Hospital stay after transplant?

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Beespatellas
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2017 3:47 am

Hospital stay after transplant?

Post by Beespatellas »

Hi all. I've got a transplant coming up, and while delighted to be going to be fitted with new parts, i'm naturally concerned about the pain/discomfort/not feeling myself aspects. Anyone got any helpful 'war stories' to put my mind at rest/prepare me?
rheaybou
Posts: 1381
Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2011 11:04 am
Location: Doncaster

Re: Hospital stay after transplant?

Post by rheaybou »

While everyone is individual I would say this.

99.9% chance you will be euphoric, well medicated for pain and eager to get up and about. Was sat out of bed morning after, was shuffling round by the following day. Find your own pace, plus a rolled up towel to help moving by holding over surgery site.

Good luck/wishes to you. I assume a living donor?
Now 35 with Alports and I had my first kidney-versary 18th feb 2013....I hope to have many more.

My living donor and his family are doing all well.

==
Alports.
Beespatellas
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2017 3:47 am

Re: Hospital stay after transplant?

Post by Beespatellas »

Thanks for that Rheayboo!! I dont know anyone who's had this op, and hospital staff are so careful to cover legal/possible downsides, its sometimes easy to focus more on the down sides than the up! Your comment has really eased my worries. Thank you!
Dixie1
Posts: 283
Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2013 4:19 pm

Re: Hospital stay after transplant?

Post by Dixie1 »

I received my transplant last June and, as rheaybou says, I was euphoric at first and very comfortable as I was hooked up to a self administered IV pain killer. 48 hours in I was eager to get up and shower etc. Day 3 though I went down hill quite badly for a couple of days, really suffering with nausea/sickness. I believe it was partly because my body was trying to adjust to the new drugs but also I am certain it was because of being constipated. Watch out for this. I didn't realise I was constipated because I had managed to pass something reasonable (hope this isn't too graphic!!) by day 2 and, because I was feeling great on day 1 and 2 I ate normally. In hindsight I really wish I had taken my reintroduction to food much more slowly and avoided bread/toast all together. I was really unwell for a few days (days 3-6 inclusive) until my bowel had settled down (it gets a bit of shoving around during surgery) and then suddenly, as fast as the nausea and sickness had come on, it left. I would HIGHLY recommend rheaybou's suggestion of using a rolled up towel. It is a life saver if you sneeze, laugh, cough or, in my case, vomit. After I left hospital on day 8 (if all goes well, they often send you home on day 5) it was plain sailing from there on as far a pain etc is concerned. Obviously it takes time and you have to really take it easy for a while, but I was quite comfortable.
Beespatellas
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2017 3:47 am

Re: Hospital stay after transplant?

Post by Beespatellas »

Thanks Dixie 1! I must admit, after my caesarian the moving of the bowels was one of the most painful aspects to it! I'll remember to go gentle with the food afterwards! These tips are so useful!
Chris Wright
Posts: 138
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 9:21 pm

Re: Hospital stay after transplant?

Post by Chris Wright »

I was transplanted at about 5.30/6.00 in the am. At about 8.30 the medical registrar, now an eminent Professor at a London teaching hospital, so will remain nameless, looked at my notes and then just said "Get out of bed and get some clothes on by the end of the day".

I made it the next am. Had to dialyse once more but about 4 or 5 days in, some friends came to see me and i asked if i could go to the pub with them. I was given a mobile catheter bag with i strapped round my thigh and went and had a pint with them.

10 days post tx, i was running up the stairs (now gone) from Guy's to London Bridge station, to go home.

But i was quite young when i had it and had only dialysed for 6 months so my general health wasn't bad.

Best of luck, hope it goes well and lasts a long time.
Transplanted Sept 1981

Still enjoying life like a 21 year old, or younger!
rheaybou
Posts: 1381
Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2011 11:04 am
Location: Doncaster

Re: Hospital stay after transplant?

Post by rheaybou »

You are entertained in hospital, given little tasks such as fluid balance to pass the time between meals and I was educated on medication on three occasions.

You may have the delightful removal of any neckline/PD catch to have done, took my PD catch out at same time as transplant but had tunnelled neckline out a few days after surgery.

