i have just been told that i need my left kidney removed has any one had this done what happens and the pain?

Question:

Answers:
That is very serious and I suggest you contact the National Kidney Foundation for more information and get a second opinion first.

Other Answers:
Its a common enough procedure these days.

Why are the removing it?

They will do a Renogram first to make sure you can cope with just one Kidney. Expect a 3 to 4 hour op with up to a week in HDU afterwards.

Pain is manageable - so discuss it in advance with your consultant.

My mum had one of her kidneys removed last year (radical nephrectomy) The other kidney grows in size to compensate, so everything will still work fine. Of course there will be some pain for a while but my mum coped well with it.

This is a major operation. I agree with the person who suggested getting a second opinion because surgeons are generally reluctant to remove a kidney, regardless of its % function.

You will likely be in the hospital for 5 days, or 2 weeks if you decide to do it laparoscopically (less scarring). You will not be able to drive for 2 weeks, and while in the hospital you will be given pain meds in your IV (you can press a button to deliver meds to yourself). You will be on a clear liquid diet for probably the first few days. You will likely be pretty sore for a while.

Lots of people have gone through this, and some people even volunteer to do it (think kidney transplants)! It will not be totally unbearable - and the person who said that the other kidney will enlarge to do the work of both is correct.

I had my left kidney removed when I was 18 (radical nephrectomy). It hurts for a while, but then having an appendix removed would hurt. But you'll soon be back on your feet again. You should allow about 6 weeks post-op to feel reasonably normal.

My right kidney is now twice its normal size and I have no noticeable side-effects, including having had a healthy, normal baby (and healthy pregnancy) last year (I'm 36 now).

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i have just been told that i need my left kidney removed has any one had this done what happens and the pain?

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