I am giving my kidney, soon.

[KarenHope]

I am giving my kidney, soon. Anyone out there a DONOR? I prefer intense exercise/dance. How long before you resumed normal physical activity? Any adverse effects? Are you drinking a lot of water, as is advised? If not, do you notice a difference in your physical feeling? Whatever strikes you to share at this time or later: I'm listening.

[EchoMax1012]

I have already written a few responses to you, so I hope I am not being redundant. I am currently going to the gym daily, doing alternate upper and body workout days, and daily treadmill. I have recently decided to morph from random treadmill workouts to intentional workouts which will lead to running competitions. I work with a personal trainer one time per week.

[KarenHope in reply to EchoMax1012]

Thank you! You're a tremendous help.

[Happydonor]

I donated in 2010 at the age of 53 so its been a while to recall precise timelines but I seem to recall being told to limit any exercise (other than walking) for at least 1 month but gradually building back up. Certainly after a few months I was doing all of my normal exercises including biking and weight training. After the recovery and to this day I never noticed any drop off in energy, speed or strength. And yes we all need to be reminded to drink extra water. Best wishes in your donation........you are doing a wonderful thing. Thank you.

[KarenHope in reply to Happydonor]

I'm decades older than you. It is a great relief to know you've returned to pre-surgery exercises. I read somewhere on this site that no biking was allowed for six months. Do you recall if it were that long for you and that long too for weight training?

[Happydonor in reply to KarenHope]

Karen -- I recall returning to a stationery bike within 2 months and weight training in 3 or 4 months. Perhaps the surgeon would not want you on a road bike for a while simply because of the risk of a fall? I would plan on doing a stationary bike for awhile till you get the green light.

[marcyc NKF Ambassador NKF Peer Mentor]

I donated in 2015. Was walking outside within a week. I am not an athlete but do work out elliptical and weights. They say no lifting more than a gallon of milk for 6 weeks to heal. There are many donor athletes. Yes drink a lot of water. My surgeon said water is for health, soda is for pleasure. Caffeine dehydrated you so you are to drink 2 x that amount of water to make up. The water helps your one kidney filter more efficiently. Best of luck. Welcome to our exclusive donor club.

[KarenHope in reply to marcyc]

I do ... forgot the name...! - Those balls of weight and arc them around. Sounds like it will be six months before I ought to return to that exercise.

[KarenHope in reply to marcyc]

Thank you - kettle bell, that's its name.

[marcyc NKF Ambassador NKF Peer Mentor in reply to KarenHope]

Just ask your surgeon. You will be surprised how fast you bounce back. Your first two days a little rough but get up and walk even if you don’t want to.

[vegiedonor]

I suppose a lot depends on how many holes the surgeon puts in you. I only had one cut on the navel. Being 64 and active I was back on the bike in 12 days not to mention some horseback riding. However some folks do take a long time to heal up. I wish there were some studies on us to figure out results. But the surgery hasn't changed my physical activity nor anything else.

[shanika555]

My friend Maria is suffering with kidney failures and proceeding with dialisis. She is a mother of two kids and 43. Looking for a donor for her and the help cannot pay off in life time. Please help.

[KarenHope in reply to shanika555]

If you are asking me, directly, I am already giving my kidney to someone else - a family, too. However, did you know that you can give your friend a kidney? If you are not a match then there is an exchange program. They will match your kidney with someone else and they will, at the same time mind you, put your friend at the top of the list with someone who is a match. I am aware of one hospital who did quite a few exchanges in one day. In other words, so-and-so matched so-and-so an on and on so that quite a number of kidneys were given and received.

[shanika555 in reply to KarenHope]

Hi Karen,

I would love to do that and will you be able to send me the details of the hospital or the institution for matching program?

Shanika

[KarenHope in reply to shanika555]

No, absolutely not. That's a strange question. I don't know what state you're in or with which hospital your friend is associated. If you want to donate for your friend speak to her about it, to her doctor, ask the administrator of this site, google it - I prefer to us e'Bing'. In fact, your question makes me too uncomfortable to continue speaking with you.

[Sulyn]

Hello - I gave my husband a kidney in 2011 at age of 64. It is good that you have a healthy life style before the transplant. For 6 months before the transplant I walked and exercised each day and when I stood up for the first time a day after the operation my legs felt strong. Once I was home I took short walks with a friend on my street. It is good to do activities gradually with the advice from your doctors.

