Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Support Group

Hi all!
I just wanted to let everyone know that I had my nephrectomy last week and all went great!
It appears as though, either a.) my right kidney was working much better than we thought, or b.) my left kidney wasn't working hardly at all because my renal function has only gone down a few points from 31% to 24% function. I've had my labs done twice this week and will have them repeated again, twice more next week, just to make sure, but it looks like my creatinine is leveling off at about 2.24.

I'm so glad that I had this done! I feel so much better, despite the post surgical pain. I've even been able to sleep on my left side without waking up in pain and that's a first for several years!

I highly recommend anyone who's had serious pain issues to talk to their uriologist about this intervention. It's a big step for those who are on the border of Stage 4 or 5 because it could push you over the edge, but the pay off, at least for me, has been worth the risk. I'm very healthy and so, while I didn't want to start dialysis, I was prepared to if it were necessary. More importantly, I'm an excellent candidate for a transplant and I have two friends waiting to be tested, so even if I had to start dialysis, the hope was that it would only be for a short period of time. As of now, I don't need to worry about the dialysis part but can concentrate on getting evaluated (and having my friends tested) for a transplant. My ultimate goal is to be transplanted by next summer, before my kidneys shut down completely.
At any rate, I just wanted to let everyone know how I was doing and that my surgery was an uncomplicated success.
Take Care,
Tami
Posted on 09/18/09, 09:09 am