Kidney Patient Guide

Johnylefox wrote:Hannah,

I cannot help.

But I would be interested in your findings, especially about time taking to do the tests for live donors.

Many thanks

From personal experience it is about a year in total from initial tests through to final blood/tissue match before TX.

A simple blood test that looks for kidney function is more than enough.

If you look into any symptom enough you can get what you want to read into and diagnose yourself.

Very personal on how people deal with dialysis and the experiences they have over the two dialysis options. But here is my view on personal experiences with PD and then HD. PD was nice and gentle process that took place overnight as I picked APD, I was restricted to bed for the dialysis time but bei...

If you really want to know what is going on with the kidney, then a biopsy is the best way forward and to ensure that if any treatment/medication is needed then it is the right choice for what could be going on. Regarding your Dr, ask questions.....tell the Dr that you want a more detailed explanati...

i think this goes to show that modern techniques and a little bit of good fortune that the match you get isn't that important.

Great to see you hit this milestone and I wish you many more with your gift and your wonderful wife (hope she is doing just as well as you)

I travel with work around the world, my life is back to normal apart from a clinic apponintment ever 12 weeks. What you have to consider is medication, how long are you away and will you be covered for that time, not just TX meds but general prescriptions? Insurance, my company cover repatriation in...

Transplant patients aren't generally exempt, so you're doing quite well, Richard. http://www.kidney.org.uk/about-us/policy/main-policy-policyprescriptions/ I pay about £10 per month by direct debit for a 'season ticket', which I consider pretty good value. i have no problem with my regular meds bei...

Thankfully I have never been addicted to cigarettes. However like giving up/cutting back on something you enjoy willpower is key. So distance yourself from the triggers that make you want to smoke. The day I was diagnosed / started dialysis my younger brother stopped from 20-30 a day (in the Royal N...

I took fluid and excess bits back to the local PD unit.

They use fluid for emergency/short term prescription changes and the bits for training new PD patients. They however won't collect.

Mine expires at the end of December and as I am aware it covers that period fully and you don't have to return/inform. If you have a fistula I believe you continue to receive exemption. TX meds will always be free, however my consultant move steroid to GP so I would assume to continue exemption for ...

No problem with a general discussion. But when you see that it could be used in a dissertation, then from experience it needs to be part of a survey/questionnaire. Just giving a little advice on my experiences with people collecting data while sat as an inpatient and during clinics. Make it official...

I don't doubt for one minute that you find it interesting and want to help. However if you are going to publish then some form of questionnaire or survey would be the norm. People would be more than happy to help/share.....but you have to give more specific details of how the information will be used

I have a funny feeling that this post will be familiar to you.....

http://www.kidneypatientguide.org.uk/fo ... =2&t=13622

I would suggest an official questionnaire that is on headed paper/downloaded via a secure site. Because with all due respect, we have no idea who you are. Another source of information would be via patients at the renal unit you work at, official identification and such will always help as people pa...

What you will find is that with a steady decline in renal function is that you don't feel unwell.....it becomes your natural normal level. Keeping fit and healthy in the past will no doubt help you as you move forward to possible dialysis and transplant, I have no doubt that being fit before startin...