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Live Kidney Donor with Type 2 Diabetes
I recently heard an announcement from Mayo Clinic, I believe in Rochester that persons or family members with type 2 Diabetes are able to donate a kidney. The last time we checked, my husband could not because he had type 2 D. But he does not take insulin and has his diabetes under control...for many years. He's in good physical condition. Is this a possibility if we match? My eGFR has been stable at 21-23 for a few years. Certain infections drove it down but the kidneys recovered only to eGFR above.
I'd like to get checked to see if we match. I keep thinking I have to fall below eGFR before they would consider a transplant.
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@mrainne I’ve not heard that announcement from Mayo. The two most common causes of kidney problems are diabetes and hypertension. I have stage 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD). I’ve been told that I will need dialysis &/or kidney transplant at some point. I’ve had a pre-transplant evaluation, been approved and accepted for kidney transplant. I’ve been looking for a living kidney donor. My husband didn’t qualify because he has hypertension and pre-diabetes. Both are controlled at this point. My brother didn’t qualify because he has type 2 diabetes. Perhaps the criteria has changed for living donor acceptance. I will look into that again. My eGFR has bounced between 14 - 42 since 2016. It is currently in the low 30’s. I was told that a transplant wouldn’t even be considered until it is less than 20. Perhaps that has changed too. The best thing to do is to contact the Mayo Transplant Center and get your questions answered by a living donor team member. This is the contact info that I have.
mayoclinic.org/livingdonor
LivingDonorOrganTP@mayo.edu
866-227-1569
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2 ReactionsHello, @mrainne. You're right!
In 2024, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network updated its guidelines, making some people who have Type 2 diabetes eligible to donate a kidney. The national policy allows people with Type 2 diabetes to donate a kidney if there is no evidence of organ damage or an unacceptable lifetime risk of complications.
Mayo Clinic has added a few more criteria for their transplant program, which you can read about here:
- Type 2 diabetes no longer a barrier to becoming a living kidney donor https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/type-2-diabetes-no-longer-a-barrier-to-becoming-a-living-kidney-donor/.
Have you contacted a transplant center to talk about your options?
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2 ReactionsYes, after I heard this announcement I contacted my Nephrologist at Mayo through the portal. The response was that I was not at the stage to be evaluated. I've been stable, I feel good, exercise and I am not tired. I eat very little meat, mostly beans, fruits, veggies, etc. I drink massive amount of water, 60-70 oz a day. My disease is nephrogenic diabetes insipidus so water is important. Now I wonder at what stage is the evaluation? I've decided I do not want to go on dialysis, but my cousin who is a nurse at Johns Hopkins said if you're not on dialysis your in the B order, not A. Meaning A's go first. But if I have a living donor, why should that matter? I don't have fluid overload...yet and I do not have proteinuria. The only bad bloodwork is my eGFR, BUN, creatinine (obviously). The rest is normal, taken every 3 months.
I'd really like to know what the evaluation is like. The message said it's very involved. My weight, 137, my BP hovers around 117/68, changes a bit. I am not diabetic, as said, my blood sugar, potassium, sodium...all normal.