Has anyone had a kidney removed?

[CountessDracula]

How much does it hurt?
What are the restrictions afterwards?

Oh no, CD. Do you have to have it removed?

No but I might have to

Have to make a decision soon!

Oh bugger. Sorry to hear it. But, I wouldn't think the pain could be any worse than say a section.

What is the risk of leaving it in?

Being ill all the time with infections

Oh, that stinks. Will removing it cure the infections? Or is it more a case of well maybe if we remove it then the problem might go away?

Oh yes it will stop them as it is the kidney that is infected

It is very small and scarred and full of cysts and only doing 20% of the work while the other healthy one does 80%

I have been off work for 8 weeks this year with it

8 weeks. Gosh! And obviously this is not good for your hope of concieving another sprog.

I think I'd learn towards having it removed.

Is there any chance of the kidney recovering?

lean not learn (typing is not one of my skills)

No no chance at all

I had reflux (where the valve at the bottom of the tube leading from your kidney to bladder is faulty and then when you wee it goes back up and causes infection) I had an op to correct this 4 weeks ago and have been really ill with infection ever since. Went for a scan last week to see if it has worked and have appt in the am to get results.

Even if it has worked there is no guarantee that it will stop the infections

So the options then are staying on antibiotics for the rest of my life or having it out

Not had it done personally but my 5 month old nephew had a malformed kidney removed when he was a couple of days old. Obviously he couldn't say how much pain he was in. He has to have antibiotics daily for probably about 2 years to protect the remaining kidney, but that is more to do with being so young and apparently baby boys being more prone to infections which can lead to damage (which with only one healthy kidney is not desirable). Don't suppose that helps you much really.

Oh yuck. That was perhaps a bit more than I wanted to know about your wee. But, then, I asked.

Well, if it was my decision I think I'd go for the knife, especially since there is no chance of recovery.

COV, blimey, is he 5 months already???

oh sorry!

Yes lots born with only 1 or 1 not working

Hope your nephew is ok COV

My brother and my mother have both donated a kidney to me so although I haven't had it myself I have seen them.My brother was very slim and toned and the kidney was near the surface and he definitely recovered quicker than my mum although his surgery was 15 yrs later and techniques have moved on.There are new procedures whereby tehy remove the kidney by keyhole they somehow freeze it and shrink it and get it out via a v small incision.This is to encourage more people to donate although I'm sure they use it for regular nephrectomies too.You will need a few weeks off work but from someone who knows the hell of recurrent infections I would say go for it

Oh Noddy did you have them too? They knock me out each time for about a week (until the antibiotics start working) and I am like a zombie, sleep 18 hours a day etc. Did they do that to you?

Do you mind me asking what was the cause of yours?

I know that the infections are like no other that you can get.My nurse practitioner told me that they cause all sortd of weird symptoms and each one is an illness in itself.I had a form of nephritis where the kidneys got so scarred they stopped working altogether i was tested for reflux but it wasn't that.It was a complication of strep throat where once your body has killed the sore throat it keeps producing anti bodies which then try and find something in the body to destroy and in my case it was kidneys.Is the damage only to one?And will the surgery prevent the urine going back up into the new kidney?If it is a sure bet go for it!

He will be 6 months in a couple of weeks . He is doing really well CD I saw him at the weekend and apart from daily doses of antibioitcs he is the same as any other little boy. As long as the remaning kidney doesn't get damaged by aninjury or infection (which is no more likely than anyone else) he will live a perfectly normal life

Well the surgery was only on the bad one. The other side has a perfect kidney and no reflux.

They said it had prob happened when i was a baby (the scarring etc), god knows why it suddenly started causing problems again this year.

OK it is coming out

hurrah

cd, emkana is looking for you on another thread with your name in the title...

are you pleased with the outcome then CD?

i think its best to get rid

yes I am

The reflux op worked and have still had infections ever since so it it antibiotics forever or this

am NOT looking forward to it though

Some people seem to have easy recoveries, others a nightmare

I recovered pretty well from my c section and nastiness that ensued so am hopeful (also won't ahve a newborn to look after so should be easier!)

sorry to hear this cd but I suppose, at least a decision has been made - you can't go on with those infections.