Recovery

You can call (800) 749-7424 ext 5-0254 to make a referral to the kidney transplant program at the Shands Transplant Center at the University of Florida.

Your transplant team will continue your kidney care. At this point, though, the most important member of the team is you. Without your active support, the team's best efforts cannot succeed.

As the lifetime caretaker of your new kidney, you will need to:

Have healthy daily habits that include a good diet and regular exercise
Follow your medication schedule
Check your weight, temperature, blood pressure and pulse periodically
Talk to your transplant team regularly
Keep to your schedule for lab tests and checkups
Make sure all of your doctors and your pharmacist know about your medications and care

Rejection | Diet | Weight control | Sexual activity & disease

Rejection
Rejection occurs when your body "sees" that the new kidney is not like your own body tissues. The body responds by sending special cells called antibodies to attack the new kidney. This attack can cause the donated kidney to fail. Just as the body recognizes a virus as being unfamiliar and develops antibodies or killer cells to get rid of it, the body can form cells to try to get rid of the new kidney. Rejection is normal, and it is the body's way of trying to protect itself.

Three medications - Imuran, Prednisone, and Cyclosporine - will be prescribed for you to help prevent rejection. Other anti-rejection drugs such as CellCept, Prograf, OKT-3 may also be used.

These medications help your body accept the new kidney. You will have to take these medications for as long as your new kidney is working. You may experience some of the side effects of the drugs, such as an increase in appetite, weight gain, high blood pressure, and a higher risk of infection. These side effects will decrease as your medication dosages are lowered. If the rejection does occur, other medications may be used to stop it.

Diet
Now that you have a working kidney, you will need to make changes in your diet. A dietitian will meet with you before discharge to discuss these changes.

Prednisone may cause your body to hold onto salt and water. While taking large doses of steroids, it is important to limit salt intake. Increase in appetite is another side effect of prednisone. To avoid weight gain, avoid high-fat and high sugar containing foods. Prednisone breaks down the body's protein stores and may lead to muscle wasting. Once your kidney is working and while you are on high doses of prednisone, your body will need extra protein. You will need to eat plenty of "high biological value" protein such as lean meat, poultry, fish, and low-fat dairy products. When you reach maintenance levels of your prednisone dose (10-15 mg/day), you may decrease your protein intake.

Limit your intake of the following high sodium foods:

Processed meats (ham, bacon, sausage, luncheon meats, hot dogs, sardines, etc.)
Processed foods (canned meats or soups, TV dinners, pre-packaged meals, etc.)
Foods soaked in brine (olives, pickles and relish)
Snack foods such as salted nuts, popcorn, potato chips and pretzels

Avoid high sugar foods such as:

Desserts/pastries
Pies
Cookies
Cakes
Candy bars
Ice cream

Avoid high-fat foods such as:

Butter
Bacon drippings
Ham hocks
Lard
Salt pork
Meat fat and drippings
Creams
Coconut
Cheeses
Snack products such as deep-fried chips

Cyclosporine may cause you to have a higher potassium level than normal. You may be asked to limit the potassium in your diet. Elevated cholesterol levels may occur after transplant due to immunosuppressant therapy.

To help control your cholesterol level, follow the suggestions below:

Limit your intake of high-fat meats
Limit your intake of organ meats such as liver
Remove all visible fat from all meats
Remove skin from chicken or turkey before cooking
Broiling or grilling meats will help to decrease the fat
Limit your intake of egg yolks to three per week
Use low-fat cheese and milk products
Use egg substitutes
Use vegetable oil instead of shortening or lard
Use margarine instead of butter
Read labels and avoid foods containing high amounts of saturated fats or saturated oils (palm oil, coconut oil, etc.)

Weight control tips

Eat regularly planned meals and decrease snacking
Avoid fasting and going on eating binges
Drink a low calorie beverage before meals (diet soft drinks, tea, coffee or water)
Eat slowly and chew foods well
Watch out for the tendency to eat more when you are watching TV or reading
Do not keep "easy to eat" foods (chips, candy and cookies) in the house
Keep cut carrots, celery and cucumbers ready in the refrigerator for quick snacks
Keep food intake records to record the type of food, amount of food and time of day that you eat
Try cooking low calorie recipes
Avoid cooking more than you need
Try to eat more vegetables.
Avoid the temptation to eat at "all you can eat" buffets. Make your choices carefully, and limit serving sizes.
Avoid tasting while you are cooking
Serve foods directly on the plate
Wait 20 minutes before having seconds
Keep active. Be careful not to eat out of boredom!
Exercise regularly as tolerated. Exercise is an important factor in controlling your weight. Before starting any kind of exercise program, talk with your doctor. If you need additional help with weight control, ask to see your dietitian.

