4 days post op

twinthings
twinthings Member Posts: 409
in Kidney Cancer #1

I'm 4 days post op, having had a radical nephrectomy of right kidney.  Though I have had a fair amount of discomfort in my belly, it cannot compare to the lower back pain I'm having.  I just wonder if this is normal.  I'm getting around pretty good, making sure I don't sit too long or lay too long in one position and I'm drinking plenty of water.  I feel like I'm doing all the right things but the lower back pain persits.  I know that people who suffer with kidney infections and/or stones have lower back pain but I have never had an issue with my kidneys, or so I thought, until I was diagnosed 2 weeks ago with RCC.  In all of my research, and I've done alot, I haven't read too much about other people having lower back pain post surgery which, again, begs the question, is this normal?

Comments

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #2
    Post op pains

    Twinthings.

     

    At 4 days out it seems that everything is sore. Probably nothing but do tell your doc about it.

     

    Icemantoo

  • focused
    focused Member Posts: 7
    #3
    post op pain

    I wish I could give you some feedback on this but my surgery is not until 6-25-13. It is good to her from someone with the same problem. 

     

  • growler9
    growler9 Member Posts: 48
    #4
    My aching back

    Hi - Tt  I had open partials on both kidneys and back pain was the pits for me. The only way I could get relief was to raise my hospital bed all the way up, stand by the side and bend over on some pillows placed around my incision so there wasn't any pressure on it. This took all the pressure off my back and felt wonderful. It will get better.  Alan

  • MDCinSC
    MDCinSC Member Posts: 574
    #5
    Three Weeks on Tuesday!

    That s how long since my Radical on the right kidney!  All those things you describe are right on target with my progressions  The nausea, at least for me still persists to some degree, but not nearly so bad after the second week.  I think things are finally starting to settle into the space that was abandonedLaughing!

    Take heart!  Each day will be better! 

    Keep positive, keep moving forward!

    Keep us posted!

     

    Michael

  • foxhd
    foxhd Member Posts: 3,181 Member
    #6
    MDCinSC said:

    Three Weeks on Tuesday!

    That s how long since my Radical on the right kidney!  All those things you describe are right on target with my progressions  The nausea, at least for me still persists to some degree, but not nearly so bad after the second week.  I think things are finally starting to settle into the space that was abandonedLaughing!

    Take heart!  Each day will be better! 

    Keep positive, keep moving forward!

    Keep us posted!

     

    Michael

    pain

    It is hard to offer a diagnosis of your pain based on what you say. Is it muscular?,skeletal?, nerve root?. You have just been through hell. As long as your healing is on tract, it will improve with time. Be patient. It is likely the way you were abused in positioning, or some other reflexive response. Be careful but keep active.

  • Gordon Charles
    Gordon Charles Member Posts: 91
    #7
    maybe I missed something.....

    Greetings Twin:  I'm trying to recall how I felt 4 days post radical right nephrectomy.  I believe the docs were debating what kind of enema to give me to get my bowels working...either that or a NG tube was going back in.  The only movement I was attempting was to reach my bedside commode.  In case anyone wonders, my urologist/surgeon has a "50 Best Doctors In The Nation" plaque on the wall so I'm guessing it wasn't a botched job.  Plus he had a transplant surgeon on hand to help with the internal roadmap.  Ms. Twin, imagine for a moment the method of entry.  Either from the front, like mine, which requires moving aside a lot of necessary plumbing and goodies.  Or from the side/rear which gets into the whole matter of muscles, as did the front, and a reverse angle look at all that pulsing stuff inside.  I was on the table for eight hours and enjoyed the sleep immensely.  What I'm getting at is that they don't call it a "Radical" nephrectomy for nothing.  I still have a back/side muscle that gets ornery on occaision and my surgery was two years ago.  As the others have said...communicate with your medical team and advocate for yourself...but remember even if you are NED, the body takes great exception at being messed with and can carry a grudge for a long time.  Think of warm baths and chocolate and a nasty old tumor that got what was coming to it.

