6 month post surgery check up and hip pain

[twinkie]

It has almost been 6 months since I have donated my left kidney to my friend's father.  He is doing extremely well and doing things that he has not been able to do in years.  I just received an email from his daughter thanking me for giving her daddy back.  Now that does my heart good!!!
I will be going for my 6 months check up and wonder if I should share my concerns.  I am an avid runner but ever since my surgery, my left hip/lower back has caused me severe pain.   At one point, I tried to run through the pain but finally had to put my running shoes up and just walk.   So for the last 3 months since I was given the ok to run, I have not been able to run without constant pain.  If I sit for a long period of time, and I get up I have to move slowly until I can handle the pain.  Even walking causes pain but I just get through it.  I am just curious if any other donors had any problems post surgery with hip pain? 

Not sure if this a problem caused from surgery..... Any advice would surely be appreciated.. I miss running and I miss being able to walk without pain.. Still being positive and thankful for ALL things!!!!!
 
God bless, Lisa/ Twinkie

[Orchidlady]

So sorry you are experiencing this Lisa! I had sciatic pain about a year ago, and it seemed like it took a lot of time,chiro, stretching and effort for it to go away.
Based on my own experience, just going to throw some things out there for you to think about. If you have been an avid runnier, you may want to get with a good PT, preferably one with sports related background, to check you over for muscle imbalances. Your problem may not necessarily have stemmed from the surgery itself, but possibly inactivity during recovery could have caused some muscles and tendons to atrophy or tighten. Tight hip flexors, hamstrings, or psoas issues (and believe me, I have suffered through them and it is painful!) could be throwing you out of kilter and causing pain in other areas.
It is not normal to feel pain. I hope you will get it checked out and get yourself back to normal and back to your running. Good luck!

[Fr Pat]

Dear Twinkie,
     I did not have that problem after donation, but I have read of donors who did suffer nerve damage from the surgery (with long-term ill effects) so I do think it worth bringing up with the doctor (partly because the financial responsability can depend on whether it is judged to be an effect of the donation surgery or not.) I run as well (started after donation) and manage to do one Marathon a year (age 65). I get some aches and pains at times, but nothing that seems to have been related to the donation surgery 91 (years ago).
    Please let us know how things go.
        Fr. Pat

[twinkie]

Thank you both for your responses.  I am anxious for my 6 month check up to see what they say.  I will make an appt to go see my primary doctor and get a referral to go to PT.  I just pray this is only temporary as I truly miss my runs.  I will keep you updated, Lisa :-)

[laurielee]

It has been quite awhile since I have been on this website.  Dont know if this is fate or what, but I was amazed to read the very first post about the hip pain and lower back pain.  I was a kidney donor in 2002, and always suffered from the pain in this area.  In 2008 they placed a neuro stimulator on my spine, which absently  did nothing to help, so they removed the stimulator last December, and in the process made two tears in my dura, which they repaired during surgery, but after I came home I ended up having a CSF leak, and fluid built up to the size of a football on my spine, ended up at Grant Medical Center in Columbus to have it repaired, my removal surgery was in Atlanta, and being back in Ohio causes quite the problem trying to figure out who was going to repair my spinal cord.  Insurance won out and it was done in Ohio.  I have had the back/hip pain now for 9 years, have severe muscle atrophy in the buttock, lower back, and a very weak left leg. They attempted to do a dorsal rhizatomy to permanently numb the area which failed because of the complications, and have been told there is nothing  they can do because of how bad my spine is, only medication, which I totally hate, but have to take now. Nothing worse then being medicated all the time, and still feeling pain.Dont know if you had laproscopic surgery, which I did, but please dont let them ignore the symptoms.  I have been told by many neuro surgeons that had Ohio State listened to me and tried to help that maybe it would have been a different outcome, severed nerves can be put back together within the first year. You just have to have someone listen to you, the transplant docs blew me off and said they didnt make mistakes.  They severed my motor nerves, and at times the pain is so horrific I dont know how to survive. Sleeping is rare, and sitting is impossible.We all know our body better then any doc, and dont let anyone tell you it is in your head. Fight to get someone to help you.

[dodger]

Oh laurielee, I am sssoooo sorry you have had to go through all this.  I hope you do find some relief.

This is why this site is sooo important to all donors, pre-surgery and post-surgery.  It is a wealth of information and is growing all the time. 

Thank you so much for posting this information, I believe you were supposed to come to this site, see this thread and share your information for a reason.  Divine intervention.

Best wishes,   Janice