I am already transplanted, life goes on.

I am already transplanted, life goes on.

I am already transplanted, life goes on Once the transplant is done, you must follow a healthy life, following a series of basic rules. The goal is for you to gradually reincorporate yourself into normal life by paying special attention to a series of recommendations that we give to discharge.

General Care
You should periodically monitor your blood pressure, temperature and weight. Also, you should pay attention to urine volume, appearance and color.

In case of fever, high blood pressure, swollen legs or changes in the volume or appearance of urine, you should contact the transplant consult.

Feeding
Feeding should primarily be healthy and balanced. You should eat without salt or very little salt and avoid being overweight. The corticosteroids for rejection will increase your appetite and will help you gain weight. Weight gain is detrimental to your kidney and increases your cardiovascular risk. It must be weighed frequently to control its evolution.

Drink plenty of fluids, especially water; Avoiding non-potable water, milk and derivatives that are not sanitary controlled, for example well water, non-drinking sources. Before consuming the vegetables and fruits wash them with water and bleach (3 drops per liter), do the same with the eggs. You should not consume alcoholic beverages.

Wash your hands before and after handling food.

As you know, a healthy and balanced diet consists of avoiding saturated, fried and battered fats. Olive oil and blue fish have good health fats. Egg consumption should be reduced to 2-3 per week. Dairy products should be skimmed to avoid excess fats.

Sugars promote the increase of blood glucose and should be consumed in moderation, avoiding the excess of pastry products, chocolates and pastries.

Vegetables, vegetables and fruits have lots of vitamins. Careful washing should be done when eaten raw.

Your life habits
To achieve a full family and social reintegration before the new situation is recommended to regain their self-esteem and return to work in a reasonable time because it is part of their global rehabilitation.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR PERSONAL HYGIENE:
Daily shower and mouthwash after each meal with fluoride toothpaste. Do not share toothbrushes, combs, towels, cutlery, mitts or sponges. Care of your nails: avoid having them long and never cut the cuticle.

YOU MUST MAKE A HEALTHY AND ACTIVE LIFE:
Light physical exercise is advised at the beginning (daily walk of 1 hour) and then you can increase it (swimming, bicycle). It should protect the graft area from possible trauma in sports, games ...

Do not maintain harmful habits like tobacco, alcohol, do not stay in closed public places and with a lot of people for at least 2 months, not sunbathing and If you do apply protective cream.

WITH RESPECT TO SEXUAL RELATIONS:
You can have sex with normality and if you are a woman, you should not get pregnant during the first two years.

Consult any abnormalities in your external genitalia such as secretions in the urethra or vagina, penile lesions, ulcers, whitish spots, warts or changes in menstruation.

VERY IMPORTANT: Medication
It is essential that the treatment in general be performed correctly and in particular anti-rejection medication. It depends on the life of your kidney. As recommendations we can point out:

1 . Never forget your medication for rejection, at the recommended times. Use the alarm clock or your mobile.
2 . If you miss a dose take it immediately as soon as you know it.
3 . When you go to other specialists, report that you are transplanted.
4 . If your GP or other specialist prescribes a new medication, tell your nephrologist about the transplant appointment.
5 . You may have side effects from the medication, but never change the dose at your discretion without consulting your Nephrologist.
6 .- Perform the analytical controls and explorations when requested and do not stop to go to their reviews.

Frequently asked questions:
1.- Can I reject the kidney?
Rejection is the main problem of a kidney transplant and occurs as a mechanism of defense of your body against something you do not perceive as your own. Their immunity under normal conditions,  Protects you from foreign organisms such as bacteria and viruses. It also protects you from the development of tumors, but in the case of transplantation, this protection conditions the risk of rejection and is why you should take immunosuppressive medication.

The possibility of rejection is higher in the first few months and decreases as time passes and this allows the amount of immunosuppressive medication to be decreased, never to be withdrawn.

If a rejection occurs, treatment will depend on its characteristics and severity. You may not fully recover the kidney function you have lost or even do not recover it, so you should re-dialysis.

2.- How do I know if my kidney works well?
You should follow the recommendations of tension control, weight and what urine, That have given to discharge. If you urinate less than usual, you develop edema and / or gain weight abruptly, there may be some problem and you should report it to the Nephrologist of the Transplant Consultation. The analytical controls requested by your doctor, serve to assess the function of your kidney and should be performed on time.

3.- When should a kidney biopsy be done?
The biopsy is indicated by the Nephrologist when there is an elevation of the creatinine after having ruled out other causes, or in cases of loss of proteins by his kidney. It consists of analyzing a sample of your kidney and studying it under a microscope. He must be admitted to the hospital and under ultrasound control and under local anesthesia. It is very important that after the renal biopsy is at rest about 24 h to avoid complications.

Four. - When can I ask to be discharged?
The return to work is important, not only for economic reasons, but also from the psychological and social point of view. It is very important to get a complete rehabilitation. The appropriate timing will depend on your overall situation and type of work. Your doctor at the transplant clinic can help you choose the time.