[KarenHope]

Thank you. I will incorporate my calves more right away! My doctors will be far away in another state. I will attempt to have a nephrologist referral nearby and come here for insight and suggestions.

[Hidden]

First, thank you for being a living kidney donor. Second, I am a living kidney donor. Every person's recovery will be different, so remember to go easy on yourself. Please try to go into it without comparing yourself to anyone else. I drank water as directed by the hospital that did the transplant, and still always try to over three years later. I am now 46 and still energetic. I suggest always being forthcoming with your healthcare team and following their advice.

After this process, I felt like I was the one given the gift. No regrets! Good luck to you and the recipient. 🙂

[KarenHope]

Wonderful. I am most concerned about drinking enough water every day for the rest of my life. I'm not much of a water drinker, though I KNOW how important it is to be. I will listen to the doctors, absolutely, too, I have a broader knowledge and experiential base with the moving body and integration of mind, emotions. I am so grateful for this site and it's folk. Your advice is super important and I thank you. I will remember. This is a vulnerable time for me and working on oneself is always less clear than focusing for others so: I will remember. Thank you. Your 46 is super young to me. You have all the time you've already had to keep learning and do or moving towards doing whatever you love. I THINK at seventy I'm beginning to slow down only; I'm not sure about that. The knowledge is so much vaster that I may be in a fallow period and about move more wisely - Of course, compared to 46 I'm not as strong physically and I don't need that strength or although it is very, very beautiful.

[butterflyintraining]

Karen - I am also a donor but my input isn’t quite useful for you yet. I donated this past Tuesday so I’m only four days post op. I’m at home and took two walks one block and back each today.

I think it’s important to listen to your body and let it guide you how you’re healing. I always drink lots of water so that isn’t new to me. I’m doing great with that post surgery.

I will keep posting on here for updates but I agree with one of the other posts that our bodies are different. We will know when it’s ready but it isn’t necessary or helpful to compare too much. What I do in one week you may do in 2 days or 2 weeks. And I think that’s normal and okay.

Best of luck in your surgery and I’m available if you have other questions. It is fresh for me so I remember all the steps but I probably can’t help with long term things yet.

[KarenHope]

I believe I am donating within the month. Your new input is quite interesting to me. Is the block you walk flat or has it a bit of a grade..hill? I ask as my recovery will have choices on walking. Of course, I will walk where there is no difficulty. Yes, I will listen to my own body, for sure!! Just the same, your journey is fascinating. The unknown is always a bit more comfortable with glimpses into it; reading notes along the way. I am curious. Thank you, so much , for writing.

[butterflyintraining]

Karen - I wish you all the best. The month will pass quickly and slowly at the same time.

I live in a very flat area so there isn’t any remarkable incline. My plan is to increase a little each day. But today I have been very tired so I’m also resting quite a bit. I did Sprint Triathlons until about 4 years ago and swam a lot pre donation. I am looking forward to swimming but that has to wait until the incision heals fully to avoid infection.

I had some pain and it took a little extra effort in the hospital to find the right pain reliever because of some allergies to common pain meds. I have needed limited other than Tylenol since my discharge though.

I’m overall feeling great for the most part but some of that is adrenaline and the wonderful emotions I have after donating. When the adrenaline wears off, I may need to give a little more recouperating time. But I feel ecstatic about the decision. I feel like I have found one more reason that I am here, in this place, at this time...I have been given a gift of renewed purpose and I was allowed to give someone a previous gift of life and future.

I am willing to share any of how this has made me feel or any of my process.

[KarenHope in reply to butterflyintraining]

You do sound euphoric. Wonderful. A time of rest and peace in heart and mind. You gave to someone you knew? Not that would make the emotional difference.

[butterflyintraining in reply to KarenHope]

I was a match for my husband so we had the ability to directly donate from me to him. However our hospital had another recipient who wasn’t a match for his donor (daughter). He had been waiting for 3 years and had yet to find anyone in hundreds of donors that could match the blood crossmatch test. I matched him and his daughter matched my husband!

So we had the choice of doing this direct or being able to help another family too. We decided to swap so although I did this for my husband, I was able to help someone else. I feel ecstatic that I was able to expand the gift beyond my family in this way. To be that missing piece for someone else, we are bonded together now as two families.

