This and That and Talk - My Transplant

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

@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.

@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

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

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?

@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

@contentandwell it's wonderful to have such great support. I'm sure your husband and children are happy to see you doing well.

@gaylea1 Your children certainly are devoted to you, that's wonderful.

My husband took the reins and was here with me most of the time, but since my HE episodes were pretty distinct he did not need to be here all of the time. He works two days a week and continued to do that, and I was able to continue driving, shopping, and going to my health club. I even drove back and forth to our place on a lake in the summer of 2015 but I told my husband before the summer started in 2016 that I was no longer comfortable driving for a long distance which surprised him. Prior to an HE episode, I could feel it coming on so being close to home I would just get right back here.

My daughter did come and stay with me once when my husband went off to visit our son who was at that time living in CA. Since they both live a distance they did what they could do and I discouraged them from doing anything more since my husband was handling things very well.
JK