Back spasms

My cancer was found in September after my Dr sent me to the ER thinking I had appendicitis.  They did a CT scan and found that I didn't but did find a tumor on my right kidney.  On November 9th I had a partial nephrectomy and recovery has been ok so far. However today I have had the worse either back spasms or someone called it kidney spasms.  My question is has anyone else ever experienced this?  It is not constant, but when it happens it is very uncomfortable. 

Comments

  • Jan4you
    Jan4you Member Posts: 1,330 Member
    Hello there Pfreeman39! Glad

    Hello there Pfreeman39! Glad your surgery is over and you are on your way to full recovery.

    Not sure if what you are going through is "kidney spasms" as mine was totally removed.

    BUT I did have terrible back pain before and for a while afterwards. Eventually it just stopped.

    So what you MIGHT be feeling is referred pain. After all many nerves were severed during surgery

    and the pain you have having may be that referred back.

    Could you have strained your back doing something else? too soon?

    Remember, your insides are healing, so  be careful. Did you do any exercise?

    Usually you are restricted for at least a month.

    What helps relieve the pain? Ice? Heat? Any medications?

    Hopefully it will start to feel better so GO SLOW even when you are starting to

    feel better.

    May you start to get relief and feel better!

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    Jan

  • medic1971
    medic1971 Member Posts: 225 Member
    partial nephrectomy pain

    I had a partial nephrectomy on Oct 23 of this year and while I've had some soreness in my right flank area, but nothing like what you are describing.  If the pain gets worse I would call your urologist or go to the ER if the pain becomes unbearable.  While it might be normal part of healing, my concern is that you might be bleeding.  It's possible that one can have bleeding up to three weeks after surgery.  At least that's what my doctor at MD Anderson told me.

     

    Hope you are feeling better.

  • My surgery was in July 2014. 

    My surgery was in July 2014.  In January 2015, I had horrible back pain to the point where I missed work for several days.  I would not say it was spasms, just pain.  It went away. 

  • sblairc
    sblairc Member Posts: 585 Member
    It could be unrelated to the nephrectomy

    Well I slept on a couch in the hospital for 10 nights when my husband was sick before his nephrectomay and aftet his surgery. I came home and had crippling back spasms from sleeping on a terrible pull out couch for 10  nights. They were so bad I couldn't walk. 

    Your healthy muscles over compensate when you have surgery pain too since you try so hard not to aggravate the site of the pain you over work other muscles. 

    It sounds like you could have both. 

    I'd talk to your doc. I ended up taking some muscle relaxers and kept stationary for a day or two and it helped.