r/kidneytransplant

Hii im 5 months post transplant my my cretnine was between 1.6-1.7 but it increased to 1.98 to my doc referred me to kidney biopsy and the results shows no rejection and everything is negative it only show the findings of acute tubular injury. Anyone knows what is that mean?

Hi everyone! I’m hoping some former PD patients can help me out. 💜
I received a new delivery of PD supplies just 4 days before I got my kidney transplant, so now I have a bunch of PD bags, lines, and supplies that I no longer need.
I called Vantive, but they told me they don’t pick them back up, and my PD nurse doesn’t want them either.
For those of you who had a transplant while on PD, what did you do with all your leftover supplies? Were you able to donate them somewhere or find an organization that would take them?
I’m in Central Florida, if that helps with recommendations.
I’d really appreciate any ideas because I hate the thought of all these supplies going to waste! 💜

Hi everyone! I am 26 and have been diagnosed lupus ckd stage 4 for 12 years. I was put on the transplant list as inactive about a year ago, but was just recently told by my nephrologist that I am likely on the path to get a transplant within 1-2 years. I know that so many things will get better after, but I am terrified to have such a life changing surgery so much sooner than I thought. Looking for any guidance y’all have 💜

I'm curious to know if anyone has experienced eye hemorrhages due to prolong use of Tac?

I've been experiencing the reddening of one eye for about a year. Reddening usually occurred after a hard sneeze. Just recently the hemorrhages have been occurring more frequently and more severe. My Optometrist just this week discovered that Tac can in-fact cause narrowing of the blood vessels- vasoconstriction. Transplant team has been notified, and it looks like Belatacept Infusion discussion will be taking place soon.

Hi, M34 here. Its been 4 months since my kidney transplant. My baseline for creat was settled at 1.5. Initially it kept on increasing to 2.13 from 1.8 in 3.5 months. Then my doc introduced everolimus dose at 0.5 day and night and tacrolimus reduced to 1 day and night from 1.5. Creatinine started to decrease, and in 10 days it went to 1.75. Then everolimus dose is increased to 1 and tacrolimus dose in reduced to 0.75. Creatine again reduced to 1.59 with tac level 3.9. Now following the same dose for 20 days, my tac level increased to 4.9 from 3.9 and creatine increased abruptly from 1.59 to 1.85.

Is it happening because the tacrolimus or is there any other concern. Let me know if you can related to this situation or else feel free to give your suggestions/opinion

My son (now 17 months adjusted) was born premature and suffered a AKI. Now he is stage 4 CKD with a creatinine between 1-1.5 (should be closer to 0.2-0.4 for his age). He has a gtube to work on feeding and we have to give him a lot of water via gtube to meet his fluid requirements.

I just want to hear from others with transplants that life can be good - despite the need for monthly labs, tons of medications and everything else… I am having a really tough time with his diagnosis, the uncertainty and the burden on him to manage this the rest of his life. I worry about romantic partners not wanting involvement with someone that has a chronic condition.

A close family member recently had a kidney transplant, and I realized how overwhelming the period immediately after discharge can be.

For those of you who have gone through a kidney transplant yourself, or cared for someone who has, what did you find hardest to manage once you were back home?

Was it things like medicines, blood tests, appointments, diet/fluid instructions, keeping track of reports, monitoring things at home, keeping other family members updated — or something completely different?

I'm particularly interested in the things you didn't expect to be difficult before discharge.

I'd really appreciate hearing about your experience. Please don't share any private medical information you aren't comfortable sharing.

(F22) Had my kidney transplant two years ago been on 5mg prednisone daily , currently tapering since i never had any rejection episodes and my immune system been perfectly low i chose to taper it due to the side effects, currently taking 20mg of hydrocortisone
Anyone with the same experience?

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for insights and shared experiences regarding my dad’s kidney health journey.
His recent lab results showed a dangerously high urea level of 108 mg/dL and a very low eGFR. He doesn't have major physical symptoms yet, but I’m deeply worried. Can doctors recommend starting dialysis based on high lab values alone, even if the patient feels relatively fine?
He currently eats a high-protein diet (mostly meat, as it's one of the few things he still enjoys), which I know contributes to the high urea. Since his other vital organs are still healthy, I’m terrified that delaying dialysis will let toxic waste build up and damage his heart or other organs.
We would really appreciate hearing from others in this community:
Starting Dialysis: Did you or your loved one start dialysis mainly due to high blood numbers rather than severe symptoms?
Disease Progression: How long were you (or your relative) a kidney patient, and at what eGFR/urea values did your condition stay stable before needing dialysis?
Transplant Experiences: For those who have gone through a kidney transplant, what was your experience with the process, timeline, and recovery?
We have an upcoming appointment with his nephrologist this Wednesday, but hearing your personal experiences would mean a lot to us right now.
Thank you so much!

im gonna be straight i got my kidney in may 2025
i started vaping since august 2025 and have been doing it since in the start i used to get guilt trips and id put it down , the longest i went was 2 weeks
i just CANT STOP
also i go to the gym a lot and ive started taking preworkout supps today was my second time i feel fine and all but im very scared also since the realization is so late is there hope for me now?

