What Happens After I Go Home
You will be given a supply of your new tablets and will have to come to the transplant clinic at the Royal Free three times a week. This frequency of clinic visits will gradually reduce over the next few months and by four months after the transplant, most patients are only coming once every two weeks. After a year, most patients are only coming four or five times a year.
Exercise And Weight Loss
Once you’ve started to recover from the effects of surgery, you should try to do regular physical activity.
Adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week. This includes any activity that increases your heart and breathing rate it may make you sweat, but you are still able to hold a normal conversation.
Examples include:
- tennis
Choose physical activities that you enjoy, as you’re more likely to continue doing them.
It’s unrealistic to meet these exercise targets immediately if you have not exercised much in the past. You should aim to start gradually and then build on it.
If you’re overweight or obese, you should try to achieve a healthy weight. This can be safely done through a combination of eating a healthy, calorie-controlled diet and regular exercise. Aim for a body mass index of 18.5 to 25.
Read more about exercise and losing weight safely.
What Addition Information Should Women Know About The Recovery Process
Although fertility is not a problem, rejection or high blood pressure are both complications a woman might experience for at least one year after transplant surgery. Therefore, it is important to prevent a pregnancy during this time by using birth control.
Women who have a kidney transplant can have a healthy pregnancy later. Talk to the Transplant Team about the timing of your pregnancy after your transplant. Also, know the risks and make sure your obstetric provider is experienced in dealing with transplant patients.
A female transplant patient who becomes a new mother should not breastfeed her baby. The immunosuppressive medicines prescribed after transplantation can be passed through the mothers breast milk and can cause harm to the baby.
Female transplant patients should be sure to have a yearly Pap test and a mammogram. Immunosuppressive medicines could cause increased susceptibility to various types of cancer. Pap tests and mammograms are preventive measures that can help your healthcare providers detect any problems.
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Nutrition After Kidney Transplant
It’s important for your child to eat a healthy diet after receiving a kidney transplant. Good eating habits help prevent health complications from post-transplant medications.
A healthy diet can:
- Keep blood sugar levels within normal limits, which prevents diabetes. Blood sugar can go up after a transplant.
- Keep blood cholesterol levels within normal limits, which keeps the heart healthy. Cholesterol levels can become elevated after a transplant.
- Prevent excessive weight gain. Some patients gain too much weight after a transplant.
- Help keep blood pressure normal directly after the transplant, through appropriate salt intake.
- Provide enough calcium to keep your child’s bones strong and support growth. Patients taking prednisone after transplant need more calcium.
When To Call The Doctor
You should see your surgeon if you have any of the following signs or symptoms:
- Fever
- Drainage from the incision sites
- Increased frequency of urination
- Urine with an unusual, strong smell
- Cloudy urine
- Pain or soreness at or around the incision for more than two months.
- Shortness of breath, isolated leg swelling, or difficulty breathing
If you have any of the above signs and symptoms of infection or are experiencing any problems with worsening pain that is uncontrolled by pain medication, please contact us immediately.
During regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, call your transplant coordinator, or Dr. Gritschs office 267-7727. If they are unavailable, call the Hospital Page Operator and ask to speak to the Urology Consult Resident. You can also ask to speak with the attending surgeon that performed your surgery if the resident is not able to solve your direct issue. The business card with the name of the surgeon that performed your surgery is attached to the inside of your discharge packet provided to you by your coordinator.
Nights, holidays and weekends, please call the Hospital Page Operator directly at 825-6301 and ask to speak to the Urology Consult Resident. Again, you can also ask to speak with the attending surgeon that performed your surgery if the resident is not able to solve your direct issue.
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Are There Any Foods Medications Or Supplements I Should Avoid After A Kidney Transplant
There are a few foods and other substances that you should avoid after a kidney transplant. These items can hurt your kidney function and put you at risk for complications. Its important to follow your healthcare providers recommendations on what you should and shouldnt consume after your transplant. Dietary changes can sometimes be necessary after a kidney transplant, on a short-term basis. If your transplant is working well, youll also need to learn about possible interactions with transplant-sustaining drugs. If your new kidney is not doing well, dietary recommendations might be similar to those for chronic kidney disease .
Its important that you practice good hygiene to avoid infections when youre eating. In the first 90 days after surgery, your weakened immune system puts you at high risk for infectious diseases. Your provider will likely advise you to avoid close crowds where contact with an infected person is more likely. When you do go out, be sure to wash your hands frequently and stay away from people who are ill.
When it comes to the food and drinks you consume, there are a few tips you should follow, including:
Can Kidney Transplant Patients Drink Tea
Can kidney transplant patients drink tea? Although experts are unsure whether green tea will positively affect your health from a purely medical standpoint, it is certainly a safe, tasty and zero-calorie beverage for people with kidney disease. Green tea may also lower your risk of developing kidney stones.
