Radical Nephrectomy
I am facing a radical nephrectomy, and I want very much to hear from people who have had either laporoscopic or open surgery. (Laporoscopic surgery might not be feasible in my case, but it will only be when the anesthetic has worn off that I’ll actually know which method was used.)
Can anyone help me by sharing your experience with this surgery? What might I expect in terms of post-op hospital time, pain level(s), time it took for you to feel a return of strength and vigor? Any and all information that you care to share will be much appreciated.
Each person’s experience will differ, of course, but I am eager to hear from those who have actually gone through the procedure.
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I had a partial nephrectomy and it was open I was in hospital four four day I walked as soon as I could I was recovering four four weeks then I was back to work everyone is different you will do fine it’s a pretty easy surgery you will be in pain for awhile a pillow held against your tummy will be your best friend walk as much as you can you will feel better you will do great how big is your tumor
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Welcome sdjeugene-
Sorry you had to join us, but I'm glad you found us. We've been through what you're going through, so we're here for you if you have questions or just need to vent.
As for your question, I had a robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical nephrectomy in 2018. I wrote a long version of my experience here- https://csn.cancer.org/node/318416
As for post-op hospital time, like you said, everyone is different - but I was out of the hospital the next day. There was a lot of discomfort, but not a lot of pain. I was prescribed painkillers, but I ended up not needing them and just stuck to regular Tylenol. Return to strength and vigor: less than a week later, I was walking around pretty normally. But it took me longer to get back into more rigorous exercise. The advice is to just listen to your body, and my body was not ready for strenuous work-outs until closer to three months post-neph.
Anyways, read my longer post - and check out the various threads on this forum. If you have any questions, we're here for you. We got through it - we know you will, too. You've got this!
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I was just in the hospital one night for a laparoscopic nephrectomy. That first 24 hours was pretty rough, but doable. It all gradually felt better after I got home. Two main things are to walk as much as you can tolerate, and drink plenty of water (but not so much you flush all the vitamins and nutrients out of your body!).
One thing I wish I'd bought before surgery was a kind of baggy pair of basic farmer's overalls. Pants with waistbands, even elastic ones, aren't comfortable while the incisions are healing. It did help when I slipped a soft sponge inside the waistband. Good luck!
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I had a laproscopic radical nephrectomy back in March. I was out of the hospital the next day. Every day got a little easier but I had a tough time for the first week. Not necessarily pain but pretty uncomfortable, especially laying flat. I used a body pillow which was a great help at relieving the pain once I could actually sleep on my side...I don't think I would have been able to side sleep without it. But walking, staying hydrated, and listening to your body are the most important things. I didn't push myself (but I also got COVID 6 days post op) so it took me about two weeks to really get back to a normal routine and four weeks before I returned to work.
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Mine was a lap. In and out in 24 hours. Pain was minimal, and mainly in my shoulder (from the gas they use as part of the surgery) and hip (from where I think the surgeon whacked me with a baseball bat). Other thank walking progressively longer each day), I laid off any heavy lifting for six weeks or so.
I’ve also had a couple of open surgeries for intestinal issues. They were worse by a couple of orders of magnitude. I still tried to walk progressively longer each day, but it was a much longer slog to get back to normal. I firmly agree with the previous comment regarding a pillow. Holding it against your incision(s) will give you more support if you cough or, God forbid, sneeze.
In either event, here are wishes for a completely uneventful surgery and a speedy recovery.
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My nephroureterectomy was done in 2018 with both laparoscopy and incision in my abdomen. I was told upfront of this. My understanding was that it was not feasible to do the entire surgery with laparoscopy but that by preparing with lap first, it minimized exposure time after the incision was made. I had a catheter for a week and it was a challenge for me to manage it since I was very careful about keeping everything clean.
As for the rest of recovery, I will not go into details since similar experiences have been mentioned.
I wish you well on your surgery and recovery!
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Hi, welcome to this board. Sorry you are having to go through this. There are so many here who have great insight and advice that have been through this. I had an open radical nephrectomy in 2016. Mine was a very large tumor. I was in hospital for 4 or 5 days. There were complications with bleeding during the surgery. I agree with walking as soon as possible as your body will allow. The pillow is a great idea too. I was on pain meds for a short time but soon Tylenol was all that was needed to manage the pain. I was back at work after a couple of weeks and back to normal exercise type activity in a few months. All the best to you for an uneventful surgery and quick recovery. Please keep us updated on your journey!
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Hi. I work doing data entry and scanning so it wasn't too bad. I was on light duty for quite awhile no heavy lifting / filing. I think I also started the first week or so with partial days. I'm not sure I would advise for such an early return. My doctor cleared it, I tried it. I probably would have benefited from a little more recuperation at home. I also have a sit stand desk which was so helpful to be able to stand when sitting got uncomfortable. Stretchy leggings or pants that had no constricting waistbands were my friend. I'm grateful my work team was / is very supportive and considerate. I hope this helps in some way. My surgery was 5 years ago so hopefully yours will go smoothly without any complications. I'm praying for that for you☺
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Thanks. I wonder if you might know what a guy might wear for comfort: stretchy leggings might not work, and I’m not sure what pants wouldn’t have a constricting waistband. (I know sweat pants have strong elastic around the waist. Maybe I could find something with drawstrings?) For sleeping (and hanging out at home), I’ve ordered my first ever nightshirts! Another person said she wished she had bought bib overalls. Not exactly my go-to fashion statement, but this is all about comfort (and healing). If you have any suggestions, I be happy to hear them. Take care.
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Hi sdjeugene,
It sounds like to me your surgeon is going to start off my trying to do this laparoscopically, but may have to convert to an open procedure if needed.
I've had two partial laparoscopic (robotic) done at the same hospital by the same doctor done 5 years apart. I was 43 for the first one and 48 for the second one. The best advice I can give you is start prehabbing. Prior to my first surgery I sat around and worried. Prior to my second surgery I started a serious exercise plan. I was working out 6 days a week. I was doing cardio 30 to 45 min a day. I did core and body strengthening exercises. Heck I even started doing mediation. I did that for about 30 days before my last surgery and the difference between the two surgeries were night and day.
A friend of mine, I'll call him John, donated a kidney to his sister, his procedure was open. John had surgery on a Monday, stayed a couple of days in the hospital, and went home. Friday of that same week, he was out mowing his yard. Yes that was stupid, but it made me realize how important it is to be in shape, or at least being active is before having major surgery.
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The drawstring sweatpants sound like a good idea!
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I had open radical nephrectomy on my right November 1st. There were two masses, along with the kidney. One of the masses was benign. My doctor was very open telling me what to expect prior to surgery. I was in the hospital 4 days. I spent quite a bit of time sleeping and used oxi-cordon for pain. Don't rush to get off pain relievers, like I did. I ended up in the ER. Diagnosis: improper pain management. Keep walking and drink lots of water. 6 weeks out, I still wear sweats. I, too, just joined this forum
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hello I had an open radical nephrectomy 5 months ago and I am still recovering. I’m at 75% now. I was extremely weak and fatigued. I began getting vitamin C IV’s once a week and that started speeding up my recovery and increasing my energy. Prior to surgery I had no medical history and was very active. I found myself in a totally different world. I am now much more patient and kind to myself. I was unprepared because my diagnosis was sudden and I had a thrombosis as well so I was completely opened up and that takes quite a while to heal. I kept hearing 8-12 months also and now I’m starting to understand that recovery time is realistic. I am still pacing myself daily and now have a little trouble retaining sodium levels. I can say the pain does go away and the energy does increase eventually. I’m grateful I found this chat😃
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