Hi i wonder if anyone can share their experiences with kidney cancer operation to remove 1 kidney that has the cancer? My dad is 74, hes had his kidney and tube removed 4 days ago, due to cancer on the kidney, he is now in intensive care, his other kidney is in acute kidney disease, (AKD) due to covid pandemic we cannot visit him. It's so frustrating for me and mum, however dads kidney has not taken over, as the surgeon said it would, as it's not in great condition, meaning today he was started on dialysis, hes not in a good place, very weak, groggy, in severe pain, cant eat, has been sick, dizzy, and not coping well as they hoped for, I am very worried, just wondering if anyone has had this, and went through a similar experience? Who can give me some feedback, is this common etc, thank you.
Hi, I am sorry to here about your dad. I had my right kidney removed at the start of November 2019, stage 4 cancer, it was a laparoscopic procedure but as they were removing the kidney, it burst so they reverted to open surgery. I too was told that they expected my other kidney to be able to cope but warned me that it sometimes takes some time to adjust at first. I was told that I should start to get up and walk around within the first few days, this was extremely painful, even just sitting up and putting my feet to the side of the bed could take me around 20 minutes. Looking back on it now I believe it was the right thing to do, getting active as soon as I could, didn't think so at the time though! I was given codeine and paracetamol but these didn't seem to do much for the pain so I saw someone from the pain clinic who gave me morphine to drink and then a tablet they said was very strong and would last for 12 hours, so 2 a day. They did help but only for up to 8 hours. With these I had to take laxido although I too did not eat much in the first 10 days but I did try to keep drinking fluids. I was only in hospital for 5 days after the operation and after 10 days I had the staples removed, I got an infection and this lasted until the end of December. Seven months on now and I feel so much better, almost back to normal apart from a little numbness around the incisions.
I hope your dad gets better soon, my thoughts are with you.
Thank you very much for the quick reply, very grateful, its day 5 today post surgery, and dad is still in intensive care, his other kidney is still not taking over, hes on dialysis now for 2 days, to off load the fluid, and filter his blood, hes very weak, loosing hope it he sounds like, as I cannot see him due to covid they do not allow visitors, I just hope things improve soon, he is the same unable to go to the toilet, feels sick to eat, and in too much pain to move, he can stand and sit, but today he seems to be worse, I just hopw there is light at the end of the tunnel, most I have spoken to have had this and are out of hospital with in 5 days, so this worries me that hes nowhere near coming home yet.
Your dad is 74? and he can sit up and stand already, I would say that is a positve sign, I was 55 at the time of my opperation. Encourage him to drink and eat a little even if he dosent feel like it. I did not go to the toilet while I was in hospital either due to lack of appetite and the pain killers.
My husband who is 82 might have to have his kidney out because he might have a small tumour in his uretra. Could you tell me if you had your uretra removed when you had your kidney out.
Hi Sorry to hear about your husband, I'm sure he will be O.K, I had part of my urethra removed and I agreed for it to be used for research, I think it went to York somewhere.
I am now 7 years clear and counting living life to the full.
Many thanks for answering my email. All sounds good for you and i am so pleased your getting on with your life. When my Ronnie was told they had taken a biopsy from a minute lump in his urethra and said it was in conclusive but found cancer cells in the urine round it the consultant said they would do a dye ct scan and get a better look at it. But he did say if they found that the small lump was cancer then he would have to have the whole urethra out and the kidney because if there is no urethra there is no point in leaving the kidney. Which upset us as there is nothing wrong with the kidney it's self. So he goes for the ct scan next month. He starts his BCG on the 28/5 6 doeses every Saturday. They found none invasive tumer but grade 3 which is a fast growing one but they did a turb and took all they could see away. So it's up to the BCG to keep it clear and stop it from coming back. Fingers crossed it will work. A lot to take in and it has affected me more than my husband.
All this cancer is the outcome of radio therapy he had 19 years ago when he had treatment for prostate cancer which was gotten rid of. ?
He is 82 this year but a fit 81 so i just hope he can get through the operation if he has to have it. I read on here it is a bit bad the first 3 months i just hope he can take it at his age.
