Hi Dan, I’m sorry you’re having to go through this anxious time. I’ve been through something similar with a very positive outcome. I had no symptoms but an ultrasound showed a 14cm mass on my right kidney. That was back in March. I had a CT scan 2 weeks later. The good news was that it hadn’t spread but the surgeon said that my kidney had to be removed along with the mass and, because of its size he was 90% certain it was cancer. He also said that because it was so big he didn’t think he would be able to do keyhole surgery. 

My operation was May 11th. I woke up after very alert and they told me they had done it by keyhole surgery. It was a seven hour operation. Catheter and drain came out 24 hours later and three days after the op I came home. First two weeks I was very tired and often n some discomfort but nothing ordinary pain killers couldn’t sort out. 2 weeks after the op I got the news that is was an oncocytoma (I may have spelt that wrong) a benign tumour. Completely euphoric, that was the first time I cried. I was back at work full time June 25th. I’ve just today got back from a weekend in Crete. I have friends there and no one could believe I had had a nephrectomy because I look very well .

i sincerely hope things work out for you as well or better than they have for me  I think the waiting is by far the worst bit, the mind plays terrible games if you let it . I’ve been meditating daily for over 18 months and it helped me a lot as well as having terrific support from husband and family. I hope you can find a way of distracting yourself if only for short periods of time. And do ask lots of questions when you see the Dr & surgeon. I wrote my questions down and took my husband to all the appointments because I knew I wouldn’t remember everything. We have a tendency to only remember the bad bits!

keep me posted and please ask any questions relating to the surgery and recovery . I’ve stsyed on this site in the hope that my experience can encourage other people. It’s not always bad news  

love, Caroline  

Hi Guys, 

First and foremost thank you very much for your moral support!  

It's great to have a forum like this :)

Today was the day where I finally got to see my consultant in Ireland. Wow what a difference to the urologist I saw in Germany.  He took all the time and explained everything in detail in a calm / friendly manner. 

After looking at my MRI and CT scans he thinks that I might have angiomyolipoma. However he will organise a conference with other colleagues and radiologists to have another look at my images. If they all come to the same conclusion then the mass will only be monitored. However if it grows then he might have to perform an embolisation i. e. cutting off the blood supply of the tumor. 

If these specialists have any doubts then they will take a biopsy for re-assurance. However if it is cancerous they will have to remove the whole kidney as the tumour is right in the centre of it. This will be done by either robotic or normal keyhole surgery  (happy days :)).

I was also told that the tumour is small in size and therefore I don't need immediate surgery  (within the next two months would be safe enough ).

I feel much better but can't fully relax yet until I will be given the results.

I guess the wait continues so I have to be patient. 

Thanks again everyone! I hope that your health / treatment is going well!

I will keep you posted. 

Best wishes, 

Dan 

Hi Folks,

I have a bit of an update here.

My consultant had a conference with other specialists but they couldn't agree if the mass is begnin or not. As a result I was referred for a kidney biopsy. The procedure will be done on Tuesday. 

I'm kind of relieved as finally I will know what I'm dealing with (once I get the results which should take around 10 days).

Has anyone had a kidney biopsy done? How long was recovery? I hope to return to work the next day. ....

Thanks again. 

Cheers,

Dan 

Hi Dan, I’m just opting to say I hope all goes well on Tuesday. As you say, it’s good that they are going to find out for sure what’s going on. I didn’t have a biopsy. The surgeon said at 14cms the mass was too big to be left so I had a nephrectomy. So I can’t answer your question regarding recovery. Maybe one of the nurses here Can or is there someone on the surgical team you could phone on Monday.? Really sorry you have to go through the weekend wondering and worrying.But it’s good you’re being treated and whatever it is it has to get sorted  

Hi Dan.  If you want to speak to the nurses to find out about the biopsy question they only work Monday-Friday 9am-5pm (0808 800 4040) but you could catch them then.  I had a quick look at the Search Forum (on blue banner above the posts); when I typied in "kidney biopsy" a lot came up, some of it from a few years back but also some more recent.  I didn't read them all in detail but you may find some information there if you wish.  All the best.  Annie

Hi Caggie and Annie,

Thanks for your best wishes etc.

I was reading through some threads and it looks like the procedure is very straightforward. One thing that is bugging me is the recovery time. I was told on the phone that the biopsy will be done around 10:30 am and that I can go home in the evening  (which sounds great). On the other hand I read that I have to lie flat on my back for at least 24 hours because of bleeding issues......)

Anyway I will see  what the specialist has to say :)

Thanks again for your moral support! 

I will keep you posted. 

Best Regards, 

Dan 

Hi Folks,

I just got my kidney biopsy done and I have to say it was a walk in a park in comparison to other procedures that I had to undergo. 

I was in the lucky position that my wife's company health insurance covered me as well so I had a nice single room for myself :)

I was admitted to the ward at 8:30 am and then blood and urine was taken .

At 1pm I was brought into the theatre and an IV line was inserted. I was hooked up to a heart monitor and oxygen mask. After this I was given a sedation and didn't feel anything at all  (not even the anaesthetic injections etc). I woke up in the recovery room without any pain.

Then I was brought back up to my room and was told to rest in bed until 8 pm when I can go home. I got a sandwich and tea 3 hours after the procedure. I have only a bit of pain around the biopsy area but havent taken any painkillers yet. Tomorrow I have to stay in bed and Thursday I can go back to work. Happy Days :)

I have to wait approximately 7 days for the results! Fingers crossed that mass will be benign!!!!!