Is tea good for kidney transplant patients? Conclusion: Based on our study, short-term consumption of black tea may improve endothelial function and endothelium-dependent arterial vasodilation in renal transplant recipients.
What tea is good for kidney transplant? Herbal teas: green tea, chamomile, peppermint, dandelion. Echinacea. Ginseng. Feverfew.
Can kidney transplant patients drink ginger tea? Sipping ginger tea regularly can specifically help cure kidney problems. This simple root herb when consumed as tea is a powerhouse for kidney detox. The antioxidants in ginger help neutralize unstable molecules known as free radicals.
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Eat And Drink The Right Things
After your transplant, its important to eat a nutritious, balanced diet to help encourage your transplant to work well. Aim for at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day and plenty of wholegrain foods that are high in fibre. Avoid too much sugar, saturated fats and salt. A low sugar diet is particularly important for managing diabetes.
Most people are able to drink alcohol in moderation after a kidney transplant
You will be given information on your diet and daily fluid allowance from your transplant team. Its very important to follow this advice.
Rejection And Transplant Medicine
Rejection is the most common and important complication that may occur after receiving a transplant. Since you were not born with your transplanted kidney, your body will think this new tissue is foreign and will try to protect you by attacking it. Rejection is a normal response from your body after any transplant surgery. You must take anti-rejection medicine exactly as prescribed to prevent rejection.
Are there different types of rejection?
There are two common types of rejection:
- Acute Rejection Usually occurs anytime during the first year after transplant and can usually be treated successfully.
- Chronic Rejection Usually occurs slowly over a long period of time. The causes are not well understood and treatment is often not successful.
What are anti-rejection medications?
Antirejection medications decrease the bodys natural immune response to a foreign substance . They lower your immune system and prevent your body from rejecting your new kidney.
Why do I need to take anti-rejection medication?
Kidney rejection is hard to diagnose in its early stages. Rejection is often not reversible once it starts. You should never stop taking your anti-rejection medication no matter how good you feel and even if you think your transplanted kidney is working well. Stopping or missing them may cause a rejection to occur.
How should I take anti-rejection medication?
Here are some tips to help you take your anti-rejection medication as directed:
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Resuming Life After Kidney Transplantation
Your Guide to Kidney Transplant: Your Kidney Transplant | Follow-Up Visits After Kidney Transplant Surgery | Resuming Life After Kidney Transplantation | Organ Rejection after Kidney Transplant | Nutrition After Kidney Transplant | Immunosuppressant Medications | Infection After Kidney Transplant
After returning home, you want to resume “normal living.” If you want to go to a movie or a social occasion and feel up to it, DO IT! If you’d like to have friends visit you at home, that’s OK too! Try as much as possible to return to your normal routine.
However, the key is moderation and understanding your limits. Initially, you will probably have less energy than you did before surgery. It takes time for your body to heal and adjust to your new medications. Napping and pacing your activities is recommended to prevent placing a strain on your recovery.
Please note that many of these recommendations specifically apply to patients taking prednisone. Today, the vast majority of our transplant patients do not require prednisone and other steroids long-term.
To learn more about a specific post-transplant concern, click on the related link below:
When Can I Go Back To Work
Many kidney transplant patients are able to return to work within a few months following a successful surgery. However, various aspects of the recovery process can affect the timing of your return.
You will need to discuss returning to your job with the Transplant Team. When the time approaches, a return to work letter will be provided. This will let your employer know when you may begin working and what limitations, if any, you have.
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Will I Have To Watch My Diet After A Transplant
Yes, your diet still plays a big role after a kidney transplant. It is important to keep a healthy weight and exercise regularly. A healthy, balanced diet will help prevent high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess weight gain and promote overall wellness and health.
After a kidney transplant, plan to follow a diet low in salt and high in fiber. A balanced diet includes a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, reduced-fat dairy products, whole grains, and plenty of water.
Additionally, you may need to avoid eating certain types of foods. Your healthcare team can help you understand which foods you should avoid and why. The dietitian at your transplant center can help you find a diet that is right for you.
How Soon Can I Take A Vacation
You may travel after 12 weeks when you are feeling better, but always let the Transplant Team know when you plan to go, and provide a phone number where you can be reached. By remembering these traveling tips, your vacation will be worry free:
- Always take all of your medicines with you and make sure you have enough medicines to last throughout your trip.
- If you are traveling by plane, carry your medicines with you. Never check them with your luggage.
- Make sure you have the phone number for the transplant center where you have been treated.
- Check to see if there is a medical lab or transplant center nearby where you can have your blood work completed. This lab will need to report your results to the transplant office.
