had kidney cancer ( my fiance did), but I've been having left flank pain for some 3-4 weeks. Got ultrasound just in case - all clear. My fiance's father also had similar pains recently, and also had ultrasound (doctors recommended parents to get checked too, to see if kidney cancer runs in the family).  All was allright with him as well. So such pains could be million things, like Iceman said. Could be muscular, or some neuralgia. do not assume it is cancer, but get your follow-up in case it is overdue.

Footstomper

Allochka said:

Hello,
i haven't had kidney

Hello,

i haven't had kidney cancer ( my fiance did), but I've been having left flank pain for some 3-4 weeks. Got ultrasound just in case - all clear. My fiance's father also had similar pains recently, and also had ultrasound (doctors recommended parents to get checked too, to see if kidney cancer runs in the family).  All was allright with him as well. So such pains could be million things, like Iceman said. Could be muscular, or some neuralgia. do not assume it is cancer, but get your follow-up in case it is overdue.

No pain

I was interviewed by student doctors during my stay in hospital and they seemed disappointed, or at least surprised , that I didnt mention pain. It was never the main experience. I was never sure when discomfert becomes pain. Even when I was in a bad way with IL2 pain, while there, was never top of the agenda.

And long may it stay that way

Ree_Maryland

scans

Hi, I had right kidney removed on April 21st of 2014 , I had  RCC T1B, than I  a chest and pelvic and adom scan done . August 5th 2014 ,clear so far ,next scan is due April 3rid of 2015,  I know am having left kidney pain , on and off. Funny thing is this I never had pain in right kidney only syptomes was pain in left side. Only reason I found out was everytime I had a urine test the blood was getting higher ,I always had a trace of blook on urnine for 25 yrs or more . hope this makes sense and thinking of you and your family. Hope you enjoy your new residence .

Bonngo

Thank You

Thank you everyone for taking the time to comment on my post.  It seems that pain is not the most common of symptoms with kidney disease and like you all said I have begun the process with an appointment on Tuesday with a new primary care doctor.  The only other issues I have encountered since the surgery in 2012 was this past summer my GFR dropped to 41 and the doctor took me off a medication that was hard on the kidneys and it did go back up but it has always been below normal.  Never have I had blood in the urine.  It may have something to do with location of the tumor since the tumor (t1b) was growing off the bottom of my kidney.  I am not sure why my doctor only does CT Scan every other year and blood work and chest x-ray every year.  Thank you all again for your kind words and support.

icemantoo

Bonngo said:

Thank You

Thank you everyone for taking the time to comment on my post.  It seems that pain is not the most common of symptoms with kidney disease and like you all said I have begun the process with an appointment on Tuesday with a new primary care doctor.  The only other issues I have encountered since the surgery in 2012 was this past summer my GFR dropped to 41 and the doctor took me off a medication that was hard on the kidneys and it did go back up but it has always been below normal.  Never have I had blood in the urine.  It may have something to do with location of the tumor since the tumor (t1b) was growing off the bottom of my kidney.  I am not sure why my doctor only does CT Scan every other year and blood work and chest x-ray every year.  Thank you all again for your kind words and support.

GFR

Bonnago,

 

A GFR as low as 41 at your age is something you should see a Nephrologist about. While all of us with 1 kidney have low GFR's, 41 is too low at your age. It only gets lower as you get older. The issue is much more than a chance of kidney failure in the future. It also effects heart and stroke issues. Again see a Nephrologist and watch and control any high blood pressure. This is not a Kidney Cancer issue, but it needs to be addressed.

 

 

Icemantoo

 

 

 

Bonngo

icemantoo said:

GFR

Bonnago,

 

A GFR as low as 41 at your age is something you should see a Nephrologist about. While all of us with 1 kidney have low GFR's, 41 is too low at your age. It only gets lower as you get older. The issue is much more than a chance of kidney failure in the future. It also effects heart and stroke issues. Again see a Nephrologist and watch and control any high blood pressure. This is not a Kidney Cancer issue, but it needs to be addressed.

