A kidney transplant can be life changing. It can improve your health and energy levels so you can do many of the things you enjoyed when your kidneys were healthy.
After transplant, many people return to work, raise families and lead full, active lives.
Kidney transplant recovery after surgery takes time and commitment. Here’s what to expect.
When you wake up from surgery, you will be in a recovery area. You will have tubes and machines connected to you, such as:
From the recovery room, you may move to the intensive care unit or to a hospital unit for transplant recipients. The transplant team will make sure your body is accepting the new organ and that you don’t have an infection or any other problems. They will also monitor and treat your pain.
The length of your hospital stay depends on how quickly you recover, your overall health, how well the new kidney functions and what kind of caregiver support you have. Most people go home in two to four days.
Your team will encourage you to get up and walk as soon as you are able. Moving around can help reduce the risk of complications, like blood clots or pneumonia, so you can go home as quickly as possible.
Your team will also encourage you to breathe deeply and cough intentionally, to help reduce your infection risk.
Before you leave, your team will:
If you don’t live close to the transplant center, you will need to stay nearby after transplant surgery for follow-up care.
After surgery, you will need to take medications for the rest of your life to keep your body from rejecting your new kidney. These kidney transplant medications suppress your immune system, so it may be more likely that you get infections. Because of this, you will also need to take other medications to lower your risk of infection.
Common immunosuppressant, anti-rejection and infection-fighting medications include:
These medications can cause side effects. Some of the most common include:
Always consult with your transplant team about your specific risk factors and any concerns about medication side effects.
Do not stop taking any of your medication without talking to your transplant team. If you have side effects from your medication, your care team can help you manage them or adjust your medications.
Talk to your transplant team before taking any other prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications or supplements. Some medications could interact with your anti-rejection medications or harm your kidney.
It may take a few days or weeks before your new kidney starts to function as it should. This is called delayed graft function and during this time you may need dialysis.
It’s important to follow precautions and watch for early signs of problems after kidney transplant.
Learn more about kidney transplant follow-up care:
While a kidney transplant is a positive change, it may take time to adjust emotionally and psychologically. Your transplant team can connect you with counseling and peer support groups to help make the transition easier.
Ultimately, you should be able to live a normal, active life after your kidney transplant and enjoy many of the activities you used to take part in.
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