Pain

Who wouldn't be? I was. I was anxious and I had lots and lots of weird symptoms the first 1-2 years even.

The first year particularly, I had weird symptoms. I was particularly tired the first 6-9 months. My theory is it takes a long time for your insides to heal and your body to get used to one kidney (assuming you had the radical nephrectomy, which I don't know if you had a radical or not...).

And I got anxious with any weird symptoms for the first 3 years (that was one year after my adrenal gland tumor). It was, however, less with time. It crosses my mind these days, but I'm not as anxious. In the past 2 months I've had shingles for 6 weeks followed by a really bad cold, followed by something else. And I've been incredibly tired and depressed. All of this has made me wonder if my cancer might not be back. However, I have scans in 2 weeks, so I know there's no point in calling my oncologist. I might as well just wait for the scans and talk to him in 3 weeks after the scans.

Hope you feel better (in body as well as mind...)

Todd

Do you feel tense, anxious, or excessively worried? That might contribute to 1/.

Number 2/ could be after effects of CO2 used in surgery if it was used, irritating nerves in shoulder and referring the pain down through the elbow to the finger. If not CO2 after effects then something else affecting your shoulder (and referring the pain).

3/ no idea

4/ could be some ache due to getting back into shape, carrying weight again. I don't know how old you are, could be an aging type little ache (it does happen). Coincidently, I have a very light pain and some numbness on hip/top of femur oncologist said it is musculoskeletal but I will be following it up, especially if it gets worse.

5/ it can he hard getting back to normal. Worry, anxiety, diet. exercise, sleep, relaxation. How are all these going for you? Just walking, building it up over time, can help. It's okay to have a nap.

I am not an expert in this area but from what I know I might be thinking I would want a CT scan sometime in the near future if that is something which can be arranged in your area and with your health cover. Ask your surgeon about it. Also realise you might be monitored by a urology team rather than oncology let alone an oncologist with an interest in RCC.

I understand how you might want a brain scan, but I might want a CT scan of chest pelvis abdomen first, unless headaches/dizziness becomes urgent. Hope you can get more feedback about this.