Exhaustion, still tired.

BoondockSaint

Tomorrow will mark 16 weeks post op for my wife's partial on her left kidney stage 1 3.5 cm RCC.

For the most part, she's doing well. Been back to work since about the 4 week mark but.......on most days, by mid to late afternoon she is exhausted. She's getting pretty frustrated with it all. 

In general, what was most everyone's time frame on feeling back to normal? I know all cases are different. Just looking for ballpark time frames.

Boondock.

donna_lee

16 weeks is not unusual

I just visited with a friend at Relay for Life on Saturday.  3 months since a nephrectomy and told the Urologist she was still tired and needed a nap almost every day.  He told her it would take about a year to get over the surgery.

Mentally, I seemed OK after 6-8 weeks, but I was anxious to get on with living.  But it really took me nearly 9-12 months for my body to feel better.  Then I was hit with a recurrence and had more surgery. Oh, and that was the 12 month span in which I broke an ankle in 3 places and dislocated my foot, so was on crutches for 7 weeks.

Give the lady time, please.

Patience all around.

donna_lee

 

todd121

One Year

2-3 months after I was still getting really tired in the afternoon. I had odd symptoms for months. My blood pressure went up. I had some swelling and tingling in my hands off and on for months. I had something like vertigo a few times- bad enough I couldn't drive. It really was over a year before I started to feel like I was normal. It's a big shock to your body. I think losing that kidney it might take the other systems awhile to get used to it. That's just my theory from watching myself. I'm over 4 1/2 years out now. Feel pretty normal now.

Todd

foxhd

I'll stick

to saying it can take a year for most people to be fullly adjusted after neph.

BoondockSaint

Thanks ya'll. That's kinda

Thanks ya'll. That's kinda what I was thinking too from reading on here. But.......if ya'll only knew her. Lol

Bull-headed, stubborn and never stops moving (gotta love her). She's the one getting frustrated. I'm busy trying to keep her corralled and taking as much of the household day to day duties as I can.

I wish she'd join so she can see how great all ya'll are but I guess that's why she has me.

stub1969

Well...

I'm 10 months out from my partial and I still have some residual effects from the surgery.  I was back to work 2 weeks post surgery and probably pushed it a little, which resulted, I think, in a slower full recovery.  I'm currently training for a mid-summer half marathon and have struggled with a time on my long runs that I feel good about.  I was recently reminded by a friend on this board that I have to accept my "new normal"--I call it my "temperary normal".  As you can see, I'm a little stubborn:)

I guess what I'm trying to say is let your wife know this may take some time.  Have her try to relax and let her body dictate the course of her recovery.  I know she is working out, which could have the opposite effect on her recovery than what we expect.  She may want to take a little time off from the gym and do some light work-outs.  Eventually, she will start to feel better and will be ready for a full day.

Good luck!

Stub

JerzyGrrl

foxhd said:

I'll stick

to saying it can take a year for most people to be fullly adjusted after neph.

True, Fox, but...

That assumes we were "fully adjusted" before the neph. Some of us? No telling. 

Sigh...

Jerzy

Jan4you

Yes, it takes time. BUT she

Yes, it takes time. BUT she could be deficient in iron or other nutrients. Doctors just don't realize how our bodies need more nutrients as they are not trained in this area. I know of a specialized nutritionist (NOT dietician in most hospital settings) who can definitively decipher what we might be deficient in or toxic. Its worth an investigation. Its called NRT (Nutritional response testing) like ART which is Autonomic response tesing when your doctor has you push against his arm/hand to check your strength. MEDICATIONS, especially those used for General Anesthesia and pain pills also can cause you to have a sluggish liver. There are remedies in the Health food stores that help detoxify your liver/kidney of this sluggishness. I always feel better after such a detox. 

Hope you gain your strength back soon. Have you levels checked as well: Iron, B12, Vitamin D and such.

Jan

BoondockSaint

Had bloodwork done.....He ran

Had bloodwork done.....He ran her thru the gauntlet on bloodwork and urine. Checked kidney function......the whole 9.

Everything looked great except her cholesterol was high (never had been before) other than that we are taking as good news.

She has upped  her water intake and has been feeling really well this week. I actually think some of her problems may have been from being dehydrated 

Official 6mo. Scans and bloodwork with the Oncologist are At the end of August. 

ImNotDeadYet

Staying hydrated can

Staying hydrated can definitely be a game changer, as can time. I found that after my six weeks off work, I thought I was healed and ready to go. My first day back, I was ready to sack out by noon; I had to leave early. I'm about six months out now and have a lot more energy and often forget that I had surgery. We did move to Denver, so I'm still adjusting to the altitude. But I find that when I'm feeling sluggish or tired, it's often because I haven't been pounding the water. I shoot for at least five 20-ounce bottles of water (or the equivalent) each day - preferably a little more. Have her keep that kidney working at full capacity - lots of water - and it will definitely make a huge difference.