Things to Know After You Donate a Kidney

Patients who have had surgery to donate a kidney are given painkillers immediately later the operation and when they are discharged from hospital, to use during their recovery flow. Some people may as well be prescribed antibiotics for a short period if they need them. However, living donors do not need any long-term medication as a result of kidney donation.

Many of the people we spoke to talked about coming back home from infirmary and recovering from their functioning. Recovery can take between two to twelve weeks, depending on surgery, private recovery and the type of work a donor volition be resuming. Donors need to rest after being discharged from infirmary. They besides need help during the get-go week or two if they accept children or elderly parents to care for and with twenty-four hour period-to-24-hour interval domestic tasks.

The kickoff few days back dwelling, the donors we interviewed said they'd rested, slept, took information technology easy or just 'pottered around'. They had been discharged from infirmary with painkillers, unremarkably paracetamol, sometimes also codeine. Several mentioned having discomfort or pain around their wound. Some plant getting out of bed particularly painful. One woman said the painkillers she'd been prescribed hadn't been potent plenty, and so her husband visited her GP who prescribed her something stronger. Many of those we interviewed felt unusually tired during the offset week. Several said they'd had no or petty appetite at get-go, though this improved over time. A few people felt constipated or had indigestion. Donors were careful not to lift anything heavy or over-exert themselves physically and had been brash not to drive. They managed to walk but at offset very slowly and carefully. 1 woman was concerned about the dark colour of her urine when she showtime came dorsum abode but said this soon went dorsum to normal.

At first, Wallee had very little appetite and slight discomfort around the wound. He spent five...

At first, Wallee had very little ambition and slight discomfort around the wound. He spent five...

Age at interview: 58

Sex: Male

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I was in a sure corporeality of shock and things that were slightly uncomfortable was that I institute information technology difficult to eat, because obviously everything had happened in the stomach region. Then my digestion wasn't, you know, I wasn't really having much of an appetite. And there was a certain amount of coming to terms with what had happened. I just remember having, lamentable it'southward difficult to explain, an almost  kind of a deep feel near the whole thing, only something deep because I agreed to practice something, and I trusted in something, and then something else took place, which has remained with me ever since actually.

I was ready to get dwelling. I was ready to rest and have food at my ain time, not when the nutrient came around in the hospital. And I had meliorate food actually in hospital, that'south the reality. I could say, "Well I feel like a fiddling fleck of fish or something, potatoes." I could actually say that considering there is a menu in hospital but, you know, they're cooking on such a large level.

I spent five weeks, something I'm going to have. I call back it might be slightly incorrect, something like five weeks in my friend's house. So I went to Denmark for a week. So somehow about two months, you're still recovering for a few months after that. But two months, allow time. But it's non like, it'southward a case of really existence prepare, you're up walking in a couple of weeks, shuffling around.

During the first week, most people received back up from family or friends, several proverb it was helpful to take someone in that location to melt meals and practice the shopping. Darren stayed with his girlfriend for a few days. Di praised the support she got from her ex-husband. Her son lived nearby, and it was reassuring to know she could phone him if she needed anything. Clare said she had a lot of support from friends merely sometimes found it draining having company when all she wanted was rest. She advised people with dogs to arrange domestic dog-walking in the first calendar week. Clare said she had used the opportunity of existence off work to go some building work done at home, but that it hadn't been a good idea. The drilling was noisy and all she'd wanted was sleep. Other people said their feelings of tiredness wore off quite chop-chop and they started doing calorie-free things after a few days.

Paul had some pain at first and felt a fleck constipated. He recovered quite quickly. He went into...

Paul had some hurting at first and felt a bit constipated. He recovered quite quickly. He went into...

Age at interview: 56

Sex: Male

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I came home past train, train and automobile from the station and and so I was at home, pottering around. I spent a fair amount of time lying downward or in bed. Obviously it was a bit sore at times and I needed some reasonable strength painkillers, but it wasn't a big deal.

I got a bit constipated, which I think is always, and I know from what people tell me, that's always something that is a bit of a nuisance and always gets people down a fleck. And it was but quite interesting to have the experience myself. So I wait on it as a kind of learning experience and information technology didn't last that long. Simply, for a few days, I think information technology was probably the symptom in a fashion that troubled me most. Even more than the pain.