  • twinthings
    twinthings Member Posts: 409
    #8
    Gordon Charles said:

    maybe I missed something.....

    Greetings Twin:  I'm trying to recall how I felt 4 days post radical right nephrectomy.  I believe the docs were debating what kind of enema to give me to get my bowels working...either that or a NG tube was going back in.  The only movement I was attempting was to reach my bedside commode.  In case anyone wonders, my urologist/surgeon has a "50 Best Doctors In The Nation" plaque on the wall so I'm guessing it wasn't a botched job.  Plus he had a transplant surgeon on hand to help with the internal roadmap.  Ms. Twin, imagine for a moment the method of entry.  Either from the front, like mine, which requires moving aside a lot of necessary plumbing and goodies.  Or from the side/rear which gets into the whole matter of muscles, as did the front, and a reverse angle look at all that pulsing stuff inside.  I was on the table for eight hours and enjoyed the sleep immensely.  What I'm getting at is that they don't call it a "Radical" nephrectomy for nothing.  I still have a back/side muscle that gets ornery on occaision and my surgery was two years ago.  As the others have said...communicate with your medical team and advocate for yourself...but remember even if you are NED, the body takes great exception at being messed with and can carry a grudge for a long time.  Think of warm baths and chocolate and a nasty old tumor that got what was coming to it.

    Makes sense, Gordon

    I expect you're right, Gordon.  Luckily, my bowels haven't been a problem : /  Today, my back feels somewhat better.  I've been out and about, walked around the pond, sat on the deck in the sun for a about 20 minutes and did some back stretches.  Haven't used pain meds today although I probably should. As evening approaches my pain climbs the scale and I become more miserably bloated. Dr said he'd have me back on an airplane and back to work 3weeks after surgery, but feeling like this, now 5 days out, isn't giving me much hope. Guess I should be patient. The more I read on this site (and others), it seems I'm not doing so bad, Just ready to feel normal again.  Thanks for all the feedback, it definitely helps!  

  • twinthings
    twinthings Member Posts: 409
    #9
    foxhd said:

    pain

    It is hard to offer a diagnosis of your pain based on what you say. Is it muscular?,skeletal?, nerve root?. You have just been through hell. As long as your healing is on tract, it will improve with time. Be patient. It is likely the way you were abused in positioning, or some other reflexive response. Be careful but keep active.

    Pain

    Thanks for the reply, fox!  I think my lower back pain is muscular in nature. It's somewhat better today.  I have periodically been stretching my back and it sure seems to have helped. Now, if I just knew what to do to speed the rest of this recovery along : )  who has time for this nonsense??

  • twinthings
    twinthings Member Posts: 409
    #10
    MDCinSC said:

    Three Weeks on Tuesday!

    That s how long since my Radical on the right kidney!  All those things you describe are right on target with my progressions  The nausea, at least for me still persists to some degree, but not nearly so bad after the second week.  I think things are finally starting to settle into the space that was abandonedLaughing!

    Take heart!  Each day will be better! 

    Keep positive, keep moving forward!

    Keep us posted!

     

    Michael

    No nausea

    Thanks for the encouraging words, Michael. I will consider myself extremely lucky that I've had no nausea.  Glad you're well on your way to recovery!  I'm hoping to be back in Ohio in 3 weeks, working.

  • twinthings
    twinthings Member Posts: 409
    #11
    icemantoo said:

    Post op pains

    Twinthings.

     

    At 4 days out it seems that everything is sore. Probably nothing but do tell your doc about it.

     

    Icemantoo

    You're right

    I expect you're right, icemantoo, I'm just a tad impatient. 

