Can a Kidney Transplant patient study abroad?

[PatientWhizbang]

I received kidney transplant surgery on feb 22 ,2021. I want to go abroad and study MS.(US) in aug 2022 /jan 2023. Can we study abroad? If yes can anyone tell me safety tips? Thanks in advance

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador]

This is probably something you should be talking to your transplant center about.The main thing is usually those first couple of years the transplant team will need to adjust your immunosuppressants. Mine were adjusted several times before I got to the dose I take now. I am 21+ years post transplant.

Is your creatinine stable or is it jumping around? I remember those first couple of years I needed to have a biopsy of my transplant due to higher than normal creatinine and to rule out rejection.

It's important to do your blood draws as set up by your transplant center. I needed monthly labs done so if any problems came up it could be caught early.

Drawing from my own experience I would not be able to live abroad the first couple of years after my transplant. That being said, we are all different. You need to have a serious talk with your transplant team and tell them what you are thinking about doing. It probably also depends on what country you will be going to.

Good luck to you!

[PatientWhizbang in reply to WYOAnne]

Thank you so much for your inputs.I'm willing to go to united States and My creatinine levels are in the range of 1.2-1.3

[Tahmed251]

My doctor told me to wait one year before I go overseas. If rejection happens it usually happens in the first year. Just keep these thoughts in mind before you make a decision.

[PatientWhizbang in reply to Tahmed251]

Yeah okay, thank you so much

[Transplant2018]

Assuming you are stable, you can probably study abroad but I would request your transplant center connect you with a transplant center here. You will also need to be certain to have insurance that will cover your labs and meds here; medical care in the US is incredibly expensive.

[PatientWhizbang in reply to Transplant2018]

Yeah I have to keep all those in mind. And should take an insurance which covers everything. Thank you for your suggestion

[BeachLove]

Hello, you would be wise to ask your nephrologist about this.

I am heading toward a double organ transplant, kidney and liver and am close to getting on the waitlist for both.

Congrats on your transplant!!

[PatientWhizbang in reply to BeachLove]

Yeah sure, thank you so much . All the best for your transplant 👍

[desperateboy]

Where are u from?

[PatientWhizbang in reply to desperateboy]

India

[desperateboy in reply to PatientWhizbang]

Everyone will here answer your question about your health situation. I asked your country to estimate the money you should spend and what expect from studying abroad. First of all , without citizenship it is hard. Insurance companies will not cover your medicines,labs etc. They earn money covering healthy people. They will not cover a risky person without citizenship. Even if they accept , all yearly medicines expense and possible medical expense for a risky person cost you a lot. They'll estimate even other diseases such as flu, food poisining because of your immune system and charge you a lot.Unfortunately, this was the good scenario. Possibly, most of them will not cover at all. Only medicines yearly may be around 10 thousand dollars.

Second option is that you will get normal student insurance as healthy and you will get your medicines shipped from your own country or you can bring medicines yourself. Therefore, You will visit your country to check your blood levels every 6 months or a year. Even if you do this option , I think, you want to work and stay after your education or you want a citizenship etc. Don't forget , Countries are looking for talented people to earn from them, not spend money for them 😔

For example , to get a Canadian citizenship they check your health condition.if you have health problem, they look at whether your condition exceed 15 thousand CAD on a yearly basis. They will also consider the rejection possiblity and whether you would be a burden for them or not and they will reject you.

Anyway , I'm sorry If I dishearten you. Our illness are bad and rare.Most healthy people are suprised when they heard someone recieved a kidney. Unfortunately we are not that healthy as we think 😐 . These are the things I know but you can contact ınsurance companies or government sites for reliable information.

[PatientWhizbang in reply to desperateboy]

Yep , thank you so much.. Will reflect these things..

[Rajeshwari123Vinod in reply to desperateboy]

hey you have answered probably my all the questions thank you so much for your all deep clarity on each factor affecting to kidney health