Post-op swelling

I am a little more than 3 weeks post surgery from a partial nephrectomy.  I've had swelling in my abdomen pretty much since the beginning but it seems to have gotten bigger.  It almost feels like something is trying to "fall out".  When I look in the mirror, it looks like I'm about 6 months pregnant on the side that my surgery was on and my abdomen bulges out. My incision starts on the side and goes around and up on my back so it can't be swelling from the incision site.  Has anyone else experienced this?  Is this "normal"?  I haven't gained any weight it just looks like I have.   

I will be 3 weeks tomorrow since my partial nephrectomy and I am still swollen in my belly.  Are you sure its not herniated as yours does sound more excessive than mine?

 But that feeling of something falling out is exactly how I feel when I over do it.  :)  I still walk with a hand pressed on my belly. 

When I had my nephrectomy, the incision was about the size you described maybe a bit longer and they removed a rib. I had a radical nephrectomy and was hospitalized for 10 days. The wound continued to drain for the first 8 days of that stay. The drain was finally removed on the 9th day. I was discharged the next day, I was told that there would still be some fluid in my abdomen and I was given specific instruction that if I had symptoms such as you are describing I should contact my surgeons office immediately or go to the ER if I could not reach my surgeon. It sounds like your problem is fluid build up although it is possible that it is a hernia (usually that pain would be localized to an area along the incision). It will take several weeks for the wound to heal completely and there will always be numbness around the scar due to the nerves that have been severed. It should be easy to determine if it is a fluid build up or another problem with an abnormal ultrasound. In any case contact your surgeon ASAP as serious infections could occur. Remember that pain and unusual feelings are a warning if you feel that something is not right or what you expected then there is probably something wrong. As far as holding your belly when coughing, I still do that and it has been several years since the original surgery.

 

Good luck

Tom

Hello there

I had my kidney removed 9 yrs ago and to this day the side I had the op looks swollen !! for yrs I used to have the feeling I got when I was pregnant and the baby moved lol you have had a major op your body is bound to look and feel different . xx

I am eight weeks out today from surgery. I am finally feeling like the swelling is going down. At least in the morninng. I have a hard lump right above the incision that gets rock hard if I move around too much. The middle of my upper abdomen also swells and gets rock hard. For awhile I was having these crampy/spasms that hurt so bad I literally couldn't move. Those have let up by using heat and pressure on the "lump". Soaking with hot water will let you gently manipulate the sore muscles. BUT before you do anything you should check back in with your doc. Good luck! 

 

On 5/31/2009 Dogwood wrote:

I am a little more than 3 weeks post surgery from a partial nephrectomy.  I've had swelling in my abdomen pretty much since the beginning but it seems to have gotten bigger.  It almost feels like something is trying to "fall out".  When I look in the mirror, it looks like I'm about 6 months pregnant on the side that my surgery was on and my abdomen bulges out. My incision starts on the side and goes around and up on my back so it can't be swelling from the incision site.  Has anyone else experienced this?  Is this "normal"?  I haven't gained any weight it just looks like I have.   

I just had a left sided open partial 2 weeks ago and I too look to be about 6 months pregnant!  The doc looked at it and said this is normal and would last for more than a few weeks.  Oh joy!!  It is more swollen on the left side (no surprise), so my belly button now points to the right as my right side is not very swollen 2 weeks post-op.  Other than the pain associated with this nasty incision I think I am recovering quite well, just tire easily and pretty limited with any lifting, bending, etc.  All my plumbing is working well, so the only thing I would be worried about if it doesn't start to diminish is a hernia.  I see the doc again in 3 weeks, so he can assess it at that time.  They gave me an abdominal binder at discharge, but I don't wear it much as it doesn't really make much difference.  It does help if I need to hit the grocery store and walk a lot.  Thank God it is summer and I can wear blousy sundresses!  Hope your swelling is better by now as you are a few weeks ahead of me.