 

 

Icemantoo

 

 

 

Icemantoo,Thanks for your

Icemantoo,

Thanks for your response.  The thing is I still have 2/3 of my kidney that had the cancerous tumor.  Because of its location being off the bottom of the kidney, the doctor removed the tumor and the bottom third of the kidney.  The fact that I have that much kidney left does not bode well for the low GFR.  Hopefully I will be able to be seen by specialists in a relatviely short period of time.  Also, thanks for the mid-west welcome, it certainly has been a big change for me and my family since my husband and I both were born and raised in the same town in NH as well as raising our children.  

Bonnie

tyjsbtn

Bonngo, I never had any pain

Bonngo, I never had any pain when my cancer was found.  The only symptom I had was a running a fever every night for 4 months.  My doctor thought that I might have a gall bladder issue since I have a large gall stone (I have had it for about 8 years now).  Went for us and they found a mass on my left kidney which the ct confirmed.  I had my kidney removed 8/11/14 along with the 13cm tumor.  

Bonngo

tyjsbtn said:

Bonngo, I never had any pain

Bonngo, I never had any pain when my cancer was found.  The only symptom I had was a running a fever every night for 4 months.  My doctor thought that I might have a gall bladder issue since I have a large gall stone (I have had it for about 8 years now).  Went for us and they found a mass on my left kidney which the ct confirmed.  I had my kidney removed 8/11/14 along with the 13cm tumor.  

Wow I am amazed with a tumor

Wow I am amazed with a tumor that size you had no pain.  Well I hopefully will know soon if this pain which has returned is either another issue or a regrowth.  Thanks for your response.

Bonngo

Off to Urology/Oncology

Appointment with new primary care doctor resulted in an urgent referral to University of Iowa Medical Center tomorrow.  Blood work showed GFR not bad at 58 but for the first time ever had blood show up in the urine. Hope they can get scan done tomorrow (wishful thinking) because as everyone knows waiting is the worse!

Allochka

Bonngo said:

Off to Urology/Oncology

Appointment with new primary care doctor resulted in an urgent referral to University of Iowa Medical Center tomorrow.  Blood work showed GFR not bad at 58 but for the first time ever had blood show up in the urine. Hope they can get scan done tomorrow (wishful thinking) because as everyone knows waiting is the worse!

Wishing you good luck with

Wishing you good luck with your appointment, quick scans and no recurrence! Remember, reccurence probability is low, and pain can be thousand other things. But it is good to get tested.

Please keep us posted!

shaval123

I never had any pain either

With me I was suddenly unable to empty my bladder one Nighy but passed a couple of clots. Never had that before or any other symptoms. When I called the doc in the morning he sent me to the emergency and I was sent next to a urologist. I thought I had a UTI and he  sent me for CT looking for kidney stones. Ended up I had a 12 cm tumor on my kidney. I had an open radical early Dec. To remove the kidney and mass. Came back RCC. Still having pains from the surgery and scar but thanking God for my God and my surgeon who watched over me.

Bonngo

shaval123 said:

I never had any pain either

With me I was suddenly unable to empty my bladder one Nighy but passed a couple of clots. Never had that before or any other symptoms. When I called the doc in the morning he sent me to the emergency and I was sent next to a urologist. I thought I had a UTI and he  sent me for CT looking for kidney stones. Ended up I had a 12 cm tumor on my kidney. I had an open radical early Dec. To remove the kidney and mass. Came back RCC. Still having pains from the surgery and scar but thanking God for my God and my surgeon who watched over me.

Amen

We do need to be very thankful!  I hope your recovery goes well.  It will be several months before you start to feel like you may be on the road to feeling normal after an open nephrectomy.  Even after three years my incision area is very sensitive.  Some of it also seems to be where I had portion of 12th rib removed.  I wish you a speedy recovery!  

God Bless.

Bonngo

Tests Today

Today I will be going in for a CT scan, chest x-ray and cystoscopy.  I'm hoping I will have some answers.  Trying to keep positive thoughts! 

 

Allochka

Bonngo said:

Tests Today

Today I will be going in for a CT scan, chest x-ray and cystoscopy.  I'm hoping I will have some answers.  Trying to keep positive thoughts! 

 

Good luck to you! My fiance

Good luck to you! My fiance is getting his first follow-up ultrasound today too, and I'm pretty nervous, of course.

I hope you both get great results, as well as all others whose scans are approaching :-)