Hi! I’m four weeks post-transplant, everything is going good so far 🤞🏻
As I was quite active before my transplant (dancing 3x times a week, running a few times a week and doing lots of other activities) I am struggling to sit still! My doctor has said that I can start to do light exercises to get going again as long as it avoids using the abs too much.
Anyone got any advice on starting again? Or generally advice on exercising with the new kidney 
hi! I will be 5 weeks post-kidney transplant in 2 days, and some advice: as a substitute for your dancing is using the Just Dance videos posted on youtube. I use the sweat mode for a more intense workout but if you aren't ready for that, it's okay. Other options are Youtubers like the Fitness Marshall, or other dance/ ballet workouts. Best of luck to you in your recovery!
Congrats on your transplant! Now it is time to take care of it. One and done is what we say. Exercise is fabulous and I am a proponent but after transplant it is best to ease back into it. I was an exercise junkie prior to my liver transplant almost 11 years ago. If you do not listen to your doctor’s advice, you could do harm and set your self back a few steps. Best way is to get back into exercising is to start walking. Count all of your steps for a day then just add on an additional 50 to 100 steps each day after. The point is not charting miles or 10000 steps off the bat. Do things gradually. You will find yourself doing miles soon enough. Ask your doctor about proper hydration - how much you need to drink daily and during excercise- which is extremely important for kidney transplants. Once you are doing your daily 10000 steps plus, you will be ready for dance aerobics etc. You will not want to be doing any number of abdominal crunches since your anatomy is now different with the addition of a kidney there. Pilates or ballet barre is a great alternative and make sure instructor knows you may have limitations in working ab area. I do light weight lifting for strength training, Pilates, walking, and dance when no one is looking. I can identify with that “got to be doing something “ feeling but please pace yourself! Good luck and good health!
Congrats on your new kidney! I've heard to do activity "as tolerated," which means if you get sore or tired, slow down or stop, and if you feel fine, carry on. I've certainly pushed myself too hard after a surgery, and the result for me is a longe recovery, sometimes much longer (3 months of soreness rather than 6 weeks). I'd suggest keeping with lots of walking and stretching till 6 weeks then pick up on more intense activity. Two weeks will fly by and you'll be that much healthier then. Enjoy! Stay hydrated!
Be really careful at first until you are further out from your transplant. Remember, because of your immunosuppressant drugs you do not heal as quickly as before your transplant. I was like you and was always very active. I wound up with an incisional hernia in my transplant incision. I had to have more surgery to have it fixed. And a year later, it had to be repaired again. So, take it from one that's been there - you need to take it slow at first. Avoid doing a lot of bending over at waist line. Walking is a good way to start. You will have to build up yourself gradually. I was hiking the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park 8 months after my transplant.
Thank you, this is great advice. I will take it easier, it’ll be worth it
Also my advice, be careful with kids. They not only have bugs and exotic germs because their immune systems aren't built up yet, they also are around other kids. Get all your vaccines.Secondly, I was lifting my nephews who were 4 and 5 at the time. We were playing around and being active. And they kicked me unintentionally in the kidney. I believe it caused some damage. I peed blood after and had some soreness. But my labs were fine. Still, just be careful. Its so hard to find another transplant! I recommend walking and core exercises like golf. But e careful too. No sit ups until months later. But try to do at least one hour of walking a day. You will heal faster. And feel better both physically and emotionally.
I was running not long after my transplant January of last year, and anywhere from 3 to 5 times a week. Distances as great as 6 miles. I ran a 10K in November, a 10 mile race the second week of April and then another 10 miler 3 weeks later. My team was fine with it, but asked me do not run the day before my labs. One day I ran anywhere from 6 to 8 miles and they didn’t like my labs (still good and better than expected after my transplant) because the creatinine had jumped. Took the labs two days later and back to normal. Now I plan my runs around labs so I don’t have to go retake them.
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