Living Donor - Recipient processes

[Thumps]

Hey

Anyone know of any resources that I can look at to see what the process is for recipients in a Living Donor scenario?

There seems to be quite a bit of info out there for potential donors, and for cadaveric donor recipients, but not much for people who may get a living donor tx, which seems odd.

For example - all i've had so far is one blood test (the one to check I'm not HIV+ and all that plus an antibody test). I've just been asked to go for an ultrasound angiogram on my legs - what's that for? Is it normal?

I know I have to see a legal person to confirm I'm not paying my friend to do this, but I've no other idea what steps I need to go through before we could do this.

Are there any other resources out there? Anyone want to share their experience? Just interested to know what's to come!

[MandyV]

Thumps - the donor co-ordinator should explain everything you need to know, but I would recommend anyone waiting or immediately post tx look at this book :

Kidney Transplants Explained
by Dr Andy Stein, Dr Rob Higgins & Janet Wild
Class Publishing
ISBN: 9781859591932

I reviewed it around 6 months ago (before it was put on the kpg website) and thought that it overall did a good job going through all the issues

[AmitChouhan]

Not that I've seen..

When Lou and I went through the process, as the recipient, I was pretty much the by-stander in the process. We didn't see the HTA assessor until all tests had been complete and we were given medical clearance to proceed.

Ultrasound on the legs may be necessary in your case to check how good the veins are in your body, as the transplanted kidney will be connect to your leg vein and the kidney will sit (I guess in most cases) either side of your belly bottom, outside the stomach in either the left or right cavity.

The only thing you'll do regularly is provide a blood sample for your transplant unit so that they can cross-match your blood if in case a cadavar donor kidney is found and you're a potential match.

Other than that .. that's all you'll do (unless different hospitals have different practices??)

All the best to you and your donor..

I've been a recent live donor recipient, so you want to know more feel free to ask.

[Aileen]

Hi Thumps, as you know, you and I are both at roughly the same place right now, standing by waiting to receive All through the process I have felt, quite rightly, that Trev went through a more robust testing process as the donor than I have done as potential recipient. I realise that's cos I'm already ill (like it or not!). Nobody wants to make Trev ill (as the potential donor) I know that's very simplistic but I guess that's the bottom line.

I'm thinking about what I've had done, in addition to neph and occasional GP visits... ok, at the transplant unit, I had all the usual virology screening. Then I had a medical, where the nurse warned me, that I might as well take everything off because it was going to be THOROUGH! It wasn't really, not nearly as much as I expected. I had an ECG, and a chest exray. And of course ongoing bloodwork, everywhere I go they seem to want blood. That's it! Trev has has a more thorough medical, CT scan, other xrays, and that's about it I think. I suppose different places vary in their routine. Our last appointment is to tie up the legal stuff prior to transplant.



best, Aileen

[Blind Terry]

I'm also at a similar point and like Aileen apart from the routine appointments with the neph and the transplant surgeon. I haven't had any particular tests whilst my sister and my potential kidney has had a variety of tests.

The only significant tests i've had is an ECG and echo, but that was several months before i was referred to the surgeons.

I guess in part its because our health is already compromised, where as there is a need to minimise any compromise of the healthy donor.

David

[Thumps]

Cheers all

Guess I'm just a bit twitchy and feel like I've not really had to "go through" anything compared to my potential donor. That sort of neglects the fact that I'm constantly in and out of hospitals and GP surgeries having check ups doesn't it!

Thanks again x

[lizzyie]

I'm also at the same stage with my husband. He has had all the tests and we are waiting for the OK from the transplant board. Just wondered how old your sister is David, my daughter wanted to donate and was told she was too young (22) and I was told I had to have my husbands kidney (which I am very grateful for as I hate dialysis) - main problem is we have high antibodies against each other and I will have to have plasmapherisis for 2 weeks before. I am the same as you though and would love to have some information about things, not a lot of information about the treatments on the net. Lizzie

[Helen Rambaut]

Just to reassure the potential recipients in the live donor process that for me it was the donor(s) who had most of the tests and the attention before the operation. Your turn comes later! After the op you will be tested, monitored, back to the clinic frequently i.e. 2-3 times a week to begin with; different types of scans; very likely one or two short term setbacks. (see previous post tx posts) Gradually over the next few weeks, months, year things settle down.

Meanwhile I have heard that the donors can feel a bit neglected once the attention switches away from them. So heaps of praise for them because they have done a wonderful thing to get us feeling well again.

Helen

[poppet]

Just wanted to let you know that my partner and his sister are going through the live donor route. They are due to have the operation on the 7th November.

Like you all he has had done is loads of blood tests. But his sister is the one having the tests. In total she has had 4 different appointments at the renal department then the next one is for them both to see the surgeon. For them that has taken 7 months for the process, I'm very sure that everyones is a different time scale. The only advice I could give you is if your feeling a bit edgy then why not try phoning your transplant live co-ordinator. They are really great at putting your mind at ease. But unfortunately when your waiting it does seem like a slow process.

Keep your chin up