But I actually got meliorate quite rapidly. I went out to dejeuner, a half hr's drive away, the next weekend on the Saturday. I tin remember I didn't take much appetite still at that stage, but I was fit plenty to travel. And in fact, though I probably shouldn't have done, I actually went and did a clinical session nearly a week later, later the functioning. And I call up, probably in retrospect, I wasn't entirely well. I don't think I did anything unsafe. I'chiliad certain I was fine. But anyway, so shortly after that I started driving over again. So I was driving within a fortnight and I accept no doubt that I was quite condom to do and then. It was quite comfortable.

In the first 3 weeks of recovery, Maggie had some nausea, indigestion and the awareness of an...

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In the kickoff three weeks of recovery, Maggie had some nausea, indigestion and the sensation of an...

Historic period at interview: 66

Sex activity: Female

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I had quite a lot of nausea as well, which was attributed to the stronger pain relief. And and then nausea, while non life threatening, is something else you can do without. So –betwixt nausea, bad aroma in my head, indigestion, not having a good night's slumber – my postal service-operative recovery, while not intolerable, was something that I was glad to somewhen get through. And I was back at piece of work.

I think that bad catamenia only lasted 3 or iv weeks, or less. And then I was simply getting my strength back for a render to work. And I needed my strength considering I was working in a unit with children who'd been excluded from schoolhouse, and they're a rough lot. Yous know, yous can get shoved or nutted even, as I some... And then it'south a rough surroundings.

And at that time, recovering from abode, especially those get-go three to iv weeks, was there anybody at domicile?

Yeah, my husband works at home, which was ideal. And I had visits from friends. People bringing nutrient, you know, very, very prissy.

Wallee travelled from England to The netherlands to donate a kidney to a friend. His first week dorsum to a friend's house felt isolated because all of the other business firm-mates were on holiday.

Wallee felt a bit isolated at kickoff, though the environment was perfect for recovery. He could...

Wallee felt a flake isolated at commencement, though the environment was perfect for recovery. He could...

Age at interview: 58

Sex activity: Male person

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I went through a period of, information technology was kind of isolation considering, even when I came dorsum to this house, his friends were actually away on holidays. Then nosotros were in the house alone with somebody caring for us.

And so information technology was simply a totally new experience. The neighbourhood we lived in was very quiet, perfect. Beautiful, comfortable, low house with a big garden. And so it was like shooting fish in a barrel to slumber and relax and rest.
Then the people whose firm nosotros were in returned from their holidays. And I got on with them very, very well, and I just continued to make progress, you know walking the dog, just going for walks and eating, sleeping, resting.

And eventually the physician gave me permission to travel. And I flew to Copenhagen for a week and then I went to Greece for two weeks. And I stayed in my friend'south house because he was all the same recovering. So I actually stayed in his house in Hellenic republic, on this Greek island, and we spoke on the telephone. Then information technology was an unusual circumstance, but it was and so, even so if I think near it, information technology was then powerful.

The recovery time varied and depended, in part, on the time donors felt able to take off work and whether they had manual or non-manual jobs. Most of the people nosotros interviewed started feeling a fleck stronger in the second week and fabricated good progress from in that location on. Some people said they started driving again subsequently two weeks, though only on short journeys. Paul, a GP, went back to work after two weeks, though his start week back was 'gentler' than normal. Many people had started feeling a lot amend after the first couple of weeks, though were however careful not to over-do information technology. Darren worked in a physically enervating chore and said he planned to take two or three months off work because he didn't desire to take any risks with his wellness (see 'Work and finances'). Di, who wasn't working at the fourth dimension of interview, said she was particularly cautious. If the doctors recommended a calendar week, she took two. Several said that their scars had healed gradually and, over time, were no longer uncomfortable, very small or hardly visible.

Maggie said she went back to work afterwards seven weeks. She felt her recovery might have been slower than that of other donors because of the minor complications she'd had. She also worked in a enervating teaching job and didn't want to go back too soon.

A few people said that their fourth dimension spent at home to recover had allowed them to deadening down for the starting time fourth dimension in ages, and they'd appreciated life at a slower stride. Wallee said it had given him time to read and watch some films. Clare said she thought she'd be bored doing nothing but no longer worried about retirement as she realised she'd have plenty to do.

All the living donors we interviewed recovered well and had no regrets well-nigh donating a kidney. Many said that, quite unexpectedly, they had gained enormously from the experience and that there had been 'no downsides whatsoever' (see 'Feelings about donating a kidney'). Annabel said she had a very small-scale hernia because of the surgery, only zip that acquired her any concerns. Harmanjit (Interview 38) said she had some adhesions after surgery merely they too were nothing serious or worrying.

Annabel had a pocket-size hernia since the surgery, but it never became a problem. She ignores it now....

Annabel had a small hernia since the surgery, just it never became a problem. She ignores it now....

