Depression after kidney transplant.

msLo · Newbie Joined: 18 Feb 2007 Posts: 30

I'm so jealous of you guys....SOOOOO JEALOUS!

I want to be on a steroid free protocol soooooooooo bad. My nephrologist says I might reject my kidney if we're not careful. Rejection would be awful but i don't want to be puffy the rest of my life.

Lore2054 · Guest

Well, I had my kidney transplant on Nov 08,2005; didn't work the first 4months, so I had to go through hemodialysis, until it jumpstarted my kidney Smile

... before my transplant, I was 3 years in dialysis. 9 hours a day every day connected to a machine at night... that wasn't easy.

I saw a lot of cases on dialysis, like me and a lot of people died while waiting for a donnor. The main reasons, they didn't accept the procedures they were going through, so it was easy to get infections and illnesses.

I was ok while on dialysis, look as if I wasn't sick, but I felt terrible, weaker and weaker, each and every day. My creat was 15 when I had my transp.

What I can tell you is that is not easy what's happening to you, I do know, but is a fact and a gift which will work much more better if you accept it and start loving it.

I can feel my kidney with my right hand, and it gets tense when I am and it also rests better when I'm on my back or sleep on my right side.

I have a large semi-smile scar in my abdomen (besides my dialysis scars), I put cream on it every day after I shower; I don't want it to disappear, for me is a remainder, that now, I'm way better.

I do take prednisone and know the side effects, which I hate. I also take cellcept and sirolimus; and medicines for high blood pressure and for the upset stomach.

Gain a lot of weight with the peritonneal dialysis and haven't been able to lose much, even though I exercise almost every day. I accidentally found this page while looking for a way to lose weight Smile

But I'm glad that I'm alive. Please, you have plenty of years ahead of you don't regret something that will get you much better and make you live those years doing a GREAT LIFE.

Accept it, care for it and most of all, love it, it's part of you now, and it'll work great if you put something on your part. You'll see Smile

your friend,
Lore2054

Jen Ford · Guest

I had a kidney transplant Jan 15, 2007, I got an infection the staples had to be taken out, I have a horrible scar and have gain weight,
It is really hard for women to go threw this because the whole world mostly the USA is focused on what women look like,
How skinny they are and pretty their hair and skin are,,,it sucks
I've gained 22lbs, I sweat like crazy , have skin problems, my hair is thinning and have a scar from hell,,,I'm tring to look at the bright side and so should everyone else and you just have to relize most people are shallow,,,and the sad truth is I use to be one of those people and I am so glad I'm not any more.

msLo · Newbie Joined: 18 Feb 2007 Posts: 30

well, i'm still pretty shallow so that may be why this upsets me so much.

guest · Guest

I HAD A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT IN 1998 AND I AM A FEMALE. I WAS ONLY 17 YRS OLD WHEN I GOT IT. I JUST CANT IMAGINE MY LIFE WITH OUT IT. I'VE NEVER HAD ANY TYPE OF REJECTION IN THIS WHOLE TIME PERIOD. YES MY HAIR THINNED OUT A LITTLE, AND I GOT SOME ACNE, AND MY BIGGEST SIDE EFFECT OF ALL IS THE WEIGHT GAIN. I GAINED OVER 60 POUNDS WHILE I WAS ON PREDNISONE BUT AFTER 6 YRS OF IT MY DOC FINALLY TOOK ME OFF. YES I STILL HAVE SOME WEIGHT ON BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, IT ALL BEATS DIALYSIS. I NEVER WANT TO FACE DIALYSIS AGAIN. I AM A HAPPY CAMPER. SO TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT MAY HAVE HAD SOME ISSUES POST TRANSPLANT, PRAY ABOUT THEM. NONE OF THE SIDE EFFECTS CAN BE WORSE THEN DIALYSIS THREE TIMES A WEEK FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

r57 · Guest

I had a kidney transplant 18 years ago- when I was 32, and I feel like I've been living in a cage ever since. Prednesone has damaged my joints and has given me diabetes. I took a drug called Imuran for 11 years and that had some really nasty side effects. Also, I have had cataract surgery on both eyes.

If I don't see a doctor every six months I can't get my perscriptions refilled. And because my perscriptions cost over $1,400 per month, I have to drive 145 miles every day to a job that I dislike but have to keep because of the health insurance it offers.

I've come to the realization that no one gives a damn... not my family or friends- they have their own lives. I don't blame them.

The healthcare community doesn't seem to care either. The cost of CellCept is astronomical and, it seems, any form of universal health care is absolutely out of the question.

Attending physicans and nurses never seem to want to hear my grumbling and Im getting sick of my own thoughts. I recall a day or two about eighteen years ago when I was probably an hour or two away from a permenant resolution to all of this.

msLo · Newbie Joined: 18 Feb 2007 Posts: 30

God that scares me so bad. ^^^^^

Lore2054 · Guest

I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF WORK TO KEEP UP WITH MEDICINES AND THE WHOLE THING OF A TRANSPLANT, BUT DON'T YOU THINK IT IS MUCH BETTER THAN BEING CONNECTED TO A HEMODIALYSIS MACHINE THREE TIMES/WEEK OR 9 HOURS EVERY NIGHT TO PERITONEAL DIALYSIS? I BEEN THERE FOR 3 YEARS, BEFORE MY TRANSP., AND 4 MONTHS AFTER IT.

IS AWFUL AND MUCH TERRIFYING TO BE CERTAIN THAN DIALYSIS IS NOT GOING TO GET YOU WELL. IT IS NOT A CURE FOR RENAL FAILURE!

IS NOT EASY, BUT IS WORTH IT... MAYBE NO ONE CARES BUT OUR OWN SELVES, BUT THAT IS THE MAIN THING, YOU HAVE TO LOVE YOURSELF AND PAMPER YOURSELF AND LOOK AFTER YOURSELF.

IF WE (THE TRANSPLANTED) DON'T DO IT, NO ONE ELSE, WILL DO.

PLEASE CHEER UP. WE ARE ALIVE AND HAD BEEN GIVEN A GIFT OF LIFE AND A SECOND (OR MORE) CHANCE.

TAKE CARE AND Very Happy

kspring · Guest

My brother received a kidney about 2 months ago and his body is not rejecting the kidney but he has become totally depressed and angry at everybody. I don't know how to help him. Thank you for putting your comments on this page it has helped me realize that this isn't unusual. The sad thing is the doctors and nurses don't prepare anybody that these things could happen.. noone give the family any advice on how to best support the patient.. I hope it gets better for him soon.

JAZZIE · Guest

Hello Everyone:

This is my second kidney transplant which I was very thankful to GOD for giving me another life!!! However after everything seems okay I got so depressed and I just don't know why. I would just cry for no reason as I always would think "what if" one day my kidney would fail again? I have been through so much already that this disease is controlling my life. After my 2nd transplant, I developed DVT which was for me a death sentence and again I got saved!!! Now I am on Myfortic/neoral/prednisone/coreg which is fine however the neoral makes me sick. After 2-3 hours, I want to just throw up. All this medications which I will have to take all my life along with monthly blood test is very very depressing... Sad

( I always tell myself that if I was healthy like other people I could have done this or that...The only thing that keeps me going is my family and since god gave me another life, I should enjoy and cherish every moment as if it was my last day to live this goes for everyone that are depressed out there Smile

) I wish we all could keep in touch and share our thoughts..this should help all of us..take care of your kidneys and be happy always. vv

Depression after kidney transplant.

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