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Author Topic: Lower Abdominal Pain at 1 Year Anniversary  (Read 4240 times)

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Offline Daleguy01

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Lower Abdominal Pain at 1 Year Anniversary
« on: May 16, 2014, 10:01:03 PM »
Hi everyone, I donated my left kidney to my sister almost 1 year to the date.  Surgery was a little complicated - had 3 arteries and veins going to the kidney; recovery was a little hard.  I was doing very well up to about 3 months ago and started to notice pain in my lower abdomen, just to the side of the incision, and urine output was decreased.  Went in for an evaluation and found out I had a urethra stricture.  Wondering if another guys have had that issue?  Had another surgery to correct that, and was good for another couple of weeks, then the pain started again and started to have some difficulty taking in deep breathes.  About 2 weeks ago, had an enlarged lymph node in my groin with severe pain.  Back to the docs again for more tests.  Results came back ok, no infections, had an ultra sound - again nothing.  Pain in lymph node has gone, but still have pain in lower abdomen and issues with my breathing.

Starting to think I'm going a little nuts.  Wondering if anyone else has had these types of problems.  I have another appointment in 2 weeks with a surgeon…beginning to think I might have a hernia.  Anyone else have similar symptoms or had a hernia as a result of donating?

Any thoughts or comments would be helpful.  Thank you.

Offline Clark

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Re: Lower Abdominal Pain at 1 Year Anniversary
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2014, 08:32:22 AM »
Best wishes! Hope all is resolved well, and quickly. Do let us know! I had a hydrocele a year and a half after donating, leading to surgery six months later. No cause and effect acknowledged by my urologist, but I can't help connecting them. Again, best wishes.
Unrelated directed kidney donor in 2003, recipient and I both well.
620 time blood and platelet donor since 1976 and still giving!
Elected to the OPTN/UNOS Boards of Directors & Executive, Kidney Transplantation, and Ad Hoc Public Solicitation of Organ Donors Committees, 2005-2011
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Offline Daleguy01

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Re: Lower Abdominal Pain at 1 Year Anniversary
« Reply #2 on: July 21, 2014, 07:33:44 PM »
Well, it's been a few months, and the pain has mysteriously disappeared.  However, I did start eating much healthier and exercising and believe that has helped; mores, I'm now thinking the pain was related to poor posture sitting!  But, now having breathing problems!  One thing after another.

Offline Fr Pat

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Re: Lower Abdominal Pain at 1 Year Anniversary
« Reply #3 on: July 22, 2014, 02:21:35 AM »
I'm glad to hear that you have enjoyed improvement. I myself did not have that problem, although I always wondered if the occasional aches and pains that I got were related to the donation surgery. I quite agree that exercise, posture and healthful diet are always helpful. I started running after donation surgery to help with recovery and have continued now for 12 years, and I think it is a great help.
     One possibility to keep in mind is "adhesions". The internal organs are naturally covered with a slimy substance to help them move against each other easily when we move. When the surgical instruments, or the hands of the surgeons, touch those surfaces that barrier can be disturbed. If two disturbed surfaces are touching each other a spider-web sort of scar tissue can form binding them together (an "adhesion"). It might be harmless, or it might put a kink in things and cause problems. They can be hard to identify, and surgery to correct them may end up causing new adhesions. (I'm not a medical professional, so I'm just passing along some info that someone else passed on to me.)
     Please keep us informed about how you do, and about anything new you learn.
     best wishes,
         Fr. Pat

 

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