The towel is a life saver even after discharge. One word of warning after getting home, carry a plastic jug with you at all times. After 18 months of not peeing and being very thirsty you find bladder capacity is zero. So a walk to the kitchen can end in an accident, it did for me on a few occasions.

Be prepared for some very vivid dreams, night sweats and insomnia as medication kicks in. Massive mood swings due to steroids and spits that make a teenager look good.

But if you have a living donor, the best part by far is when you or your donor shuffle round to see each other. Without a doubt the best moment after my daughter being born. (Her uncle is my hero)
Now 35 with Alports and I had my first kidney-versary 18th feb 2013....I hope to have many more.

My living donor and his family are doing all well.

==
Alports.
JMan
Posts: 3471
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2004 10:21 am
Location: Lives in a slightly weird bit of Shropshire called Telford!

Re: Hospital stay after transplant?

Post by JMan »

Have a good read of the 'Top Tips on transplants at the top of this forum' Pretty much covers a lot and you can add or reply to Q's there too:)

Good luck

From what I remember I was out and about pretty quick post tx.. Its always a shock!
"Dialysis! What is this? The dark ages!"
L. 'Bones' McCoy, ST"
Read my blog:)
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Beespatellas
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2017 3:47 am

Re: Hospital stay after transplant?

Post by Beespatellas »

I'm almost 12 months post transplant now, and my new kidney's doing really well - going from egfr of 8 the night before the transplant, to 63 now. The hospital stay was quite unpleasant for me personally, though I'm sure this was just an unlucky experience. I found that as morphine didn't really help with the pain level, I stopped using it day 3, and just stuck to paracetemol every 4hrs. Which didn't erradicate the pain, but sooner you can manage without, the better really. The ward I was moved to after a few days on HDU was seriously understaffed, and I had to wait 2 hrs for a kamode, which wasn't pleasant, and there were so few nurses on, although I was high risk for collapsing, due to blood pressure issues, no one was available to help me to wash/toilet facilities, and I had to struggle there alone. That having being said, the nurses there were, were all lovely and helpful. And the doctors were fabulous. Just be aware those that have family who are able to visit, you may have to ask them to do most of your nursing needs!
Notso
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2015 2:34 am

Re: Hospital stay after transplant?

Post by Notso »

Thanks for all the replies. I am having a transplant on 29 April and starting to get a little nervous.
Thumps
Posts: 1302
Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2006 3:50 pm
Location: London, England

Re: Hospital stay after transplant?

Post by Thumps »

63! Wow, that's great. I've never got above 50 :lol:
PKD/PLD diagnosed 1994, CKD stage 5 Oct 2007, Living Donor Kidney Transplant Dec 2008, still going strong!
Notso
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2015 2:34 am

Re: Hospital stay after transplant?

Post by Notso »

I have a post transplant question regarding how I'll be on release from hospital, about a week post op.
I'll be away from home and am looking at places to stay. Will I be able to walk up one flight of stairs after a week?
Beespatellas
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2017 3:47 am

Re: Hospital stay after transplant?

Post by Beespatellas »

Re notso... walking upstairs after only 1 week is really ambitious, although not impossible. Staying on 1 level immediately after coming out of hospital would be more advisable for a week or two. Especially as the anti rejection meds can play havoc with your bowels for several days. I needed a bedpan in my bedroom, a raised toilet seat on toilet (as wound site will be agony for quite a while when sitting/standing) and got a kamode for when i was downstairs and caught short! Unpleasant topic i know, but i think stuff can be said amongst friends!!
Beespatellas
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2017 3:47 am

Re: Hospital stay after transplant?

Post by Beespatellas »

Thumps wrote:63! Wow, that's great. I've never got above 50 :lol:
It took a long while to get to 63... I ended up developing pneumonia 6 months after the transplant, and it was only after i'd recieved treatment for that, that my kidney function shot up!!! But it's 1 year tomorrow (13th April) that I had the op, and all seems well!
Notso
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2015 2:34 am

Re: Hospital stay after transplant?

Post by Notso »

Thanks Beespatellas. I have found a unit block with a lift so the problem is solved.
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