kidney removal

[Loretta]

Hi ya all,

I need your help.  I am having a kidney removed next week.  My daughter is pretty upset about it and has asked several times if I will survive the surgery.  Have any of you had this surgery?  Would you please share a little bit about it?  How long did it take to recover?  How are you doing now?
Thanks,
Loretta

[willieandwinnie]

Loretta, I can't help with any information about the removal of a kidney but I can tell you my thoughts and prayers will be with you.

[charee]

I can't help either but i will be in the same position as you very soon, i need to get one of my pkd kidneys removed before i can get on the transplant list as there is no room for a new one, i have met with the surgeon and he told me it will be at least 7 to 10 days in hospital he seems to think it will be a breeze ! i know there other people here who have been through it so hopefully they will post so we both can know a little more . good luck next week and keep us posted

[monrein]

Haven't had this personally Loretta but just 6 months ago a very good friend of mine did and although he didn't have CKD he's recovered very nicely.  It was done laproscopically and of course there was pain but that's what pain meds are for.  He's completely recovered now and feeling good.  He hosted a party about a month after the surgery and he was walking a little oddly,  slight protective limp, but he enjoyed the party. This is just one story and everyone is different.
I'll be sending you all my good heal fast thoughts next week and I'll be thinking of your daughter too.

[pelagia]

My husband had a double nephrectomy on March 20th - 4 weeks ago as of today.  He had 15 lbs of PKD kidneys removed.  They had to come out because there wasn't enough room for a kidney that he hopes to have transplanted next month.  He is healing and getting stronger every day. Today he cut the lawn using the riding mower!

The first week was not fun, but he was in the hospital and they were taking care of him 24 hours a day.  And he wasn't on dialysis before the operation so he had to adjust to that as well after his kidneys were removed.  We felt very confident about the surgeon, the hospital and the nursing staff.  They are the experts at what they do and they did it well.  They kept me informed before and after the surgery and let me stay with my husband as much as possible while he was in ICU.

I imagine that your daughter would feel more comfortable if she knew a little more about what to expect.  We met with the surgeon a few days before the surgery in order to get some idea of what to expect.  Our surgeon was very forthcoming about the procedure, how long it would take, the risks, how long it would take to heal and more.  Having that information made me feel a little more in control. 

How old is your daughter? 

[annabanana]

Last August my husband had a kidney removed because of cancer. It was laproscopic surgery and it went very well. He was in the hospital for 3 days. It took him about 4 weeks to feel okay. He went back to work full time after 2 months. Has had no problems at all related to the surgery. I was amazed at how quickly he was up and about. If you have traditional surgery it will take longer to recuperate.

Of course your daughter is scared. I was, too, for my husband. We can't help it. Wish I had a magic wand to wave for her. 

[okarol]

Will your nephrectomy be done by open incision or by laparoscopic procedure?

[petey]

I had a nephrectomy when I donated to Marvin (I know it's a different situation from yours, but it was still the removal of a kidney).  I had the "open" incision.  I have a 9-inch scar from the middle of my stomach around to the side area.  The first two days after surgery were tough, and I took lots of pain meds (morphine pump).  I stayed "out of it" most of that time.  Then, the morphine made me sick and I had to switch to oral pain meds.  They made me sick, too.  After four days, I was on only Extra Strength Tylenol.  We had the transplant surgery on a Wednesday, and I came home on Saturday (Marvin came home the next day).  I was sore when moving around (especially standing up from a chair or sitting down into a chair -- you really use those stomach muscles a lot more than you think).  After a week, I was driving.  Two weeks -- I was back at work.  My incision area was tender for a good six weeks.  But, after that, I couldn't tell that I had had a nephrectomy at all (except for the scar -- which is now very faded and not very noticeable).  Of course, I was an extremely healthy person (have to be to be a living donor), and I think this is why I "bounced back" so quickly.  Three years later, Marvin had to have this same kidney removed -- caught the same disease his original kidneys had and had to go back on dialysis.  When they put it in him, they put it in the lower abdomen just inside the pelvic region.  When he had his nephrectomy, it was really quite an "easy" surgery because it wasn't far into his body.  He was up and around after two days -- of course, his nephrectomy was not as invasive as mine.  Good luck to you.

[Psim]

My nephrectomy was similar to what others have said -- 4 uncomfortable, drugged-up days in the hospital, gradual healing over a few weeks and then all systems go. It's definitely not something you'd do for fun, but  it's over relatively quickly. 

[Ginger]

I had a rt nephrectomy in Jan of 07 and then was transplanted in April of 07. The nephrectomy started out to be laproscopic but ended up being open due to nicking a blood vessel while trying to leave my adrenal gland in place. My PKD kidney was attached to everything in the area and the disection was a bit more difficult than expected. I was in the hospital for a bit over a week and also started hemodialysis while in the hospital since I had been on PD before surgery. I was like Petey in my reaction to the narcotics and after about 3-4 days only took extra strength tylenol. Because of the blood loss, my recovery was a bit longer but by 6 weeks after the surgery I was ready to return to work.

[Loretta]

Thank-you to all of you for your replys.  I think she feels better about things

I will have an open incision.  Maybe most of the time it is done this way, but the ureta will also have to be taken out due to cancer, so I will have two incisions.  The Dr said I would be in the hospital for about a week.  My mother will come a few days after the surgery and be with me when I get out of the hospital.  This will be a big help to me.  I won't have to drive, fix meals or walk the dog for a couple of weeks.

I am nervous about pain control because I itch like crazy with morphine.

[Ginger]

If morphine makes you itch, tell them that and they can use other drugs for you that work well for pain control without the itching that morphine causes, dilaudid is one that comes to mind. There are other options too for pain control that do not cause itching.

[KR Cincy]

It is scary, but you can surivive and move on. I had one kidney out Jan. 2007 and the other March 2007...both due to cancer...I've been on dialysis ever since (we're doing home hemo) and since August I've been back to work full time and I cut the grass yesterday with my walk behind mower. Y'know, regular stuff. You'll have a week of yuck in the hospital, and a few weeks at home recovering, but you'll be fine and your daughter now has the chance to take care of YOU for awhile!

[NolaGail]

Loretta,

I can't speak to having a kidney removed, but I do want you to know that you and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery  !

NolaGail