7 months post kidney transplant. I’m up to 40 minutes of walking 3-4 times a week. Day after exercise tired , useless. Any others?

[3KMa]

Tired day after exercise

[HookedStick]

My son (who got a new kidney) was the same. One day exercise, one day exhausted. BUT (and it really is a big BUT) keep going. He is now 16 months post operation and is back to full health. At the weekend walked 15 km on Saturday, cycled 100 km Sunday. Tired Monday, but no more than to be expected. He has worked at it. Also he definitely plateaued after about 6 months, until 10-11 months when more progress was made. Keep going - it will come back.

[Okiksaints1955]

1. What was your exercise routine before transplant?

2. What are your goals and timelines to go back to pre-transplant?

3. What are your mitigations when you hit the wall?

6 months after my transplant, I am back to 8k a day in 1 - 1.5 hours (almost everyday). I bring along 2-3 things to think about (mostly work related - my next presentation, wokhsheet construction, etc.). When I get tired, I stop and enjoy the view. Sometimes, I just exercise aimlessly. No pressure, just enjoying life with no care. Even just for a few hours. Somehow, this invigorates me. On to another day....

I am 67, the less time I worry - the more time I enjoy.

Hope this helps.

[Gardner-NY]

Glad you are writing about this. I have one question: are you taking insulin for diabetes? My spouse had his transplant 3 yrs ago this month and was diabetic prior to surgery and on insulin at night only. After transplant he's still on this PM insulin and a different one he takes before every meal. He never had a problem with blood sugar numbers before transplant and now periodically he does and we think it is related to antirejection meds. He has yet to do any walks alone , on the treadmill or with me for exercise in all this time due to how he feels , 'not well'. I am thrilled you are doing so good. Keep it up and my hope in time, you will have less tired days. I'd like to know from you and others who is on insulin 4X a day and are they exercising a year after transplant. thanks alot. Take care.

[Darlenia]

Hi! My hubby's situation is like yours! My hubby received his transplant this past June at age 71. He managed, while on dialysis, to completely rid himself of all diabetes meds including insulin. But after the transplant, his diabetes roared back and he, too, takes short acting diabetes insulin before meals and long lasting insulin at night (so 4X a day) and we've been told that this is because of the suppressants. His sugar numbers are all over the place, but generally a lot higher at night. He's now (understandably) upset about having to inject himself so often after working so hard to get off everything. So I'm wondering - does your hubby inject insulin? Or does he been given medication in tablet or pill form? As for exercise, we both do a 20 minute total body exercise video daily. (Hasfit video on YouTube tailored for older folks). He doesn't like to walk but I cajole him into it about 2 or 3 times a week. He does perhaps 4,000 steps and his walking is slow...I have to periodically stop and let him catch up with me. He's reluctant to do the treadmill so has not touched it. (He loved it in the past.) Hubby's appetite is reasonably good but it has not been the same since the kidney failure. He's far more picky now and is resigned to never getting off insulin, so eats a few high carb items like rice and cereal here and there. Since he's underweight, I just let it go. I also worry that we won't be able to travel much (like hurrying to catch a plane) and that I'll have to continue to do all the physical work, etc. I do know the transplant was very hard on him. His body kicked up a big fuss - his lymphatic system made his man parts swell tremendously, his cardiac system went into a-fib, he developed a urine leak where urine poured through his incision, etc. Those things are fixed. Now we're battling a low white cell count. I suspect that this tires him out. It's been a journey for sure. We never realized we would go through all these issues. We were such starry eyed novices. A transplant is truly a treatment, not a cure. Please let me know how your hubby handles his diabetes. I sincerely hope he doesn't take multiple shots like my dear hubby does. Thanks!

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador]

We are all different and react differently to the surgery, our immunosuppressants, steroids. Many of us are on different meds from each other. Our bodies have to adjust to the medicine. My dose was changed several times that first year, due to high blood levels and troubling side effects. I am not diabeticI guess the trick is we have to push ourselves somewhat and walk daily or at 3-4 times a week. I found that every time I went for a walk it got easier and felt better afterward. 8 months out I was hiking in Glacier National Park in Montana.

I am now 22 years post transplant and am doing great!