How to Become a Kidney Transplant Recipient

A kidney transplant is for people with kidney disease who have undergone extensive dialysis treatment for failing kidneys. A transplant is a serious surgical procedure that can have excellent results for treating kidney disease. Patients must go through an extensive program to become a transplant recipient. Read on to learn how to become a kidney transplant recipient.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. See a doctor for an in-depth medical examination. The doctor will test to see if you have any infections in your body. Immunosuppressants, the medicines you take after a transplant to prevent your body from attack the new organ, can cause serious complications if you have an infection at the same time.

2. Take extensive tests for AIDS and all forms of hepatitis. You need to be sure that you do not have these conditions, as they can make your body unreceptive to a new kidney.

3. Determine your blood and tissue types. A doctor will do these tests to ensure that the new kidney will be compatible with the rest of your body.

4. Get vaccinated for hepatitis, pneumonia and other diseases. You may have already gotten these vaccinations in the past, but they are required to strengthen your immune system in case the new kidney carries any of these diseases.

5. Take a chest X-ray and have your doctor examine it for lung problems. You need to be sure that you are fairly healthy and don't have the beginnings of other serious medical conditions.

6. Meet with a medical social worker or financial adviser. Being a recipient of a kidney transplant is a very expensive endeavor. You need to be sure that you and your family are prepared to finance the procedure if you are accepted as a recipient.

7. Help your doctor create a detailed medical history for yourself. There are many different anesthetics and medicines that will be used both during and after the procedure. It is very important that you write down all of your allergies.

Tips & Warnings

• Talk to your family about the procedure. Be sure you are supported emotionally and prepared to deal with either acceptance or rejection of your transplant recipient application.
• Prepare to be placed on a long national waiting list if you are accepted. You can also prepare to talk to your family members about getting a kidney donation from one of them.
• If you are a cancer patient, it may be very difficult to become a transplant recipient. Cancer treatments and the medication you take after a transplant can often interact and produce serious side effects that doctors will take into consideration.

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