Sigh....two years post op, and swimming still hurts

dhs1963
dhs1963 Member Posts: 513
in Kidney Cancer #1

I had my hand assisted laproscopic nephrectomy two years ago.  Today, we were at a pool party.  I went in the water to cool off...and tried a little swimming.  Every movement resulted in pain where the main inscision went through the peritum.  Sigh.  Any excersize I try that places any stress on the abdomin results in pain.  But the Dr. says nothing is wrong.  

Sigh.

Comments

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #2
    Does not sound right

    dhs,

     

    The type of soreness you describe 2 years out does not seem right. Seek a second medical opinion. Meanwhile congrats on the 2 years.

     

    Icemantoo

  • foxhd
    foxhd Member Posts: 3,181 Member
    #3
    icemantoo said:

    Does not sound right

    dhs,

     

    The type of soreness you describe 2 years out does not seem right. Seek a second medical opinion. Meanwhile congrats on the 2 years.

     

    Icemantoo

    probably adhesions

    Have your doc make a referral to a sports physical therapist. They will know how to loosen things up. There is a technique called myofascial release which helps in these cases.

  • dhs1963
    dhs1963 Member Posts: 513
    #4
    foxhd said:

    probably adhesions

    Have your doc make a referral to a sports physical therapist. They will know how to loosen things up. There is a technique called myofascial release which helps in these cases.

    Thanks for the suggestion

    No one seems to care.  They rule out hernia, then blow me off.  I stopped complaining about it.  But, I would love to be able to be active again.  Right now, anything I do that involves the core of my abs triggers pain.

    I will talk to my internist to see if she can refer me to one.  I assume that is the proper doctor. 

     

  • dhs1963
    dhs1963 Member Posts: 513
    #5
    foxhd said:

    probably adhesions

    Have your doc make a referral to a sports physical therapist. They will know how to loosen things up. There is a technique called myofascial release which helps in these cases.

    So I looked at my most recent CT scan

    My Intestine goes right up to where the cut in the peritum is, and where the scar tissue is.  I am thinking my guts are stuck to it....

  • donna_lee
    donna_lee Member Posts: 1,045 Member
    #6
    dhs1963 said:

    So I looked at my most recent CT scan

    My Intestine goes right up to where the cut in the peritum is, and where the scar tissue is.  I am thinking my guts are stuck to it....

    Adhesions

    Another name for scar tissue.  Especially if you didn't ease back into exercise the day you were release to "go out to play."  And some people develop adhesive tissue worse then others.

    I agree with Fox, that a referral is in order.  Myo-facial release, physical therapy, massage, even accupuncture.

    They can be a real catch 22.  If you are prone to develop adhesions, any further surgery to remove some, can lead to more adhesions in the same region.

    I had had endometriosis, which was lasered or surgically removed at the time of a hysterectomy.  But it left adhesions on the bowel and around the peritoneum.  When I had a subsequent recurrence/cancer surgery, they were able to free some of the adhesions on the large and small intestines.

    Suspecting that no doctor will bother to do anything for you if you just say it hurts when you swim or play baseball, tell the doc that it sometimes causes abdominal pain when you are not doing anything, or causesconstipation or cramping of the gut.

    Good luck.

    Donna

    The CT won't show the scar tissue readily.  It might take an MRI.

  • dhs1963
    dhs1963 Member Posts: 513
    #7
    donna_lee said:

    Adhesions

    Another name for scar tissue.  Especially if you didn't ease back into exercise the day you were release to "go out to play."  And some people develop adhesive tissue worse then others.

    I agree with Fox, that a referral is in order.  Myo-facial release, physical therapy, massage, even accupuncture.

    They can be a real catch 22.  If you are prone to develop adhesions, any further surgery to remove some, can lead to more adhesions in the same region.

    I had had endometriosis, which was lasered or surgically removed at the time of a hysterectomy.  But it left adhesions on the bowel and around the peritoneum.  When I had a subsequent recurrence/cancer surgery, they were able to free some of the adhesions on the large and small intestines.

    Suspecting that no doctor will bother to do anything for you if you just say it hurts when you swim or play baseball, tell the doc that it sometimes causes abdominal pain when you are not doing anything, or causesconstipation or cramping of the gut.

    Good luck.

    Donna

    The CT won't show the scar tissue readily.  It might take an MRI.

    I have mentioned it many many times to the surgeons...

    They check for the hernia, and there is none.  On the CT, you can see the scaring where the incision went through the pertium.  And you can see the guts on the other side right there -- or at least I can.  And it is right where I fel the pain, which keeps me from excersising, which is a big problem for me.

    It is my reading of the CT, and of course, I am not an expert....I will look at the last MRI.

     

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