This and That and Talk - My Transplant

@gaylea1 it has been great. I didn’t realize until after my transplant that because I was so miserable for about 6 weeks prior my husband thought he was going to lose me - I gained about 35 pounds of fluid.
My transplant was in September and for Christmas not only did my son, daughter, and her fiancé (now husband) totally prepare dinner for us and company, but they gave me a beautiful gift.
JK

Do they do a kidney biopsy after 90 days of kidney transplant? I had a kidney biopsy 15 years ago during my initial diagnosis and it was awful! I really hope I never get to have another biopsy again but I saw online that it is a norm to do a kidney biopsy after a kidney transplant. Is that true?

@taarthi

I had a kidney biopsy shortly after transplant due rejection which was treated successfully. I also had one in August as part of my 4 month follow up. Neither one was particularly painful. They do treat the area with Lidocaine or something similar before.

@taarthi my husband had to have a biopsy on his liver after his transplant. They did a topical on his stomach before they did it. All the nerve endings for the liver had been cut so he didn't feel anything. I'm assuming it would be the same for a kidney.
Blessings,
JoDee

@taarthi - At Mayo Clinic, our post-kidney transplant patients could be scheduled for biopsy at 4 months, 1 year, 2 years, 4 years, 5 years, 7 years, and 10 years after transplant, depending upon the patient's situation. These biopsies show the doctors the inner workings of your kidney to be sure it is functioning correctly, and biopsy is one way to diagnose possible rejection. Not all clinics may have the same schedule, but I would definitely recommend doing what your team thinks you should do. I know it can be uncomfortable and even a bit painful to some people, but it's much better than the alterative of losing a kidney to rejection or non-function.

Thanks everyone! Does the Kidney biopsy require overnight stay at the hospital? I had a 24 hour stay for my first kidney biopsy.

My biopsies took about 3 hrs.
and I did not have to stay in the hospital. I was in Rochester for a length of time during both biopsies, but not because of them.

Thanks for your response!

I also had a biopsy of liver after transplant. And, Yes - much easier that the ones I had before transplant. I will not need another liver biopsy as long as all continues to go well with my 'new' liver.