Food Choices After Transplant

[frebusmaxwell]

I am scheduled for a kidney transplant from my sister on July 6, 2022. I've been eating plant-based foods for a few months (suggestion from my nephrologist). I plan to continue the same, only adding some fish and maybe chicken. My question: Are there any diet restrictions during the period of recovery and beyond?

[Denise-80]

Hi - Congrats on your upcoming transplant. It is awesome that your sister can donate. Everyone is a little different, but the main foods to avoid post-transplant are undercooked and raw meat or fish, pomegranate and grapefruit. The last two are related to the interactions with immunosuppressive meds. I have no other imposed restrictions, but eat as healthy as possible I’m sure others will respond here with some restrictions they might have. Wishing you the very best.

[Marvin8 in reply to Denise-80]

You're saying that sushi is out?

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador]

Unless the transplant team tells you otherwise, there are no diet restrictions post-transplant. It depends on the immunosuppressants that your center puts you on too. Denise-80 is right about avoiding raw meat and fish. I try to eat heart healthy and still try to avoid salt. I am almost 23 years post transplant and really eat anything I want.Enjoy...life is good!

Best of luck with your upcoming transplant!

[frebusmaxwell in reply to WYOAnne]

Thank you! That is such good news!

[Highgfr in reply to WYOAnne]

That is wonderful! Thank you for sharing. Can I ask you, are you able to have ice in your drinks at a restaurant or when you are out and about from like a minute market or a smoothie place? I had been told that ice and ice dispencers carries bacteria. That will change a lot of things, something as simple as ice. Lol. I am trying to get approved for a transplant and have been to the nutrition class. The changes will be well worth it, but I am hoping ice is a safe thing to continue doing. What do you do? Thank you so very much for your insight and for sharing. It is so, so helpful.

[frebusmaxwell in reply to Highgfr]

I like your "handle" - Highgfr! Five years ago before kidney disease, "gfr" meant nothing to me. Ten years ago, I didn't know I had 2 kidneys!

Attached is a screenshot of the Mayo Clinic "Patient Education for Kidney Transplant." I haven't had the transplant yet, so this is a question for my transplant team. Did someone in your nutrition class mention anything about bacteria in ice cubes?

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador in reply to Highgfr]

I never thought about ice and bacteria?!@# Yes, I have drinks with ice and never give it a second thought! I guess if it were somewhat of a "sketchy" place, I just wouldn't even go there.Foods - I eat beef, chicken, fish, pork. We eat steak on the grill once, maybe twice a month.

Take care and best wishes for transplant approval!

[Highgfr in reply to WYOAnne]

WOW...23 years. CONGRATULATIONS!! May I ask how you handles all the immunosuppressant meds after the transplant. Did they make you sick? Not able to take? Did any cancer show up or bone issues? I'm excited to be waiting for a kidney but ALL the meds and the risks seem overwhelming. What meds did you take and how did they affect you? Thank you so very, very much.

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador in reply to Highgfr]

The best advice that I can give you is to be your own advocate! Stand up for yourself and be persistent. You know your body more than anyone! The transplant center doctors can't help you if they don't know your problems.

My immunosuppressants gave me horrible diarrhea early on. After discussing with my transplant coordinator, my dose of my meds was reduced not once but twice. Eventually working with me, they discovered that I was having issues due to my generic drugs. Once they tried switching me to "Name Brand" meds, I was doing so much better. To this day, almost 23 years later, I take Myfotic and Neoral - name brands.

My hands had tremors early on, but with time that side effect went away.

Today, I travel with my husband in the US to visit friends, Europe, Canada, and the Caribbean. I am a kidney advocate with the NKF, also an ambassador with HealthUnlocked, and a volunteer and a speaker with my local WY Donor Alliance.

I am so grateful for my donor and the life I have been able to lead.

[RhenDutchess123]

I have never heard of ice carrying bacteria...maybe dirty hands scooping it out...but wouldn't ice be too cold for bacteria to grow ?

[Highgfr in reply to RhenDutchess123]

Unfortunately, even in the cold bacteria thrives... it just waits to warm up and carry on and multiply. The ice risks were brought up to me during a nutrition class at Mayo and it was a shocker. But, I can remember over the years seeing places fill up their ice machines with buckets or pans and the the scooper is hand held repeatedly by people and by those taking money at the window, pushing their hair back or touching all kinds of things, like their nose, along the way. Or credit cards from the hands of people. Just like waitresses that aren't wearing masks any more and are breathing all over the food when it is brought to the table or when they remove finished meals and touch all the plates and silverware they are clearing off and then bringing your food out without washing or sanitizing their hands.

It would be nice if there are restaurants that have cleaner ice machines because that is going to take some getting used to. But, if not, taking my own cold drink is doable.

Plus, when it comes to Sushi, there is cooked sushi, salmon, tuna, etc. Just make sure the utensils that make the cooked sushi are not contaminated from raw meat.

[horsie63 in reply to Highgfr]

Thank goodness for my German heritage as I really don't like ice in my drinks.

[cadg]

Kidney.org has a lot of foods listed to be careful about after transplant

[Blackknight1989]

Of course there are diet restrictions after transplant or did you think it would be that easy…lol. I will post the link to the NKF KIDGO clinical practice guidelines or the official recommendations of the experts to our doctors but they are boring so I chose this from the American Kidney Fund who has a whole site called the Kidney Kitchen as follows:

ARTICLE

Living healthy after a transplant

Learn how to live healthy and resume normal activities after a transplant including which foods to eat, exercising, and preventing infection.

Medically reviewed byAKF's Medical Advisory Committee

Last updatedDecember 16, 2021

How long will my kidney transplant last?

How can I follow a healthy meal plan after a transplant?

Find delicious kidney-friendly recipes

What types of exercise can I do?

How can I avoid getting infections?Are vaccines (shots) safe after a kidney transplant?How do I take care of my surgery site (incision)?What about sex and pregnancy after a transplant?

How long will my kidney transplant last?On average, kidney transplants last for 10-20 years:Living kidney donor transplants last 15-20 years, on averageDeceased kidney donor transplantslast 10-15 years, on averageHow long your kidney will last depends on many factors. The most important is how well you take care of it!To keep your new kidney and stay healthy, you will need to take steps to:Follow a healthy meal planBe active Avoid getting infectionsCare for your scarCare for your sexual and reproductive healthWatch our webinar to learn more about adjusting to life after a kidney transplant.How can I follow a healthy meal plan after a transplant?If you were on dialysis before your transplant, you will notice a difference in what you can eat and drink after your transplant. You will have fewer limits with what you can eat but eating healthy still plays a big role. For example, it can help you keep a healthy weight and lower your chance of other health problems, such as high blood pressure. In general, you should:Follow a low-salt and low-fat meal planDrink plenty of water and non-sugary fluids – this is usually about two liters (68 ounces) per dayLimit alcohol and caffeineAvoid grapefruit or grapefruit juice, starfruit and pomegranate or pomegranate juiceAvoid foods that are spoiled, moldy, or past their "use by" date to lower your chance of food poisoning and infectionsAsk your dietitian to help you make a healthy eating plan that will work for you and your new kidney.Find delicious kidney-friendly recipesLearn what healthy eating means for people in every stage of kidney disease, including those on dialysis or living with a kidney transplant.Visit Kidney KitchenWhat types of exercise can I do