Pain and Suffering After A Radical Nephectomy (Lap Style)

Janet_Marie
Janet_Marie Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Kidney Cancer #1
I have a kidney mass and another adrenal mass, same side. I have a radical nephrectomy scheduled for this Friday. I've read quite a few complaints from people who have suffered pain for years after having this procedure done.

I'd like to get some balance. If you are reading this and had a radical done and a good recovery, please let me know in as much detail as you can- what I should expect.

Thank you

Comments

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #2
    Wishing you a good recovery
    Assuming Lap Style means Laproscopic you should have a good recovery if you are in otherwise good health. My surgery was laproscopic 8 years ago when I was 58. Two days in the hospital, 10 days on the couch and I was feeling normal in 6 weeks although there was swelling for a number of months. I even went watersking a year later. My surgeon wrote in his discharge summary that I was discharged without pain. Yes he did write that but I do not know what he was on when he wrote it. The surgery is not fun but it beats the alternative.
  • Frank Fitz
    Frank Fitz Member Posts: 19
    #3
    Surgery
    Good Luck Janet. I am also having surgery on Friday - a radical nephrectomy at the Mayo Clinic. They are doing a "hand assisted laproscopic" surgery. Removing the kidney, ureter and a piece of the bladder. Hope to "talk" with you a couple of weeks after surgery!
  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #4
    Frank Fitz said:

    Surgery
    Good Luck Janet. I am also having surgery on Friday - a radical nephrectomy at the Mayo Clinic. They are doing a "hand assisted laproscopic" surgery. Removing the kidney, ureter and a piece of the bladder. Hope to "talk" with you a couple of weeks after surgery!

    Good luck Janet and Frank
    The week I got out of the hospital after my radical nephrectomy my wife and I booked a Caribbean Cruise. On 1/22, the day of your surgery we are flying to San Juan for our eigtht annual cruise. Plan a nice vacation the week you get back and do it every year. Even if you do not feel like a trip when you get home, you will feel like one in 2 or 3 months. Seriously I will be thinking about the 2 of you Friday and I know what you are going thru as I have been there and done that. Much of the way in getting past this is having a positive attitude.
  • corey50
    corey50 Member Posts: 111
    #5
    AFTER RADICAL NEPHRECTOMY
    hi janet marie,
    first please don't take to heart everything you read on these sites. every person has a different experience. secondly don't worry about something that may not happen to you.
    i had a laparoscopic radical nephrectomy last dec.08. the night of surgery you will be completely knocked out with meds. the first couple of days it will hurt like hell, it feels like you're going to break apart when you move, but the meds do help. the nurses should get you up into a chair the next day and have you walking the halls fairly quickly too. even though this does cause some pain its good for you. don't be afraid to ask for meds if the nurse is not giving them to you. sometimes they put you on a morphine pump. DON'T wait until it starts to hurt to ask cause then it takes longer to feel the effects. don't suffer, ask for them every few hours.don't worry you won't get addicted. i had my surgery on a friday morning, spent 3 nights in hospital, went home on monday afternoon. i am someone who doesn't take an aspirin unless my head is killing but i went home taking vicodin. and took it every few hours for pain. 3 days after being home i developed hives the dr. thought it may be reaction to vicodin so switched me to xtra strength tylenol. this was one week after surgery and it handled the pain fine. at that point its just discomfort. 2 days after being home my husband took me for a walk. very, very slow but its good to move. this will actually help with the pain management.
    they will give you a list of things not to do. #1 don't lift anything over like 10lbs.
    i wouldn't lift anything at all for awhile just to be on the safe side. i found i had to remind myself to sit or stand up straight to keep my abdomen from tightening up.
    about a month after my surgery i did start having some pain, extreme discomfort, again. i called the dr. they said it sounded routine and just my body healing on the inside and to take it easy. i may have been doing too much. i had just started driving again. it lasted about a week and then did subside.
    don't forget call your dr. if something doesn't feel right to you. every body's body is different. don't worry about being a pest. my dr. actually had email then i could get around the nurse. haha
    i hope i haven't made your anxiety any worse, i wanted you to know that its doable, the pain will subside.
    a year later i still get sore in the area of incision if i do too much. i believe its my body's way of saying slow down.
    good luck with your surgery and a speedy recovery.
  • Frank Fitz
    Frank Fitz Member Posts: 19
    #6
    corey50 said:

    AFTER RADICAL NEPHRECTOMY
    hi janet marie,
    first please don't take to heart everything you read on these sites. every person has a different experience. secondly don't worry about something that may not happen to you.
    i had a laparoscopic radical nephrectomy last dec.08. the night of surgery you will be completely knocked out with meds. the first couple of days it will hurt like hell, it feels like you're going to break apart when you move, but the meds do help. the nurses should get you up into a chair the next day and have you walking the halls fairly quickly too. even though this does cause some pain its good for you. don't be afraid to ask for meds if the nurse is not giving them to you. sometimes they put you on a morphine pump. DON'T wait until it starts to hurt to ask cause then it takes longer to feel the effects. don't suffer, ask for them every few hours.don't worry you won't get addicted. i had my surgery on a friday morning, spent 3 nights in hospital, went home on monday afternoon. i am someone who doesn't take an aspirin unless my head is killing but i went home taking vicodin. and took it every few hours for pain. 3 days after being home i developed hives the dr. thought it may be reaction to vicodin so switched me to xtra strength tylenol. this was one week after surgery and it handled the pain fine. at that point its just discomfort. 2 days after being home my husband took me for a walk. very, very slow but its good to move. this will actually help with the pain management.
    they will give you a list of things not to do. #1 don't lift anything over like 10lbs.
    i wouldn't lift anything at all for awhile just to be on the safe side. i found i had to remind myself to sit or stand up straight to keep my abdomen from tightening up.
    about a month after my surgery i did start having some pain, extreme discomfort, again. i called the dr. they said it sounded routine and just my body healing on the inside and to take it easy. i may have been doing too much. i had just started driving again. it lasted about a week and then did subside.
    don't forget call your dr. if something doesn't feel right to you. every body's body is different. don't worry about being a pest. my dr. actually had email then i could get around the nurse. haha
    i hope i haven't made your anxiety any worse, i wanted you to know that its doable, the pain will subside.
    a year later i still get sore in the area of incision if i do too much. i believe its my body's way of saying slow down.
    good luck with your surgery and a speedy recovery.

    After Surgery
    I had my radical nephrectomy, ureter and bladder cuff removal on 1/22/10. Just had the catheter removed today thank goodness! The pain has been bothersome but not terrible. The worst part of the surgery so far seems to be some damage to the nerves on my left side (where they inserted the scope) - they say this happens rarely during the Lap surgery but unfortunately takes a long time healing. The result is a bulge on my side, some minor numbness and some internal pain. While I can live with this it is too bad because I think I'd feel really well w/o it!

    Have faith the surgery will work well for you. Get up and walk as soon as you can after surgery to get the "gas" out of your system -- it makes a big difference in recovery. Good luck to you all and let's stay in touch.

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