Liver Donation Recovery Time

[jleigh]

I'm currently testing to be a liver donor for a friend of mine. I've read how about how long recovery SHOULD take. Now I'm curious how long it took you.

[Fr Pat]

     Although I had the large open-cut donation surgery (11 years ago) my recovery was unusually fast. I was walking  (a little, with difficulty) on the afternoon of the surgery and left the hospital on the third day. I was back to light office duties in only a week. Needed an afternoon nap and early bed-time for several weeks, and felt pretty much back to normal in 3 months.
    But always remember that kidney donation is major surgery and has its risks. Some (relatively few) donors have had minor or serious complications, and there have even been a few deaths.
       best wishes,
           Fr. Pat

[sherri]

Liver donation is quite different in terms of risks and recuperation time compared with kidney donation. There are a few active adult to adult liver donors on this forum but understandably more kidney donors. You can try reading through some of the experience stories on here and see if people describe the recuperation time. The hospital should also be able to give you the names of some donors to help you along the way. Ask for donors who have had both smooth and not so smooth recoveries so you can be informed of the recovery continuum. I have found that for some donors the estimated time given by the team sometimes is less than actual time.

Also ask to see if there is an independent living donor advocate at the hospital (per OPTN there should be one appointed) and perhaps they can help answer some questions as well.

Let us know what you find out as you learn more on your transplant journey.

Sherri

[Fr Pat]

Dear "jleigh",
     Ooops! Sorry. I missed the "LIVER donation" part in your note, so I shared my KIDNEY donation experience!
                   Fr. Pat

[sperry1005]

I am 1 year 4 months out and am definitely not back to normal. I donated the larger lobe of my liver to my father who died about a week and a half post surgery. The journey has not been an easy one. I was in the ICU for 2 days and was in the hospital almost a week altogether (i was discharged but readmitted). I missed 2 months of work only to discover I still had pneumonia after my first week back. I had pain at the site of the incision for a long time and it is numb and tingly in some places. However, to my surprise the issues I'm now dealing with are a result of them removing my gallbladder as a normal part of the procedure. My digestion has radically changed, I gained some weight after the surgery and am struggling to lose it despite working out 3 times a week with a personal trainer and closely monitoring what I eat. However, when I go in for my check ups I'm told I'm doing great and everything I'm experiencing is normal. I feel like I was not prepared or the surgery but also can say that there was little they could've told me that would've changed my mind about donating. I just wish I would've gone into with a better understanding of what life would be like after the surgery!

[sherri]

Sperry,

I am so sorry to hear about your Dad. That must have been devastating, especially after risking so much to try and save him. I hope you have the support you need from friends and family during this difficult time. In addition to everything surrounding your father's illness and passing you are also faced with the challenge of your own health.

It is interesting that you say, there was nothing anyone could have said that would have changed your mind about donating. That is what is so difficult in family donations. It is practically impossible to have true informed consent because of the connection and bond between family members. And as you said, even if they would have described the recovery and risks (which they may have but it was hard to absorb) you wouldn't have declined to donate. That is why donors need independent advocates to help with the decision about surgery. In liver donation especially, patients are often so sick and transplant is the last resort. It is hard to predict the survival rate after a surgery like this for a patient who usually has so many complications. Some hospitals have stopped their living liver donation programs, voluntarily or mandated by government agencies, due to donor complications.

Again, I am so sorry for your loss and wish you all the best during your recovery process. Would love to hear how you progress over time and hope you keep us posted on your progress.

Sherri