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Is a kidney transplant worth it?
Transplants | Last Active: Sep 20, 2023 | Replies (14)Comment receiving replies
My diabetes is well controlled. My A1C has been 5 to 5.4 for a while. I’m a type 1 using an insulin pump almost since diagnosis.
My blood pressure is also controlled with medication. I also know how hard a diet is with multiple issues. On top of those that are obvious I also have celiac. My transplant dr told me I was very frail, said it was a 50/50 chance and couldn’t guarantee it would improve my life. It is up to me. So, I’m waiting for a scan to see if my veins and arteries are healthy enough for the transplant. I don’t know if I want to do either. It doesn’t seem that there is a good choice. Maybe I should just do the best I can with diet. How did you get your kidneys to work bette? I didn’t think that was possible? Thanks for responding. I truly appreciate it.
Replies to "My diabetes is well controlled. My A1C has been 5 to 5.4 for a while. I’m..."
@rhanea I also want to welcome you to Mayo Clinic Connect. We have some things in common. I have diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis and chronic kidney disease (CKD stage 4). I have had pre-transplant evaluation for kidney transplant. I was approved & accepted for kidney transplant at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. I’ve also been researching and learning about dialysis.
How far along are you in the transplant evaluation? You said that your transplant dr told you you are very frail. I underwent an examination to determine my frailty as part of my transplant evaluation. You mentioned waiting for a scan to assess your veins and arteries for transplant. When I had this it was called “vascular access” and was more about deciding whether dialysis or transplant was a better option for me.
As to whether transplant is worth it, I am a huge fan of transplant. It appeals to my belief in recycling! Nearly 18 years ago I had a pancreas transplant. It was like my own personal miracle and had a great run for 11 years. But that is a different story.
My hope and prayer for you is that you have a complete, thorough pre-transplant evaluation. Get all the options presented to you (risks and benefits) plus all your questions and concerns answered. You are the most important part of the medical team. Your decision and what is best for you matters.
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@rhanea That must have been tough to hear from your transplant doctor, right? But, at least they were truthful to you, which you gotta applaud them for that!
When is the scan you spoke of, to see if your veins and arteries are up to the task?
I will tell you that my husband had a kidney transplant October 2016, after 5.5 years on peritoneal dialysis. His underlying issue was uncontrolled high blood pressure. He tells me he does not regret a single moment of either the dialysis nor the transplant. His adult children first told him they would test to be a match, but then backed out. He had a deceased donor, who was 16 years younger than him.
Ginger