Thanks again for all the moral support!

Dan 

Hi

That sounds as if it was far better than you expected. Here’s hoping the results are as positive. I have everything crossed for you.

Sundial

Good evening Folks.

I have another update. 

Today I got the results from the kidney biopsy and it's not good news. I was diagnosed with low grade cancer and need to have surgery.

As the tumour is right in the centre of the kidney the whole kidney has to be removed. On the upside I was told that it hasn't spread anywhere else and that I will be cured  (approx 95% chance) after surgery. 

The consultant has scheduled me for keyhole surgery on the 16th of October 2018. If everything goes ok I will be discharged from hospital after 4 days and should be able to return to work after 4 weeks  (I work in an office environment ).

I still have to digest the news but I'm glad that there is a plan of action now .

Cheers, 

Dan 

Hi Dan. Well it is not what you wanted but hopefully once you have had the surgery you will recover quickly and the odds are in your favour for the longer term.  I am sure it will seem a long wait until 16th October so do keep in touch if it helps you get through this waiting period.  Take care of yourself in the meantime.  Annie

Dan

Not the news you wanted but there is a plan in place. I’ve had two major ops through keyhole with only ten weeks between. Recovery takes time but after the first I was ok after four weeks. Fortunately I’m retired but recovery in the timescale you mentioned  is doable if you listen to your body and don’t do too much too soon or overdo things. I hope everything goes well.

Sundial

Hi Annie and Sundial, 

Thank you very much for your kind words! 

I will try to keep up the positive spirits. Hopefully everything will work out in the end once the tumour is removed:)

Best Wishes,

Dan 

Hi Annie and Sundial, 

Thank you very much for your kind words! 

I will try to keep up the positive spirits. Hopefully everything will work out in the end once the tumour is removed:)

Best Wishes,

Dan 

Hi Dan, how are you doing? Like the others I'm really sorry to hear that they have found that is cancer but all the available research says that long term prospects once the kidney and tumour have been removed are really excellent. I had my kidney and tumour removed by keyhole surgery and was out of hospital in three days and back to work in six weeks. I definitely was well enough to go back after four weeks but had a holiday first. It's now just over three months since I had surgery and I think I'm 100% recovered physically, and also emotionally. It's a big thing to have happen to you and I hope you don't try to rush things too much once you're home. Thinking of you. Caroline.x

Hi Folks,

I ve a bit of an update here. 

I underwent kidney removal surgery yesterday at 8:30 am. Despite it being key hole surgery I am still under a lot off pain. 

I was for 2 hours in ICU to get my pain under control. The morphine seems to be working but the side effects are something else. The nurses are not too happy with my breathing capabilities so I'm back on the oxygen now. 

Hopefully the catheter will be removed tomorrow so I can be a bit more mobile :)

Best Regards, 

Daniel 

Dan, how nice of you to come and give us an update so soon after your surgery and suffering such pain and breathing problems.  I know everything can go haywire after an operation so am looking forward to your body settling down and your feeling more comfortable.  Hope you have a good night.  Annie

Hi Folks, 

A bit of an update here.

Tomorrow three weeks ago I underwent keyhole kidney removal surgery. 

So far the recovery is going well but it's still a long way to go to get even close to normality. 

The first week after the op was the worst. The pain was only bearable with morphine. I was also told that they had to open me up a bit more than expected (the incision where they removed  the kidney is approximately 15cm instead of 5 cm). On top of this I had breathing issues and my blood pressure went through the roof  (I never had blood pressure issues prior to the op ). 

As a bloke I was kind of worried about having the catheter but it didn't bother me at all tbh.

I was released from hospital the following Monday but was still in a good bit of pain. Unfortunately I wasn't given any morphine anymore and had to take paracetamol which wasn't really effective. 

That said three days later the pain was getting less and I only had to take painkillers during the night. 

My other issue was that I couldn't find a comfortable position to sleep  (hospital beds are great as you can adjust everything ). I was also restless during the night and very anxious. I had very negative thoughts and was constantly thinking of what if the cancer returns in other parts of my body i. e. lung, brain, bones etc. 

I was reassured by my consultant that there is only a very little chance that this can happen as I only had stage 1, grade 2 cancer. 

Two weeks after surgery these thoughts have disappeared. The pain has become less but I'm still not feeling like much. I also have constantly issues with my stomach and bowel (I'm pre-exposed as I have IBS since my childhood). My attention span is quite short and I'm constantly tired. I can only sit up for an hour or two and have to lie down afterwards. 

I try to get out of the house twice a day to walk up and down the road at snails pace to get some fresh air into me. 

Initially I was hoping to return to work after 4 weeks but this is not going to happen. My consultant gave me a cert for a minimum of 6 weeks so I will see how it goes. 

Best Regards, 

Daniel

Hiya Dan; lovely to hear from you.  Don't get yourself too distressed over the discomfort you are experiencing (easy for me to say, I know) - it will pass.    You have been through a lot since you first posted here and you are gradually coming out the other end of the tunnel.  Nothing is more important than your health and happiness with your family so share your thoughts with them.  It is not at all surprising to be at sixes and sevens after the upheaval you have had.  You are walking at snails pace; that is good - you are at least moving in the right direction.  You will get there.  It was never going to be easy.  Annie

Thanks Annie. 

The recovery is slowly but steady. 

Best wishes, 

Dan