Sexual activity and disease
After your transplant, you may notice that your sexual desire and sexual functioning may improve. When can you begin to have sex after the transplant? Usually, as soon as you are discharged from the hospital.

For women, menstrual cycles often become less regular or disappear when dialyzing. If you are in your childbearing years, you should know that ovulation (egg production) will return to normal after the transplant. This means that you will begin having monthly periods shortly after the transplant. But, ovulation can occur without having your menstrual period. It is important that you plan your birth control method before you begin having sex. Talk with the medical staff about the birth control methods that are the safest and most effective for you.

Pregnancy is not advised during the first year of the transplant. Studies indicate that it is probably best to wait two years after the transplant before getting pregnant. Higher doses of immunosuppressants are used during the first year and most patients are on medications for high blood pressure. This is the time that transplanted patients are at greatest risk for infection and other complications. This means that a developing baby would be at higher risk for infection and other complications. In addition, the growing baby in the womb may cause pressure damage to the mother's transplanted kidney. If you are thinking of becoming pregnant, talk to your doctor.

Female exams should not be feared or delayed. These exams are safe and easy to perform. Infection and cancer can be detected in early stages. Get a female exam once every year.

For men, impotence (not being able to maintain an erection) is sometimes a problem before the transplant. It may improve or no longer be a problem after the transplant. Sexual desire may increase because of improved health and your feeling better. You and your partner may need to consider the form of birth control best for you. If you wish to father a child, it is safe to do so. The medications that you are taking have no effect on your partner's pregnancy or the health of your child. If impotence continues to be a problem, consult your doctor.

Sexually transmitted diseases
You are taking medications that weaken your immune system in order to prevent rejection. These same medications may increase your risk for infection. There are a number of infections transmitted through sex with an infected partner. Report symptoms as soon as possible to your medical staff so that infection can be treated. Your partner will need to be treated as well.

Gonorrhea is often called "the clap." It is a bacterial infection. The first symptoms are drainage from the vagina or penis, pain with urination, and fever. Antibiotics are used to treat gonorrhea.

Chlamydia is also a bacterial infection. Symptoms may be pain with urination and discharge from the vagina or penis, but sometimes there are no recognizable symptoms. Antibiotics are used to treat Chlamydia.

Syphilis often causes a painless ulcer on the mouth or the genitals in its early stages. A rash covering a large portion of the body may be noted in a later stage of syphilis. Long-term, unrelated syphilis can damage the heart, brain, nervous system, skin and bones. Antibiotics are used to treat syphilis.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections often flare up after a transplant if you were previously exposed to herpes on the mouth or genitals. You may notice that the herpes infection returns more often and lasts longer. The immunosuppressive medications can cause this reaction. Don't be alarmed. If you have an outbreak on your mouth, avoid kissing others. If you have an outbreak on your genitals, avoid sexual contact. Herpes is easily spread to sexual partners. Report any sores to your doctor. Herpes is treated with a medication called Acyclovir. Acyclovir capsules can be prescribed for you to take when you have an outbreak. Acyclovir cream can be applied directly to the blisters. Acyclovir capsules and cream help to speed up the healing and may help with the pain of the blisters, but Acyclovir does not cure the herpes infection.

Acquired Immundeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is an illness caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV infection is transmitted by body secretions such as blood, semen, vaginal secretions and even breast milk. AIDS is spread primarily by sexual contact and sharing needles. The symptoms of AIDS may include tiredness, fevers, night sweats, chills, unexplained weight loss, pink to purple patches under the skin, white spots in the mouth, dry cough and persistent diarrhea. The high-risk groups include gay and bisexual men or women and intravenous drug users. However, AIDS is on the rise in men and women who are not in any of these groups. The answer is to practice safe sex. There is still no cure for AIDS.

Safe Sex Practices

Limit your sexual activity to one partner.
Wash the genital area and urinate before and after sex.
If your partner is a new one, always use latex condoms.
When having sex, use spermicide jelly or foam containing nonoxynol-9 (at least 4 percent) along with condoms.
Avoid exchange of body fluids.
Avoid having sex with any person who has sores, a rash or a badly smelling discharge from their genitals.
Avoid anal sex and unprotected oral or vaginal sex.

Statistics

Success rate and various other statistics regarding the Shands Transplant Center at UF are available from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients at ustransplant.org.

Transplant Navigation

Heart and Lung Transplant

Kidney Transplant Navigation

Discharge after transplantation

Make an Appointment

To make an appointment or find out more information about transplant services offered at Shands at the University of Florida, please call 352.265.8000 or toll-free 1.800.749.7424

You may also email our Consultation Center (consult@shands.ufl.edu) or use our secure online form.