Pain?

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pamom2
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2004 11:42 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Pain?

Post by pamom2 »

My transplant date has been set for Nov. 9th. To say I'm very nervous is putting it mildly. One thing I'm worried about is the pain after the surgery.Is it unbearable? Is it true that the incision is 10 inches long?I would appreciate any comments about the surgery and also about preparing myself for it. Thanks!

Kathy
JMan
Posts: 3471
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:21 am
Location: Lives in a slightly weird bit of Shropshire called Telford!

Post by JMan »

JMan gets a tape and measures his scar...
Mmmmm 3 and a half feet.. Oh no.. (Just kidding)

Seriously my scar is about 4 and half to 5 inches long at most. Its faded so much (3 years on) that I had trouble finding the bottom of it.

As for the pain, everyone experiences pain differently but to be honest I found breaking a bone in my foot last month more painful. AND you get much better pain control with a kidney transplant.

When you wake up you will be pretty out of it and sleepy. usually you have immediate 24 hour close care (that is.. there is someone keeping an eye on you the 1st 24 hours) after that quite a few of the tubes are removed, on the 2nd day you are usually at least out of bed, and on the third walking around..

It can be painful as there will be some bruising and swelling.. This goes down pretty quick. I'd say its like a bad bruise or muscle pain.. not worse.

My top tips are.

Take a pair of loose tracksuit bottoms (joggers) for when you go home.. You won't find anything tighter very comfortable for the first few weeks. Use a small pillow or soft toy to hold against the wound (over your clothes) if you need to sneeze, cough, or laugh.

Any Q's .. Just ask.. Good luck:D
"Dialysis! What is this? The dark ages!"
L. 'Bones' McCoy, ST"
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Michele in TN
Posts: 53
Joined: Sun Sep 12, 2004 8:21 am
Location: Nashville, TN, USA

Post by Michele in TN »

My incision which hosted about 50 staples for 2 to 3 weeks never hurt me a single bit. It was the picc line and the drain that bothered me. Of course the line was in my neck awkwardly so that's why it hurt and I developed staph in the JP drain and that is why the drain was so painful. All in all I would say it's been rather painless. I was quite surprised. As I have a zero tolerance for pain myself.
Michele, 30
Mom to Emily, 11
Wife to Chris
Transplanted 07/29/04
Creatinine 0.9 2/07
stopping prednisone due to severe renal osteodystrophy 11/06
nycpetit
Posts: 262
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2004 11:00 pm
Location: Miami Beach

Pain

Post by nycpetit »

First of all, congratulations on the transplant date!! I just had mine one month ago, August 12th in NYC. As for pain, no, I had little from the incision, I had no drain, but I did have sutures and not staples. I know that staples can become a little uncomfortable (pulling, and sort of itchy as you heal) but they do come out two weeks after, as long as the incision is healing well.

The biggest pain for me was the fluid they pump into you post surgery. That is not comfortable. They put seven kilos on me, and I am only 40 kilos so that was very uncomfortable and put a lot of pressure on my body as a whole, especially my legs, feet, and the incision. After a day or two the stomach area went down a little bit as some of the fluid began to come off. It took about a week before the swelling was down say 90%. The stomach obviously stays swollen for longer. They do this to force that new kidney to work, and flush out your body. You'll always have to be diligent about drinking a lot of fluids.

They'll give you painkillers in the hospital, and some to go home with as well. A lot of your euphoria that the operation is over, and that you are likely to be well is what overrides your feelings of discomfort post-op. After all the waiting the relief is tremendous.

I had a Foley catheter for five days. Most units only have you with it for two to three. That wasn't very comfortable, but again my kidney is placed very low, below the hip bone, and so that was part of the reason that the Foley was uncomfortable, because, ahem, the nether regions (yes those) were very swollen on me. Again, for the placement of my kidney this was normal.

My incision is only 5 inches. I measured one day after I was home. And I can say that now that the last of the seri tapes came off, I literally look as though I don't even have a scar. I think I might need to ask them if they ever put something in there or if it was a placebo operation. :lol: YOu might have slightly more scarring if you have staples. Don't be alarmed by that, it will go away over the course of a year. And you can use Vitamin E oil on it once the staples are out, and also Mederma (which I get at the local drugstore) although I don't know if you have that there. It's a clear creme in a tube that reduces scarring.

In preparing yourself, try to keep up some sort of excercise regimen. That will help you to recuperate faster post-op. Keep walking, lifting light weights, keeping your muscles as strong as possible. Have some people lined up to help you when you get home. I was able to walk up four flights of stairs, and get around, but getting in and out of bed was hard, showering was not fun (took me a long time) and I was weak, regardless that I am only 34, worked out at the gym three hours the day before the operation. It is still an operation that just makes you exhausted.

As Jman said, do bring loose joggers, track pants, and even socks and/or loose shoes (slippers) to wear home. It will not be unusual to perhaps still be a bit puffy from all the fluid they've pumped into you. The swelling for me was the most alarming aspect of the whole ordeal. While I was marginally forewarned by one of my many nephrologists, I was still not prepared for that amount of fluid in me. When you are very swollen, that in itself will cause pain, pressure. But it passes. Expect to have some discomfort sleeping for awhile. Getting into the right position and all of that. And give yourself a good while (let's say at least six weeks) to become a little more accustomed to the medications.

Most of all as it grows closer, try to even become excited about this operation. It's an opportunity to feel better. A gift and a new beginning.

Ask more questions if you have them!!

Hugs,
Natalie
Pam
Posts: 866
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2004 8:13 pm
Location: Springfield, Illinois, USA

Post by Pam »

Congratulations!
It is an anxious time before surgery-especially one that will change your life so much. You have a lot of expectations and of course, questions. No better place to ask than here...from people who have been through it!
Like the others said, everyone experiences pain differently but yours should be well controlled by the meds they will give you. I can't say much in the way of scar size as when I had mine, they were still doing the (approximate) 9-10 inch incision. I understand that it is now pretty much a thing of the past. I've got two of them that run together! :roll: You learn to live with it after awhile. :wink:
Anyway, everyone has given you a lot of good advice and I can't add much to it. I will be thinking of you, (especially on your transplant date! :)) and saying prayers for your quick recovery.
Take care!
-Pam
32 yr cadaver transplant recipient, now on peritoneal dialysis with the help of Audrey, my Homechoice machine... as of 4/3/09
Romans 8:28
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pamom2
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2004 11:42 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by pamom2 »

Thank you all!!!!!! You have been a BIG help!
nycpetit
Posts: 262
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2004 11:00 pm
Location: Miami Beach

Where in

Post by nycpetit »

PA are you? I am from PA originally and live in NYC now. What hospital are you going to???
pamom2
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2004 11:42 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by pamom2 »

Allegheny General in Pittsburgh
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