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When Can I Go Back To Work After My Transplant
Our aim is to allow each transplant patient to return to an independent lifestyle with a good quality of life. Most transplant recipients remain off work for two to three months after the transplant but this depends on the individual patient and their occupation. Please discuss when you can return to work with the doctor caring for you.
Nutrition After Renal Transplant
Your Guide to Kidney Transplant: Your Kidney Transplant | Follow-Up Visits After Kidney Transplant Surgery | Resuming Life After Kidney Transplantation | Organ Rejection after Kidney Transplant | Nutrition After Kidney Transplant | Immunosuppressant Medications | Infection After Kidney Transplant
Good nutrition plays a key role in successfully recovering from kidney transplantation. As after any surgery, adequate calories and protein are needed for proper wound healing. Also, possible side effects of the anti-rejection medications can increase nutrient requirements. Because of these special concerns, you may have to change your diet for a time period after your transplant. However, dietary therapy is always adjusted by the transplant team to meet your specific needs and tolerances:
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What Are The Risks Of Kidney Transplantation
The risks of kidney transplantation are the same as those of any surgery. There is the risk of bleeding, infection or breathing problems. You also might experience some side effects from the medications, and you could be more prone to infections, since the medicine you will take after transplantation lowers your body’s ability to fight infection.
There is also the risk of rejection. Since the body recognizes the new kidney as a foreign object, it will normally try to get rid of it or “reject” it. However, you are given medicine to prevent rejection.
Because of years of experience, research, and improved medicines that prevent rejection, kidney transplants are very successful with few complications after transplantation.
Life After Kidney Transplant
When a person’s kidney no longer functions correctly, a kidney transplant may be needed. The surgical procedure removes the dysfunctional organ and replaces the impaired kidney with a donated one.
Your body needs at least one kidney to survive. The organ’s main function is to remove waste and excessive fluid from your blood. If your body is infiltrated by high levels of toxins, you can develop end-stage kidney disease or kidney failure. The best treatment in this case is kidney transplant.
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Can You Drink Alcohol After Kidney Transplant
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Alcohol Drugs And Medications
Regularly drinking alcohol above the maximum recommended limits can raise your blood pressure, which can be dangerous for people with a kidney transplant. To keep your risk of alcohol-related harm low, the NHS recommends:
- not regularly drinking more than 14 units of alcohol a week
- spread your drinking over 3 days or more if you drink as much as 14 units a week
- it’s a good idea to have several alcohol-free days each week
Read more about alcohol units and get tips on cutting down your alcohol consumption.
Alcohol is also high in calories, so you’ll gain weight if you drink regularly. Being overweight will also increase your blood pressure. Read more about the calories in alcohol.
You should also avoid taking any illegal drugs after a kidney transplant, as they can damage your kidneys, cause a sudden rise in blood pressure and react unpredictably with your immunosuppressant medications.
Finally, always check with your care team before taking any medication, including over-the-counter medication and herbal remedies such as St John’s wort. Some medications could be potentially harmful if you have had a kidney transplant and are taking immunosuppressant medication.
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Moderate Drinking Benefits Kidney Transplant Recipients Study Suggests
- Date:
- American Society of Nephrology
- Summary:
- Moderate alcohol consumption reduces one’s risk for diabetes and premature death in the general population. To find if the same were true for stable kidney transplant recipients, researchers studied 600 renal transplant recipients who had their transplant more than one prior and followed them for several years post-transplant. During an average follow-up of seven years, moderate alcohol drinkers were 44% less likely to die than other types of drinkers/nondrinkers.
Moderate alcohol consumption reduces one’s risk for diabetes and premature death in the general population. To find if the same were true for stable kidney transplant recipients, Dorien Zelle and her colleagues studied 600 renal transplant recipients who had their transplant more than one prior and followed them for several years post-transplant.
Of these, 288 were abstainers, 94 sporadic drinkers, 210 had moderate alcohol intake, and 8 were heavy drinkers. Moderate alcohol drinkers were 67% less likely to develop diabetes than other types of drinkers/nondrinkers.
During an average follow-up of seven years, moderate alcohol drinkers were 44% less likely to die than other types of drinkers/nondrinkers.
Study co-authors include Eva Corpeleijn, Ronald Stolk, MD, PhD, Jaap Homan vd heide, MD, Willem Van son, MD, PhD, Gerjan Navis, MD, PhD, and Stephan Bakker, MD, PhD .
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Is Coffee Good After Kidney Transplant
Aim to drink 10 to 12 cups of fluid each day, unless your transplant team suggests other amounts. Drink at least half of your fluid intake as water. Choose low-calorie beverages such as water, skim milk, sugar-free soft drinks, sugar-free crystal drinks, carbonated water, and decaffeinated tea and coffee.
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