kidney cancer recovery

bicycle
bicycle Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Kidney Cancer #1
I had my left kidney removed 02/2010 due to cancer. I had the old school removal with a scar that is literally 22 - 24 inches long. The only problem I have is a very large bulge on my left side. Does anyone know of any exercises, surgery or anything else I can do to lessen and hopefully eliminate this bulge? My right side looks normal but the bulge is so large it is obvious even under a shirt that is not tucked-in. Help!

Comments

  • sylvan75
    sylvan75 Member Posts: 30
    #2
    I had a partial Nephrectomy in Dec 2009 and since then I also have had a big bulge on my right side where the surgery was done. I saw my Urologist who did the Surgery and he said it was a Hernia. It is not common but it does happen, because the muscles are weak from the surgery and other nearby tissue breaks through. Although I will eventually need surgery to repair it, he wants to wait till my Kidney surgery heals more and my muscle is stronger. I go back in Dec which is the 1 year of my surgery. If you do a search for "Incisional Hernia" you will find more info on the condition.
  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #3
    sylvan75 said:

    I had a partial Nephrectomy in Dec 2009 and since then I also have had a big bulge on my right side where the surgery was done. I saw my Urologist who did the Surgery and he said it was a Hernia. It is not common but it does happen, because the muscles are weak from the surgery and other nearby tissue breaks through. Although I will eventually need surgery to repair it, he wants to wait till my Kidney surgery heals more and my muscle is stronger. I go back in Dec which is the 1 year of my surgery. If you do a search for "Incisional Hernia" you will find more info on the condition.

    The bulge takes time to go down
    My surgery was laproscopic in 08/02. The Surgeon said the bulge would take a year to go back to normal. He was pretty accurate. While there could be a hernia it could more likely be the normal healing process. Good luck and be patient.
  • bicycle
    bicycle Member Posts: 3
    #4
    sylvan75 said:

    I had a partial Nephrectomy in Dec 2009 and since then I also have had a big bulge on my right side where the surgery was done. I saw my Urologist who did the Surgery and he said it was a Hernia. It is not common but it does happen, because the muscles are weak from the surgery and other nearby tissue breaks through. Although I will eventually need surgery to repair it, he wants to wait till my Kidney surgery heals more and my muscle is stronger. I go back in Dec which is the 1 year of my surgery. If you do a search for "Incisional Hernia" you will find more info on the condition.

    Thanks
    Thanks for the input. I will bring this to the attention of my Doc.
  • bicycle
    bicycle Member Posts: 3
    #5
    icemantoo said:

    The bulge takes time to go down
    My surgery was laproscopic in 08/02. The Surgeon said the bulge would take a year to go back to normal. He was pretty accurate. While there could be a hernia it could more likely be the normal healing process. Good luck and be patient.

    Thanks
    Thanks for the input. I will bring this to the attention of my Doc.
  • blackbelt
    blackbelt Member Posts: 32
    #6
    kidney cancer recovery
    Your bulge is probably a hernia, I would get it checked out, I am not a expert or a doctor, I had a open partial nephrectomy on 5/17/2006 at the age of 51, renal cell carcinoma, clear cell type, Fuhrman grade 2, stage I, 1.2 cm right renal mass, with complications, doctors nicked right lung and nicked lower abdominal peritoneum area, this kind of surgery was high risk high return because of location of kidney tumor!
    With any surgery it will take 4 to 6 week to heal, first 4 to 6 weeks start with no heavy lifting, just doing daily activities such as dressing, showering, driving, etc. I started walking immediately after each surgery in the hospital, I was in the gym the day after i got out of the hospital and just started walking, my philosophy is you're going to be in severe pain at home or the gym the quicker you get up and move around the quicker you heal, I waited until incision to heal before riding my mountain bike, I was riding stationary bike second week, elliptical machine second week, practicing my martial arts at 4 weeks, depending on your fitness level before surgery 3 to 6 months is all you need to get back to normal, remember normal is different now, yes you will have abdominal pain and possible fatigue and feeling tired, that is all part of the process of healing, remember abdominal surgery is no different than having knee surgery it takes 4 to 6 weeks for the surgery to heal, then it's up to you to keep your core abdominal stabilizer muscles strong, feel free to e-mail for any questions/physical therapy exercises following your surgery.
    Yes you are going to hurt, yes you're going to be in severe pain. Believe me every day it will get better.

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