I am now nearly five weeks since open radical nephrectomy. I still have very little appetite, incisions feel quite tight at times and have regular stomach ache and back ache and feeling nauseous.
My bowels are moving regularly although they do tend towards diarrhoea.
I was just wondering how everyone else coped with these issues and how long it took before you felt like you were approaching normality.
I had considered trying protein drinks but on looking into them they do appear to be high in potassium and sodium which can be risky with just one kidney.
Any advice/suggestions gratefully received.
Thank you
Hello Librarian . I'm not from this group but I noticed your post was slipping by without response. By me giving it a bump it will bring it back in the limelight and hopefully some of the group members will pick it up and offer some advice. I hope all goes well. Best wishes.
Hi
I hope you’re feeling a bit better but I think 5 weeks is early days to expect to feel recovered. Mine wasn’t open surgery but there were 3 incisions and the lower one was quite big - I had my whole kidney and a 11cm mass removed. I felt a lot of improvement by around 9 weeks and then by 12 weeks I felt well enough to return to work.
I wasn’t given any dietary advice - apart from lowering salt intake - so I eat the same food as I did before surgery, although I do avoid anything with dark colouring I.e cola.
I used a scar oil (I bought it in the maternity section in Boots!) and I felt that helped with wound healing.
Take care
