At Sat, 26 Apr 2003, Doug wrote:
>
>This is my first time here and, although I am a guy, I am searching for
>answers about the pain like so many of you that I have read about in
>this forum. I probably don't belong in this group, but PLEASE hear me
>out and offer ANY advice.
>
>Last August, my family doctor sent me in for a CT scan to try and find
>out about some recurring kidney stone problems. What he discovered
>instead has turned my whole life upside down. I have bilateral renal
>cell carcinoma (malignant tumors on both kidneys). The first urologist
>and oncologist felt that it was inoperable. The tumor on the right side
>was 4 inches in diameter and the left one was 6 inches and had spread
>into the adrenal gland and some regional lymph nodes (stage IIIB
>cancer). They referred me to a larger regional clinic, which was a
>blessing from above. They did immediate surgery to remove the tumor and
>about 1/3 of the right kidney. Six weeks later, they performed a
>radical nephrectomy on the left side, removing the whole kidney, adrenal
>gland, some lymph nodes, and some surrounding tissue. The surgeon then
>put me under the care of an oncologist to deal with the possible further
>spread of the cancer.
>
>He is a great oncologist, but does not seem to understand why I have had
>continuous sharp pain in my left side and abdomen for six months now.
>Everything I have read on this website and in this forum sounds like my
>pain. The doctor has me on two pain medications----one very strong one
>that is designed for injured or damaged nerves and a "medium" one to
>take the edge off during the daytime. I am working now, but do not like
>feeling that I am constantly dazed, "clumsy", and exhausted all day. As
>soon as I get home each day, I eat, take my evening dosages of pain meds
>and go to sleep. I want to stop the pain and not take these
>medications. They have done ultrasounds and CT scans and have found
>nothing wrong. I have accepted my cancer plight and can deal with
>that-----this constant pain, however, is a fight that I seem to be
>losing.
>
>I live in South Carolina and am in very good health, other than the
>cancer and this pain problem (he said, tongue-in-cheek!!).
>
>ANY HELP OR ADVICE WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
>
>--
>Doug in SC
>