Severe Pain After PD Placement

[Geiser100]

Had PD catheter put in on Tuesday. When I woke up from surgery I started having severe pain on the opposite side the catheter is on. It hurts to move, walk, talk, and even pee. The pain is near my old transplanted kidney. I take tramadol and oxycodone but it doesn't help very much. Could it be the catheter is in the wrong place? Or maybe they injured my kidney/insides? Surgeron said everything went well. I was in the OR for two hours.

[cassandra]

Hi I'm really sorry you're in so much pain. I'm afraid I have no suggestions that would be of any help. I hope someone will come up with some help soon. Just wanted to wish you luck and strength.


Love, Cas

[kickingandscreaming]

I had catheter surgery twice because the first time it didn't quite work.  The second one has been very good.  But after the surgery it was uncomfortable for days and it was mostly from all the gas that they shoot in so they can "see" what they're doing in there.  I had bad gas pains for days and then the gas finally dissipated.  I hope that's true for you too.

[Marilee]

Hubby had a similar reaction to the first surgery - gas pain. But that only lasted a few days... Also, the first time they tested the catheter (a few days after surgery, just injected a little fluid to clean it out), he said it hurt like crazy and he went into shock. Luckily, all that went away before he actually started to do dialysis.
If you're still in pain come Monday, perhaps a call to the surgeon and/or your Nephrologist is in order, eh?

[Charlie B53]

When I had my PD cath placed I wa a 300 plus pound guy.  Granted I had a certain amouont of fat as being a serious mechanic is very very physically active.  Until I broke my back. For a number of years afterwards I continued to eat as if I was active so I had been steadily gaining weight (fat) but I couldn't admit that yet.

So nothing by mouth after midnight I was starving!  The hospital fed me well that evening, and made the mistake of telling me if I was still hungry I could call in for more.  I ate a whole second dinner.  About the same for brakfast, then went home.

I ate at home as usual.  By the second day I was feeling very uncomfortable, stuffed.

I didn't figure it out until well late in the third day.  I hadn't gone to the bathroom yet.  THREE DAYS and as much as I eat then I knew something was serious wrong as my bowels usually run like a watch, morning and night.  All that food has to come back out. And it hadn't, it was all stuck somewhere in there.  Between all that food and the gas it makes I was getting very VERY uncomfortable, down right painful even.

Fourth day, still nothing.  I had stopped eating and drinking already as I was that full I felt like if I swallowed anything that it would all start comoing back up.  By kknow I figured that a section of intestine had somehow gotten
twisted', sort of like a kink in a garden hose, and nothing was getting past the kink.  I was seriously thinking of calling the surgeon afraid that he would have to go back in, find the kink and straighten it out to ease the building pain.  I could barely stand up and walk it was getting so bad.

I felt, and heard, a 'Pop'!!!! and within seconds the pain started easing as if the pressure had blown out the kink, or popped the intestines like and over filled balloon.  I was figuring if it blew out I would get an abdominal infection, go septic within a couple of hours.  I didn't.  Within the hour I felt the urgent need to go to the bathroom, all those days of food wanted out.

[Marilee]

Oh, Charlie! Holy Moly.

I totally forgot about that: After my hubby's catheter surgery, it seems the anesthesia shut down his intestines and he had no action for 7 days, and just like you, it was painful and beyond just scary. He was taking the laxative the surgeon gave him, and still nothing. Then the Nephrologist switched him to Lactulose and within 2 days - voila! But that was 9 days of painful build-up, and then it took days afterward to feel 'regular'.

Same thing happened with the second catheter surgery, but we remembered and were prepared with Lactulose. It was still horribly uncomfortable and still took a week to resolve, but we knew what to expect so he ate less, took the Lactulose and waited.

[kickingandscreaming]

The thing is, no matter how "simple" and "non-invasive" a surgery is labeled, ANY surgery can cause trauma to surrounding tissues and organ stunning.  And the painkillers they dole out (oxycodone in my case) are constipation waiting to happen.

[Charlie B53]

I won't ake opiates for just those reasons.

I see a Pain Specialist.  He had me on Fentenyal patch for a few years.  They worked great.  Seriously lessened the pain with NO head fuzziness and NO constipation.  Dr thought I was still taking too much so cut me back then switched me to Methadone.  I had always thought Methadone was for addicts withdrawing from heroin.   NOT.  Seems it was developed by a German Scientist as a synthetic pain med, which just happens to also lessen withdrawal symptoms.

I was surprised.  Been taking it for 2 years already.

I don't know what they use to knock me out for surgery, but it includes a big dose of fentenyal to handle the pain.

[Geiser100]

Hey everyone. After 5 days my pain is almost zero. The surgeon said it was probably the catheter rubbing against my kidney and bladder and that it should go away completely once it settles in. Now my problem is im severely constipated. Haven't gone in 7 days. I've taken everything I can think of including a suppository. I went the restroom yesterday and it was extremely painful and got stuck. I finally got it out "manually" sorry to be graphic haha. Hopefully I'll feel better soon. I get my PD flushed FrIday.

[Cupcake]

You have got to stay cleaned out when on PD so I take miralax everyday. One capful a day keeps things moving.

[Marilee]

Glad to hear that the pain has subsided and you found a way to 'resolve' that constipation. Good luck with the flush and also with the training on the Amia! 

[Charlie B53]

That old "Apple a day..." thing works.

Most any fresh fruit is helpful as a regular daily diet to keep everything moving well.

Avoid anything that contains flour and/or cheese.

Those few times I do eat bread, like a sandwich, I will add at least two, or threee leaves of lettuce.  I tell people a Guy needs to have his salad every day.

[Whamo]

I agree.  Constipation can be horrible.  Fruits and vegetables really help.  Stool softeners also help.