Firstly, I'm not quite sure what fatigue actually is. I have read it's different from normal tiredness but I don't think I've ever had it.
I have read throughout that after surgery, I will feel tired or even have fatigue, because my body is repairing itself. So far - two weeks in - I have felt nothing different from my normal state. If anything, I feel less sleepy because I am doing less. When at work, I regularly drop off mid-evening, missing the end of the 9pm drama or the end of the 10 o'clock News. I figure, because I am on the go at work as well as walking my dogs, and lots of other active times in the day such as a snatched hour or two for gardening, that makes me tired by late evening, in the normal way (ie when I haven't had surgery)
Post-surgery, I don't seem to feel this tiredness. I had the same after my hysterectomy, having been told I would feel very tired because my body would use energy to heal itself. I didn't feel tired at any stage in the aftermath, and was on and off my bed to read only because I had read that you were supposed to rest lots during the day. I wondered then if this tiredness kicks in weeks or months later instead. However, by the time I had the long drive to France and back four months later, I still hadn't suffered from any tiredness, despite going back to work 6 weeks after surgery.
This kidney surgery is a different one, and affects a different part of my body. Two weeks out of surgery, the only noticeable difference is that I am not falling asleep nearly as much at 9pm (but then I'm not at work) and I am now finally starting to get back to my normal sleeping pattern which is that I wake up around every three-four hours. Until a few days ago I was still only managing to stay asleep around two hours at a time. I'm not doing much - little bit of walking but not really very much as I can only go with the dog who doesn't pull, and cannot leave the puller too long alone in the house whilst I take the other. I am doing a lot of sitting watching TV or on the laptop. If anything, my eyes are feeling sleepy, but my body isn't tired because I'm not really doing enough to make it tired.
I am now wondering if on this occasion and being a different surgery, if maybe this tiredness or fatigue will kick in later after all? Has anyone found that they feel fine for weeks and then the tiredness hits them weeks after the surgery?
I may have to go back to forcing myself to lie on my bed like I did after the hysterectomy. I am due to do that long drive to France in about 10 weeks and am hoping that whatever period of tiredness caused by my body repairing itself after surgery, has either already passed or may not even happen. Has anyone experienced a delay in this tiredness happening?
Tiredness and fatigue...to me tiredness is where I want to nod off...if i'm reading i just feel i want to rest my eyes
I have suffered chronic fatigue for years..now to me it's like no energy in my muscles or body....so say i want to walk up some steps it's like wading through mud. My limbs feel heavy etc. Also my brain goes foggy, and a deep mental lethargy sets in
Now after my nephrectomy I was OK...yes i was tired because my body was going through a lot.
Now you are in a better place than me because u have been given the all clear. So u can heal and recover.
With me, I am very sleepy alot, I get fatigue a lot. However stress can make my chronic fatigue worse.
I have been worse since being told it's now in my lungs...is it stress fatigue. Who knows. Is it the cancer who knows
I think given time sweety your strength will come back and you'll be fine
Yes, I get that feeling of eyes being tired. I call that sleepy because more often than not I lie down and close my eyes then but I don't nod off. I am way more likely to nod off before the end of the mid-eve drama or the News!! but then I'm wide awake again and have to drag myself off to bed because it's late.
But I've been this way for years; nearest I have got to feeling I am lacking in energy was after I reached about 50/55. I started one care job running up and down the stairs to the first floor of the care home, and by the time I left two and a half years later, I was hauling myself up by the bannisters but still running down. I put that down to a drop in energy due to my age and the menopause.
I haven't noticed any difference since my surgery, yet. Insofar as I still have the energy to walk as far as I normally do, but am a bit anxious to do so too soon in case I cause more swelling or tenderness in my incision. I am less sleepy atm than I am when at work and I assume that this is because I'm not doing enough activity to make me tired. But according to all that I've read and heard, I ought to be more tired now, not less, because of my body using energy to repair itself..?