  • Eims
    Eims Member Posts: 423
    #12
    twinthings said:

    Pain

    Thanks for the reply, fox!  I think my lower back pain is muscular in nature. It's somewhat better today.  I have periodically been stretching my back and it sure seems to have helped. Now, if I just knew what to do to speed the rest of this recovery along : )  who has time for this nonsense??

    hi twinthings,  i had lower

    hi twinthings,  i had lower back pain for quite a while after the op....i wouldn't say pain exactly just discomfort really.....the doc said it was because of where the kidneys are and how they have to rummage around in there!!  don't rush yourself to recover...trust me i know how you feel because i underestimated the whole procedure!!  take your time you have your whole life ahead of you Wink

    eims x

  • dhs1963
    dhs1963 Member Posts: 513
    #13
    four days post op is when I started feeling human

    This was my experience, and only my experience.

    Surgery was a year ago.....so this is from memory

    The day after surgery is a blur (Wed)...I remember very little.  Thursday was a blur too...I was running a 102 fever, and they were concerned.  I had the magic button....
    Friday, I felt like the fog had lifted.  A lot of pain, but I felt ok.  Sat I went home.  That trip wiped me out.  And I think my wife found every pothole.

    I was able to get around the house, but spent most of the time in bed or a chair.

    Slow recovery which stalled when the staples started bleeding at two weeks....ER visit...no abcsess...

    But the wound refused to heal correctly.  Four weeks out, wound pain increased dramatically, and I started running a fever....Surgeon figured I had a virus.  Next day, I saw a whole with puss coming out....went to urgent care, who could not deal with it.  Back to the ER.  Staph infection, shallow (outside the peritum).  But, new wound care stratgey.  I went back to work at 9 weeks.

    I still have pain.  And Neuropathic pain from removal of the lung mass.

     

    It takes time. 

  • GSRon
    GSRon Member Posts: 1,303 Member
    #14
    Eims said:

    hi twinthings,  i had lower

    hi twinthings,  i had lower back pain for quite a while after the op....i wouldn't say pain exactly just discomfort really.....the doc said it was because of where the kidneys are and how they have to rummage around in there!!  don't rush yourself to recover...trust me i know how you feel because i underestimated the whole procedure!!  take your time you have your whole life ahead of you Wink

    eims x

    Rummage around.. :)

    Oh what a great visual.. in my case, they likely had to get past the kitchen sink and lots of garbage just to get there...  :)

  • twinthings
    twinthings Member Posts: 409
    #15
    dhs1963 said:

    four days post op is when I started feeling human

    This was my experience, and only my experience.

    Surgery was a year ago.....so this is from memory

    The day after surgery is a blur (Wed)...I remember very little.  Thursday was a blur too...I was running a 102 fever, and they were concerned.  I had the magic button....
    Friday, I felt like the fog had lifted.  A lot of pain, but I felt ok.  Sat I went home.  That trip wiped me out.  And I think my wife found every pothole.

    I was able to get around the house, but spent most of the time in bed or a chair.

    Slow recovery which stalled when the staples started bleeding at two weeks....ER visit...no abcsess...

    But the wound refused to heal correctly.  Four weeks out, wound pain increased dramatically, and I started running a fever....Surgeon figured I had a virus.  Next day, I saw a whole with puss coming out....went to urgent care, who could not deal with it.  Back to the ER.  Staph infection, shallow (outside the peritum).  But, new wound care stratgey.  I went back to work at 9 weeks.

    I still have pain.  And Neuropathic pain from removal of the lung mass.

     

    It takes time. 

    4 days

    Oh my word!!  After reading what you went through, I will not complain again.  I am however interested in the lung mass you mentioned, what's up with that and is there any connection between the lungs and RCC?  I'm curious because my Dr told me to plan on routine blood work and chest x-rays during follow up care.  I later learned through google, that RCC often spreads to the lungs first.  I assume that's why Dr mentioned chest x-rays.  Tuesday the 18th will be my second follow up after surgery and my first follow up to begin the blood work and chest x-rays.  Seems to me CT's of my good kidney would be important but he doesn't seem too concerned about that.  Any thoughts? 

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