Live Donor Weight Loss Prior to Transplant

Posted by christygb @christygb, Sep 16, 2019

I am hoping to be considered a kidney and liver donor for my sister, but my BMI is currently 40. I'm losing weight now, and also planning bariatric surgery (gastric sleeve) in January (motivated by my own health) but am curious to know if this would pull me out of consideration to be a donor? My sister is just beginning the process with her transplant team, so there are no surgery dates planned at this time. Anyone else have experience with this or know about these considerations?

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@birdienanie

I am christygb’s grateful sister who will be tested for kidney/liver transplant in Oct. I appreciate this site to get information prior to testing.

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@birdienanie, I received a simultaneous liver and kidney transplant in 2009. (1 surgery, 2 organs from same deceased donor). I am available to share from my experience if it will be helpful to you.
Hugs to you and your sister.

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@rosemarya

@birdienanie, I received a simultaneous liver and kidney transplant in 2009. (1 surgery, 2 organs from same deceased donor). I am available to share from my experience if it will be helpful to you.
Hugs to you and your sister.

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I would like to hear about it! It’s a lot to think about. I will know more after my evaluation and education in a couple of weeks. Thank you @rosemarya.

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@birdienanie and @christygb, how are you doing? I believe you will be starting the evaluation process soon. Correct?

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Thank you for asking! I completed my evaluation last week. I expect to hear soon about the decision of the selection committee. The surgeon I met with indicated that baring other test results he would recommend liver and kidney transplant. I thought the evaluation was pretty tiring and I have few symptoms now. Now I wait to see what will be the result.

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@birdienanie

Thank you for asking! I completed my evaluation last week. I expect to hear soon about the decision of the selection committee. The surgeon I met with indicated that baring other test results he would recommend liver and kidney transplant. I thought the evaluation was pretty tiring and I have few symptoms now. Now I wait to see what will be the result.

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@birdienanie I will be waiting to hear the results of your testing and if you become a transplant candidate. I was a liver transplant recipient and I know the waiting can seem to go on and on. My evaluation was done over a number of weeks, but perhaps that was because we were within a not unreasonable drive to the transplant center.
Have you had all of the tests required now? Most of them were pretty easy but a couple were unpleasant.
JK

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@contentandwell

@birdienanie I will be waiting to hear the results of your testing and if you become a transplant candidate. I was a liver transplant recipient and I know the waiting can seem to go on and on. My evaluation was done over a number of weeks, but perhaps that was because we were within a not unreasonable drive to the transplant center.
Have you had all of the tests required now? Most of them were pretty easy but a couple were unpleasant.
JK

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I had my tests over one week except two. I have an additional consult and wrap up meeting next week. I thought the evaluation was rigorous- fasted 3-4 days till the afternoon for diagnostic testing and some tests with sedation. I am glad to have that part behind me. Thank you for asking. I will keep you posted on the decision.

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@birdienanie

I had my tests over one week except two. I have an additional consult and wrap up meeting next week. I thought the evaluation was rigorous- fasted 3-4 days till the afternoon for diagnostic testing and some tests with sedation. I am glad to have that part behind me. Thank you for asking. I will keep you posted on the decision.

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@birdienanie My transplant center was at Mass General in Boston so perhaps the tests are different, but did you have the test where they took blood out of your arterial artery? That hurt. The other test I hated was when they put me in a glass booth and turned off the oxygen! I was amazed at how quickly that became difficult.
JK

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Hi @birdienanie and @christygb. Thinking of you.

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There is a man in my home town that is in severe need of an O kidney donor. I am O-; I took the BS test/questionnaire a few times and keep getting rejected. Is this normal? My reason is that I keep getting rejected is due to weight. The weight varies DRASTICALLY every time. Any advice much appreciated.

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Hi @ndnpassfer, you'll notice that I moved your question to this existing discussion about being a living donor and weight criteria. I did this so you can connect with @christygb who chose to tackle weight loss to be eligible to donate her kidney to her sister. Click VIEW & REPLY to see the past messages.

Ndnpassfer, you mention that the weight varies drastically. Can you elaborate? Does your weight vary or do the weight requirements on the questionnaire vary? Do you know that weight is the factor for the denial? Has a nurse contacted you to go over the questionnaire with you?

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