Hi all. I (31M) just had my kidney transplant a few days ago, I’m still in the hospital. I have been blessed with a steadily falling creatinine level and the doctors are very happy with progress so far. Everything seems to be going to plan and has actually been easier on me than I expected. My donor is recovering well and has been discharged from hospital.

One thing I wasn’t prepared for was how I would feel after. I realise it is very early days and things could change, but it has been such a journey to get here with gradual kidney function decline over 10+ years and a recent stint of dialysis and now suddenly it’s looking like things will work out.

I guess I’m not looking for answers just a place to express my thoughts. I am so very thankful to my donor, words couldn’t do it justice, I was just not prepared to feel like this.

I had my transplant on July 22. A little

over two weeks later, I started experiencing nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, and cramp-like abdominal pain. Nausea/vomiting went away more or less within 48 hours. But diarrhea and abdominal cramps persisted. The doctor ordered stool test and the test came back negative for any parasites. So it was probably due to Cellcept. And my doctor

has changed the prescription to Myfortic. I have not received Myfortic from the mail order supplier yet. Hopefully that will do the trick and I will feel better.

Has anyone else had to switch to Myfortic because of GI issues? What changes did you make to your diet while you were having those issues? Please share your experiences.

Does anyone sweat more than usual? It’s only 80.degrees. I go out for 20 minutes in the sun just watering my garden, and I sweat right thru my
Shirt. When I cut the grass I’m totally soaked, even my underwear.

I’m a few years post transplant and I always keep my caffeine under 200 mg a day, usually from things like cold brew, hot coffee, or Coke Zero.

I know the general healthy adult limit is higher, but I’m curious what transplant teams actually recommend. Do you have a specific caffeine limit, and how much do you usually have in a day?

Hi! I am currently on my 8 month post transplant, laboratories are stable but my anxiety in food got worse. I eat healthy now but I dont know if the food I ate is good or bad because my family is restricting me too much. I tried researching for it from time to time but got stressed out on what I read online. Humbly asking for tips on foods please. Any could do, badly needed your help.🥺

My story is for anyone considering being a kidney donor.  I consider my experience ideal. I was fortunate enough to not encounter any major financial or health hardships before, during, or after my donation.  

Tldr; anyone able to donate should consider it. Six weeks weeks wasn't much of a sacrifice when my donation provides years or decades to a recipient and their loved ones. 

A friend told me he needed a kidney. We both hoped I could be a direct donor, but that wasn't meant to be.  The idea of a voucher wasn’t appealing, so we ended up as a donor pair or paired exchange.  A donor pair/paired exchange means I donated to a stranger.  In return, my friend received a kidney from someone else who was more compatible.

Initially the main things on my mind were-
What if a family member needs a kidney later down the line?
This was very important for me. While ultimately my decision, I spoke to family members about becoming a donor to gauge how they felt about it. I also made sure my family didn't have a known history of kidney or kidney related health issues. They were understandably concerned about my health and future but were encouraging. 

How long does recovery take ( ie. When can I get back to work?)
I work in IT and telecommute most of the time. This made donating and recovery a lot more manageable.  I went back to work at a somewhat reduced schedule for weeks 3 and 4 and was back full time after that.

I spent the first 2.5 weeks recovering at a friend’s. I drove myself home after that and have been able to take care of myself since then. Took Tylenol and stool softener daily for that same time period. I was fortunate that I never had to use the stronger pain killers and laxatives. 

Will my quality of life go down?

I started exercising right at the six-week mark. This was the minimum I had to wait before I was allowed to exercise.  I started out with half the weight and reps of my pre-surgery routine. I'm at about 90% now.  Taking my time due to my age and also because I'm lazy. I'm confident I could have been at 100% a couple weeks ago (week 9 post-surgery) if I wanted.

Had a slight sore throat from the breathing tube that lasted ‘til around week 8. It was noticeable, but didn't affect me much since most of my work is nonverbal. 

Also, an ache in my testicle on the same side as the kidney that was removed showed up immediately after surgery. It was annoying but manageable. Eventually it was only sensitive when washing up or working out. Jogging was OK; I mostly felt it while using a jump rope.   At week 11 I barely notice any discomfort and life is pretty much back to normal.

If anything I think my quality of life has stayed the same or even slightly improved. I’m more conscious about what and how much I eat and getting in regular exercise now than I was before. 

My wife has been cleared to donate her kidney to me. I am concerned about both of us recovering at the same time after the transplant.

My daughter will help for a few weeks but we can't put everything on her. Caring for both of us while at the same time doing house stuff, cooking, groceries, driving us to Dr. appointments, etc. Too much for one person.

If you had a similar journey, what are the different options out there that helped you?

Are there professional services that anyone has utilized?

Hi guys!

I've had a transplant for 4 months now. The last 2 weeks I've been spotting(not period) and I also feel like I'm having a lot of upset stomach issues. I got my labs drawn mid last week and there was a rise in my creatinine from 1.0 to 1.3 and gfr of 55 well today I did my and my creatinine jumped to 1.68 and gfr to 44. I'm kind of panicking as I'm not sure what's happening. I've been feeling tender under my scar area. All of these issues I've explained to my transplant team in just waiting to hear back. Can you guys provide any insight? I'm a nervous wreck

Update: I've been asked to submit a stool sample, hydrate and repeat my tests in a few days. Doesn't make my anxiety any better