Can someone who USED to have depression donate a kidney?

[KidneyHelpPLEASE]

There is a lady and she USED to have depression but now does NOT anymore. She USED to take depression meds but NOT anymore. Now she has never felt better and only takes vitamins.

It is only an absolute rule out if you CURRENTLY have depression. But if it's in the past and you are JUST FINE now and take NO meds then can't you donate a kidney?

MANY THANKS!

[Clark]

Each transplant center and team at each center decides their policy and how each candidate is to be considered in light of that policy. Best wishes.

[Fr Pat]

     It has been noted that a noticeable percentage of ALL surgery patients suffer some post-op depression, even though the surgery was successful. This has been found also in living kidney donors, although it is hard to get an exact figure regarding depression. And of course if the transplant is unsuccessful there may be even more risk of post-donation depression. So the hospital does have to take into consideration whether the potential donor has suffered from depression in the past. As Clark well noted, each hospital has its own policies, and each potential donor is evaluated individually. And if a person who had suffered from depression in the past is approved to donate, it would of course be important to warn him/her of the risk, and to be alert for signs of depression if they do occur after the surgery. Organ donation is such a wonderful life-affirming act that we can be tempted to think that ALL donors will feel on-top-of-the-world after donation, but this is not always the case.
    best wishes,
       Fr. Pat

[Andrew Aharon]

I donated a kidney in 2014. I have taken an anti-depressant for many years for essentially "low-grade baseline depression."  I am considered "well managed."  I was accepted to donate without much problem.  Surgery and recovery for my recipient and me has been excellent.  No post-op emotional issues at all.  Based on what you describe, you should talk to your center…anti-depressant use (current or past) does not automatically disqualify a potential donor, at least not at my center.

[KidneyHelpPLEASE]

I donated a kidney in 2014. I have taken an anti-depressant for many years for essentially "low-grade baseline depression."  I am considered "well managed."  I was accepted to donate without much problem.  Surgery and recovery for my recipient and me has been excellent.  No post-op emotional issues at all.  Based on what you describe, you should talk to your center…anti-depressant use (current or past) does not automatically disqualify a potential donor, at least not at my center.

That's great Andrew. Which center did you donate a kidney at?

[CK]

Part of my screening to donate was a meeting with a psychiatrist. I assume the person you mention will have that kind of screening too. The doctor will decide whether her mental health is stable enough to donate.

I assume it will depend on a lot of factors, such as how severe the depression was, how long ago, etc.

[JustAPyper]

I was under a lot of stress before my donation.  My remaining parent was terminally ill with cancer.  During the screening process I talked with a social worker at the hospital and they cleared me to be a donor.  I didn't want them to disqualify me for any reason.

The hospital staff knew what medications I was taking and one of them was being used to treat a general anxiety disorder I had experienced in the not to distant past.  The thing is, it is also an anti-depressant so they could have assumed I might have depression as well.  I think it is up to the transplant center to listen to you and figure out if you really want to do the surgery or not.

It was pretty hard to separate depression from anxiety because both are very stressful and watching someone you love die from kidney disease is a terrible thing.  I was more than willing to do the surgery if it would help my spouse.

I would just be on the lookout for any additional depression post-op and keep in mind that you can get help.

Best wishes.