Age at interview: 64

Sex activity: Female

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There was one thing, I recollect I've got a very slight tiny little hernia. I've got a fiddling lump underneath one of my tiny little scars. And I've had information technology felt past both my hubby and a couple of doctors who've said, "Well, it does seem as if it might exist a hernia. We could do something about it if information technology develops, if it becomes a problem." But it never has become a problem, and I just ignore it now. I've had no other side effects at all. And I've been fit and well. I've had my creatinine levels checked and they're fine. So I can't think of any downside to it.

Follow up

Living donors are seen by the transplant team between two and half-dozen weeks after donation, and are recommended to attend an annual follow-upwards appointment for the rest of their lives. There is a small possibility of a slight rise in blood pressure level and excess protein in a donor's urine subsequently donating a kidney. None of the donors we interviewed had had any bug relating to the donation. Studies take shown that there is no long-term effect on the health of the donor or their remaining kidney. Studies have also shown that donors tend to live longer than the average population. This is probably because they are selected on the footing of good health and are thoroughly screened before donation.

Donating a kidney does non mean that the donor's health might not exist affected in some mode in the future. Information technology is e'er possible that something unexpected could happen to the remaining kidney. Equally the health of all donors is thoroughly assessed earlier donating, the chances of this are very modest, particularly if the donor has a more often than not healthy lifestyle afterwards donation. In the unlikely outcome that a problem occurs with the remaining kidney, dialysis handling may be needed earlier than if the person had both kidneys.

"The overall risk of developing ESRD (End Stage Renal Disease) after kidney donation remains very low, occurring in less than 1 in 200 (0.v%) donors, and it remains much less than that of the general (unscreened) population." (Addendum to the UK Guidelines for Living Donor Kidney Transplantation -Nov 2015*)

Most people we spoke with had their start follow upward appointment presently afterwards surgery, another after half-dozen months and then had annual bank check-ups later on that. Several mentioned that they appreciated having their kidney function checked and that attention a yearly appointment was easy and convenient. Most people had their check-ups at a local hospital or at their GP surgery so did not usually return to the hospital where they had had their operation.

Paul expected to recover well and he did. At follow up, the medico confirmed that his blood...

Paul expected to recover well and he did. At follow up, the doctor confirmed that his blood...

Age at interview: 56

Sex: Male person

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I was well enlightened that there was, quite a lot of research had been done on the event for people who had donated kidneys. And that the outlook was very good, that there was some testify that they actually lived longer and were healthier than the average population. And I know people say, "Well if you've only got one [kidney], and what happens if you lot become a trouble with that 1," but the chances of that happening are very remote.

And then I had every expectation that, once I'd got over the surgery, that there weren't going to be any more bug. And indeed my expectation has been fulfilled. I went dorsum and had the surgeon look at me and prod my tum. And discourage me from doing too much too soon. But it all went very, very straightforwardly after the kickoff, you lot know, as I say the get-go couple of weeks of discomfort or so. And I really oasis't had any problems whatsoever. Again, you know, possibly I've been more than fortunate than some.

But I practice partly think that if y'all've gone into something confident, if you've gone into something expecting it all to go smoothly, so that does help for yous to recover. If you go in very apprehensive and uncertain, and you become in with a very anxious frame of listen, then I suspect your chances of having problems are probably greater. And I'm sure that's the case.

So I went in confident, and my confidence has been vindicated. Again I hateful clearly there will be a small proportion of people who don't have such good experiences and one has to take that into account when going alee in the first place.

I've non needed any follow upwardly to speak of at all. I mean I get a asking from the infirmary once a year to have my blood pressure checked and my kidney office checked. And I go that organised, very straightforward. My blood pressure remains exemplary. My kidney function is completely normal. My unmarried remaining kidney, as far equally I'thousand aware, and everything leads me to believe it's performance, it's taken over. It swells a little scrap to do a bigger job as it were, and that's given me absolutely no problems at all. And then I accept no, apart from the physical scar, which isn't even very obvious at present, I don't recollect there is annihilation to show for information technology at all.

Last reviewed May 2016.
Last updated May 2016.

*References

1. Muzaale Advertizing, Massie A, Wang M-C, et al. Adventure of end-stage renal disease following alive kidney donation. JAMA 2014; 311: 579-86.
2. Mjøen G, Hallan S, Hartmann A, et al. Long-term risks for kidney donors. Kidney Int 2014; 86: 162-7.

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Source: https://healthtalk.org/organ-donation/recovery-at-home-and-follow-up-after-living-donor-kidney-transplantation