1. < Transplants

Quality of Life after Kidney Transplant.

Posted by kandyh @kandyh, Jun 1, 2023

Do most kidney transplant recipients live a normal life once they recover from the surgery or do most suffer continuous health challenges as a result of the transplant.? I am trying to evaluate the choice between continuing dialysis as a way of life or kidney transplant. Quality of life and the ability to live a normal life is my concern. Dialysis is obviously restricting but healthy otherwise. I am not sure I would trade my current limitations for continuous health problems as a result of a kidney transplant just to be free of dialysis.

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my44 | @my44 | Dec 5 9:00am
In reply to @ellakoch "Great to hear about your transplant! Yes you certainly can there alot of people who have..." + (show)
@ellakoch

Great to hear about your transplant! Yes you certainly can there alot of people who have transplant for many years... you life will only get better as the year go on !
Just be sure to not be afraid go to the hospital with fevers or call doctors with concerns..... but for the most part you get to live like before your kidney failure... be sure to enjoy life !!!

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Thank you for the encouragement @ellakoch.
You are right, as I have already notice things getting better over time and expect that they will continue to do so. I am enjoying life as best as I can and anticipate that I will be able to enjoy it even more, as more and more of the early post transplant restrictions are lifted...as meds continue to be reduced...and as blood draws and appointments become less frequent. Thanks, again, for the encouragement and the advice. @ellakoch, you are a great inspiration!

REPLY
my44 | @my44 | Dec 5 9:23am
In reply to @gingerw "@ellakoch Ella, my husband had a deceased donor for his kidney October 2016. He was on..." + (show)
@gingerw

@ellakoch Ella, my husband had a deceased donor for his kidney October 2016. He was on PD dialysis for 5.5 years prior to that. Thanks to the generosity of a grieving family, he has been able to continue his volunteer work, see his grandchildren grow up, and enjoy retirement.
Ginger

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@gingerw, like your husband and like @ellakoch, I too, am here and enjoying an improved life thanks to my deceased donor who left here way too soon, and the kindness and generosity of their family. And I am so grateful to them. It truly is "the gift of life."

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susangail53 | @susangail53 | Dec 5 3:34pm

Question....if you have ever had cancer, you can't get a transplant?

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my44 | @my44 | Dec 13 12:13am

@susangail53, my understanding is that it depends on the type of cancer, how long ago the person had it, and the organ to be transplanted. So having had cancer does not automatically disqualify someone from receiving a transplant. Those are just some of the many factors that are considered, including the overall health of the person and their ability to survive the operation and follow the required protocols post transplant. That would be a question for the transplant team that would be performing the evaluation to answer. Hope that helps.

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