I'm a live kidney donor AMA

[Dlah]

7 years post live kidney donation to a family member AMA

Was it a difficult decision to make to do it or were you willing as soon as you knew they needed a donor?
How long did the operation take?
Are you both ok now?

How's it affected your diet?

@newestbridearound not hard in the sense it was for my Mum and I wanted her healthy and happy

Of the 6 people who offered it came down to me and a sibling but she had 2 children and I was just me - as I pointed out, heaven forbid something happened if would be much easier from my perspective - not having to explain to her young children.

Operation day - I went down 8am was back around 1pm on ward, Mum went around midday, back around 5pm if I recall.

We're now 7 years post op and both doing great, my mum is back to 'normal'

@halfwitpicker - not in the slightest, the only thing I'm advised not to do is take ibruprofen as profens can scar your Kidney's in large quantities, just to be on safe side I stick to paracetamol if ever needed, otherwise you wouldn't know, but it wouldn't kill me if I had the odd one

Where do you stand if you get kidney problems yourself later in life? - will you go to the top of the queue to get a replacement?

Brilliant! Well done you .

Both my husband and I had the initial work up to be live related (in his case) and non related (in my case) kidney donors to a family member. Sadly neither of us were a good enough match for him but happily another relative was. If there hadn’t been anyone suitable then we’d have explored the kidney pool donation possibility. Weirdly though I was the better match despite being a different ethnicity and sex.

Renal failure is a horribly disease for both the person with it and for their loved ones .

@ApplesAndPearsStairs from my perspective we were told in the November/December my mum would need a transplant.

We had to go to a meeting with the hospital where you watch a presentation to explain which I think was in the January. Then the work up process was a few appointments of various bits - blood tests, made radioactive (only for a while lol) I got the match/ok to go ahead in June, and we were scheduled for September. We then had meetings the week before with the Human Tissue Authority etc to make sure not being coerced.

Whether this process would vary for altruistic donation I'm not sure,

Recovery - has the op 22nd September - started a new job 24th October (although I had to see occ health to get Ok) but as first 4 weeks were classroom based training it was fine, a bit tender but could move/walk.

Post op, we had it Thursday, was up/walking Friday and released Sunday.

I didn't have children at the time - I do now. I went to live with my sister for 2 weeks until I could drive and Tbf I did feel like I'd been hit by a bus during that time. Slept a lot, wee'd a lot, you definitely need support

@chocatoo nope, not privileges lol but I guess I'm just higher risk in the sense I only have one so would go down hill quicker if anything happened

@BellMcEnd thank you, Yeah it's great when it goes well but it really is the pits when it's going wrong, not a life for anyone, just existing waiting for a donation

Wow what an amazing thing you've done OP. Did you think about how you would feel if the kidney didn't take?

@Butteredghost to be honest I tried not too, I was 24 and full of positivity, as it happens a couple of weeks in she experienced a small rejection and it hit me harder than I thought. Thankfully they got it under control and it's been good ever since, I think it's just knowing that if the shit hits the fan again I can only sit back and watch

OP, thanks for this thread. I have kidney failure and will need a transplant in the future. You are amazing and anyone considering doing so is the same.
It is literally the most amazing gift you can give and the most entirely selfless act ever.
My question is...would you do the same again having been through the process? Also, can you explain how it has changed your mum’s life?
and a for you!

Did they advise you it might impact your quality of life at all?

Do you feel more ‘fragile’ or delicate only having one?

Did they advise you to stay away from certain sports?

My ds only has one but he is only 1 year old now. I worry so much about what will happen when he’s older.

@SandysMam 100% I wouldn't even question it, the care I received was second to none, the transplant coordinator & even our surgeon kept us fully in the loop and made things easy.

My mum has a 'normal' life now, she went back to work and just cracked on, bar the tablets she has to take for life to control everything you wouldn't know, even tablets are better though, at one point during failure was on 28 tablets a day, now she has 6-8 I believe, much easier.

She's enjoying life with her family, I went on to have children, no issues and life is good, and I just pray it stays that way. Proudest thing I've done and I get my Mum for a precious whilst longer

What an interesting thread, your Mum must be so proud to have such a caring and lovely daughter .

@Redskyandrainbows67 I genuinely don't feel more delicate, unless I remind myself I really don't even know it's happened or see/feel any different.

There is nothing I can't do physically, all sports fine, obviously yes if I had kidney trauma I've not got much to work with but it really doesn't bother me. My one and only question was 'can I still have children', they actually didn't have a solid answer as most donors happen to be older/later in life but said they couldn't see why not. 5 years later I had my daughter without a glitch and no hurt to my remaining kidney

That’s really good to know thank you op

@GreyCloudsToday thank you, we both appreciate each other for sure :)

A massive well done to you OP x

What an amazing hero you are.

I had a liver transplant 2.4 months ago and I am so grateful.

Do you go to the British Transplant Games? I did for the first time last year and it's very surreal.

@CatkinToadflax thank you

@AppleDump thank you, don't see myself as a hero, I'm just glad to have my hero still alive as a result

Have never even heard of the transplant games!?

Your so humbled. I understand that, my siblings offered to be live donors for me too.

If you live in GB then they hold transplant games every year in different parts a it's in Newport this year & Coventry 2020. Transplant patients can take part in numerous events and then a donor run/walk for families too.

It's amazing that over 1500 people (at 2018 games who registered) are still alive because of selfless people just like you.

Have a look online.