So I'm wondering - but, hoping not! - if this tiredness will hit me later, such as in a few weeks? Once we get to France, it's two weeks of relaxing and doing not very much at all except a few local chateaux and the markets, and lots of swimming in the pool. But I have the drive to Folkestone and then three hours on the other side. I am doing the English leg in two stages...much more relaxing to only have to drive a couple of hours and then hole up for the night. However, because I haven't experienced this tiredness, I don't know whether it's going to hit me nearer the time (ie, a delayed fatigue) which will be disturbing. Everywhere I've read seems to say you get tired straight after surgery, and then it may improve or it may continue. I just haven't had it at all yet.
Perhaps stress is a factor? I am generally not stressed except at work when it's hectic, and in fact that's when I am more likely to be tired because I've been so active. I do recall actually when I was in my 20s and going through stressful periods, I used to come home and have a short nap in between my split shifts. I have never felt the need to do that since those days. I am pretty un-stressed atm as I am at home, no work, a bit bored but otherwise no hassles or stress or pressure of any sort...so maybe my natural adrenalin is being used instead to heal my body, and that's why I'm not feeling this tiredness?
My swelling is also just starting to subside a tad, which is a huge relief. My incision is less sore than 3 days ago. I am nearly halfway through my six-week Lockdown so things are looking up...
This is about me again because it's all I can go off
Control what you can. Prepare as best u can just in case
You told me u are splitting the journey up. Great idea. Give yourself extra time for extra stops ( you won't need them, but it settles your mind, just in case)
I don't know how long your away for, but be prepared that u may need to rest more when away. You may not need to. For example
With my chromic fatigue u can guarantee one day is lost on trips away. And I am angry and feel guilty but I need a day of silence and rest so hubby goes off and sight sees alone. I cant plan it, it just happens.
So go on your trip, stop over thinking it.
We are all different, some get tired, some don't so we can't tell u how you will be.
So pack your car, adding things that can help with ur tiredness if it happens, fluid food, pillow etc
If u need a better rest there is always premier inns and gites in France..it's better arriving at your your destination late.
The more u stress the longer your recovery time.
Ifvucare visiting people in France. Tell them u mat get tired and need to rest more. It won't spoil your time away. In fact it may be a relief to them because they are not mind readers.
Just smile, look forward to ur time away.
All will be well sweety
Thank you Fleabane 
I didn't have a problem last time, after my hysterectomy, but I had an extra month to recover anyway before going. I planned the trip accordingly, with the extra stopovers this side etc, even though I didn't need them really, but it extended the holiday and yes I felt relaxed due to having it all planned as a leisurely drive rather than a rushed one. I kept to the same routine last year, because although I didn't need to, it was so relaxing that I didn't see any reason not to. So this year is the same routine. I don't think I'll need it because I didn't last time, but it's still nice to extend the time away and enjoy pottering along instead of dashing to beat rush hour traffic or similar. And IF I find that the tiredness arrives belatedly, I already have a good plan in situ for the journey.
We usually arrive at the gite around 8pm and that's including a leisurely drive from Calais, with about three stops for the Girls and us, including a coffee stop and a main meal stop. If for any reason I had to hole up on the way, I know where there are dog friendly Ibis and the like, on the route, and it's no hassle to ring through to the couple who own the gite to say we will arrive the following morning - it's all ready for us no matter when we arrive.
We have a very leisurely time when there. We can spread out our sightseeing anyway, to leave any longer trips for a few days in, and we usually do spend the first two days pottering across the river to the next village, getting in fresh food there from the market, catching up with the locals we have got to know, and visiting the grocers in our village to stock up with other food for the first few days. Since John retired, he's equally happy to potter as well...we have been there done that with the belting round every tourist sight in whatever country we are visiting, and the calmness of our gite with the huge meadow for the Girls and the pool for me, suits us just fine for two weeks now!
Thanks for the tip on the pillow. I never think to do that and sometimes wish I had something better than my rolled-up coat to lean against if I need a quick nap in the car. I will add it to my packing list this time! In fact an extra pillow at the gite won't come amiss anyway...I like several pillows to sleep with.