[hjwazwaz in reply to butterflyintraining]

That's amazing!!! I too felt the adrenaline and a renewed sense of purpose. I can't explain it in words but it felt amazing. Wishing you two a full and speedy recovery!

[hjwazwaz]

Hey Karen! Congratulations on becoming a donor. I donated a year ago and felt fine after 4 weeks. I was able to get back to normal in about 6-8 weeks. Take it easy the first few months and let your body adjust. As far as water and nutrition, eat healthy and stay hydrated especially while recovering. Eating healthy will help rid constipation which can be an unfortunate affect from all the pain meds and surgery. Your abdominal muscles will be very sore in the first few weeks so avoid intense exercise and weight lifting as to give these muscles time to heal. They gave me an abdominal binder wrap that helped support me better throughout the day. Once your body has healed, you can resume your normal activities. Keep us posted with how everything goes! Best wishes!

[KarenHope in reply to hjwazwaz]

I will! Thank you, all of almost everyone's stories are already guiding and supporting. Positive and difficult effects shared are so helpful!

[hjwazwaz in reply to KarenHope]

you will do great!!

[Connorsdad1998]

Hi Karen,

I donated 4 years ago at 45 years old. I agree with the others below that everyone is different and listen to your body. I walked out of the hospital 24 hours after surgery. I felt like myself in about a week. But, I listened to the doctors and I walked as much as I could for 6 weeks and didn't lift anything over 10 pounds. After that, I went back to normal routines and then some.

I had never run any distance at all and less than a year after my donation, I ran my first half marathon. I ran a full 6 months later.

I drink as much water as before, maybe a bit more. 4 years and my numbers are nearly the same now as before I donated.

What you are doing is a great thing! Welcome to the club.

[KarenHope in reply to Connorsdad1998]

Thank you! What numbers, specifically, please. I have been thinking of a nephrologist for myself afterward; to keep an eye on my body and to ask questions of. That was important...didn't think of it...what numbers were checked?

[butterflyintraining in reply to KarenHope]

I’m not sure about Connorsdad but for me the numbers I’m watching are creatnine and gfr. The typical hospital work up to approve a donor should include those so you can get your baseline ... hope that helps

[KarenHope in reply to butterflyintraining]

Thank you!

[Connorsdad1998 in reply to KarenHope]

GFR, creatinine, urea, things that measure how the kidney is functioning. If you were approved for donation, your numbers are most likely in the good to excellent range. They are going to check over the next couple years to be sure that you lone kidney is responding to the new work load.

[butterflyintraining]

Karen - I’m now 10 days post op and I feel great. I know my internals are still healing and it will take time for the incision but I walked today for over an hour. I haven’t had any medicine (not even Tylenol) in 48 hours. I do get more tired than I used to but I think I just need a little more time for that part to adjust. My appetite is still less than normal but getting closer to back. Of course I can’t run or swim yet and I’m not bending over or lifting things. But all things considered, that’s pretty good given my expectations.

Let us know how it goes.

[KarenHope]

How is sitting and lying down and standing up since you aren't bending over? What about stairs or inclines?

[butterflyintraining]

I can go from a standing to a sitting position fairly easily. I have one of these bed rails that allows me to put my weight on that to get in and out of bed.

Medline Bed Assist Bar with Storage Pocket, Height Adjustable Bed Rail for Elderly... amazon.com/dp/B006P1RL9G/re...

That and a grabber to get things off the floor are super helpful tools for me while I recover.

[KarenHope]

Oooh, yeah, a grabber. Thank you and for the rail link!! I do hope you are in a pleasant place now that you have time to enjoy the sun, the breeze and shadows; where green trees grow or the cityscape keeps company.

[cielito]

I am 63 and 7 weeks post op. The first two weeks I walked about half as much as preOp each day and took Tylenol regularly. I had the bed Rail for pulling up on and a suction cup handle for the shower just to be safe. I took some good naps often. Then about week three I had that shoulder pain/air in abdomen thing for about two days but it disappeared quickly. Keep moving! I napped everyday through about week four, then suddenly I felt completely normal again. This week I’m back to horseback and kayak and lifting light ten-lb weights. I lost about 5 lbs after surgery but gained three back pretty quick. Idk how much a kidney weighs😂but I filled up that 2 lb hole with Christmas fudge. Trying to eat healthy and drink water but I don’t notice any difference in anything about my body.