Kidney
Tips to help post kidney transplant
September 14, 2024
in Kidney
what things helped you guys deal with mentally post tranplant and having a low immune system. The fear that comes with being afraid to get sick or eat anything contaminated
1 - 4 of 4 Other Answers
Hi Gilbert,
It seems odd, but for me, it was to just go about living my life...with some precautions thrown in. In February, I had my second kidney transplant. The first one was back in 1990 from my sister. It lasted 33 and a half years, and seven months ago my brother donated. I share all this to show that I've been immunocompromised most of my life. I taught school for 35 years and raised my son. Of course, I was careful about cooking/preparing food, washing my hands, staying away from sick people, and I never missed my meds.
However, I was determined to live my life. After all, what good is a transplant if it doesn't improve the quality of your life? I'm not sure that helps or answers your question, but it worked for me. Best of luck!
Transplant Patient
I had a liver transplant, so not 100% the same but I dealt with a lot of the same concerns.
For me what helped was embodiment and somatic practices. I had to learn how to be in my body, as it was in this moment. I learned safety for me had little to do with external circumstances and everything to do with how I felt inside those circumstances. Did I have choice, did I have agency, did I have tools and resources to call on when things went sideways? And then I actively worked at building those tools. I did what I could to affect my environment, like being vigilant in cleaning and staying healthy best I could, and I knew I could drive myself crazy obsessing over everything, that my mental heath mattered just as much as my physical health and that even if I did everything "right" things still happen.
One of the weird things I did that helped was to literally think of worst case scenarios. And then I would run through what I would do. Having a plan helped me. So say I got an infection, I would call my coordinator, I would get labs... Breaking it down step by step, knowing what I would do and who I could turn to for support helped a lot.
Hi Gilbert!
I am similar to @Ro_A . I had my transplant in 2006. I was very cautious the first 3 months. But I was told to live my life. I worked with the public, so I was mindful of washing my hands and not getting too close to people. I've had my transplant for almost 19 years. Over the years I got sick here and there, but went to the ER when I needed to and partnered with my transplant center each time. I think covid has made us more fearful and hypervigilant. Try to find the joy in doing the things you love, but with sprinkled in caution. Hope that helps!
I'm 4 months post kidney transplant. I was not concerned with getting sick. I'm still not concerned. I feel if I worry to much on getting sick then I will get sick. I've been I'll with a deadly disease for a long time. Covid, the flu, any other contagious illness doesn't affect my mental status. But what does concern me mentally if why am I fearless in this area but weak in others. My family is more concerned about me than I am supposed to be. I've dedicated my entire adulthood to raising my children and grandchildren. I'm not going to stop because I might catch the flu. I have to live my life to the fullest for each day is never promised. And what Ro_a said. What good comes is it having a transplant if your not going to live life?