Driving after transplant : Question for... - Kidney Transplant

Kidney Transplant

3,512 members1,947 posts

Driving after transplant

transplantwarrier profile image

Question for kidney transplant patients

How long before you was able to drive again?

Written by
transplantwarrier profile image
transplantwarrier
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
15 Replies
Herkidney profile image
Herkidney

I think it was four weeks.

Taconeo profile image
Taconeo

For me 10 days

YorkyinNorfolk profile image
YorkyinNorfolk

The NHS in the UK recommend 6 weeks:

nhsbt.nhs.uk/organ-transpla....

Kingmoha profile image
Kingmoha

I drive after 4 weeks

Jepsos profile image
Jepsos

I was just given the ok to drive at 3.5 weeks after my transplant. My labs are excellent and I have no other health issues. My doctor ok’ed it because I’m not on any pain meds, my scar has fully healed and I can wear a seatbelt comfortably. But, every transplant team protocol is different.

Eyak1971 profile image
Eyak1971

As others have suggested 4 to 6 weeks. It depends on your healing process. Your doctor and your own body Will let you know. However I understand your concern. Not able to drive for a while can be a bummer.

KathleenMA profile image
KathleenMA

My surgeon said 8 weeks.

JackN profile image
JackN

As soon as I was off prescription pain killers - so about 10 days after I got home. No one ever gave me a time limit - maybe they should have, I don't know.

nubeek profile image
nubeek in reply to JackN

If I may ask, how long have you been on pain killers after the surgery?

JackN profile image
JackN in reply to nubeek

A week and a half after I got home, I think (it was 12 years ago). Once I realized I didn't need the opioid painkillers anymore I switched to Tylenol and started driving (just short drives around town). No one ever gave me any restrictions; the amount I drove was only limited by discomfort.

nubeek profile image
nubeek in reply to JackN

Thank you for the reply. I’m just surprised how many people stayed on pain killers for so long. I got off opioid pain killers on the third day after the surgery so it is very shocking to me that many people stayed on for 3-4 weeks.

I also got to drive about 2,5 weeks after surgery. Basically after I stopped feeling pressure from the incision when in bended position.

JackN profile image
JackN in reply to nubeek

Same here! I know some have complications but in general I don't get it.

Blue-Quilter profile image
Blue-Quilter

My incision got infected so I had to be readmitted to the hospital 10 days after going home and stay until a wound vac arrived, which was 3 days later. That puts me at roughly 2 two weeks. My (now ex) husband went back to work after another week and I was still having labs twice a week, so I drove myself. The only time I ever took the pain meds was an hour before they came to change the the vac, which was done at home. Nobody ever gave me a guideline about driving because they assumed my husband would stick around like he committed to do. Oh well.

Gardner-NY profile image
Gardner-NY

Hello, My spouse had his kidney transplant Nov 2018 and was driving late January 2019. He kept a flat pillow between his body and seat belt all the time when he was the passenger.

MattR22 profile image
MattR22

I was driving 5 days after surgery. There were no restrictions in my program's release guidelines other than the need to be totally off pain meds. I transitioned to tylenol only on day 2 at the hospital and did not take any pain meds after that point.

You may also like...

After transplant treatments

Has anyone here had uvsheld vaccine for transplant to shield against Covid-19? Has anyone had an...

Depression after Transplant

just joined. My question is if any of you have depression issues after transplant? Or if you...

Covid after Kidney Transplant

/duration and treatment after kidney transplant ? Be much appreciated Thank you

UTI after transplant

it’s been over 7 weeks of transplant. My all vitals are great accept that I have got 2 episodes of...

Infection after kidney transplant

meds transplant patients are taking for this issues. My sister is on her third kidney transplant...