General
Your Pre transplant survival guide
March 4, 2026
in General
In our international support group today we all reminisced back on those early days - the little things we were unable to do that now mean the world, what it's like relearning how to walk and eat, those early days relationships struggles.
We joked on the call about making a survival guide of the tips, tricks, things we wish we'd known (for @run_for_fun as he preps for transplant 😉)
What would you put on this list? What are the small things, the big things and all things in between that would have been helpful to know before transplant?
Tagged:
1 - 4 of 4 Replies
@AliEm14 I'm flattered 😂 Let's start with the food....oysters, sashimi, foie gras, steak tartare - I guess I already know the answer - no raw food!
Since I'm celiac, for anyone who doesn't know yet, so my options are already limited.
In all seriousness, no grapes post-transplant? Did I hear that right? Fresh foods and fruit - check. I do make good protein-loaded pancakes. Unfortunately, I'm still hooked on sugar, don't miss the salt. What can you eat again afterwards that you had to cut out?
I started a to-do list of what to arrange before I'm unable to move and lift, items to stock up on, and apply for U.S. disability.
What have you learned that is easily overlooked or helped to make the transition easier? What do you wish you had known before you went to the hospital stay and after?
Looking forward to your advice.
PS: Is it allowed to get a tattoo afterwards?
I wish I known how long was the kidney transplants surgery. Was And pre testing i had to do before.how many days i had stayed in the hospital and when I be able to go home. What kind of food i can have after my surgery.
I feel like most things I didn’t know about getting a transplant are subjective and everyone’s different. For anyone needing diet info first ask your medical team and also look online. Def don’t eat at any buffets. I can’t eat lettuce/greens, salads or lunch meats, never did eat raw fish or raw meat. I can eat fresh fruits but try and stick to ones I can peel.
My biggest challenge after so many years is fatigue.
@22ncounting how long has it been since your transplant. I keep hearing that some folks experience fatigue long after. Since my celiac diagnosis it became extremely difficult to eat out, after the cirrhosis diagnosis I stopped going out due to the high sodium content in prepped food.