Can Donors be on AntiDepressants prior to surgery?

[LoveLee]

Hi. I'm currently scheduled to donate a kidney to my bf Lee on Oct 4th.
I was just wondering if anyone here was on anti-depressants before their surgery and if I should stop taking them a certain amount of time before the surgery so that they don't interact badly with his body or his post surgery meds.
I'm afraid to ask the doctor because I don't want them to disqualify me due to the fact I take anti-depressants. I can go without them if needed for certain periods of time with no problems.

Specifically I take 40mgs Celexa daily.

[dodger]

Congratulations on volunteering to be a donor!  Please read all you can here and be well informed before hand and ask you can't find the information, this is the best group of people in the world, really they are!!!

If you made a full disclosure on your medical forms of the medications that you are taking, including supplements, and were very honest about it, the transplant team are fully aware of your status.

You can call your coordinator and ask them these very specific questions.  And when and if you need to not take anything prior to surgery. 

This is a very good questions for this forum and for your coordinator.  Very responsible of you. 

[Scott337]

Lovelee,

You're right to be concerned, for you both.  I agree with Dodger - this should have been covered and disclosed in your original health background questionnaire, but I think it is very responsible of you to ask the question now, before the surgery date.  Contact your transplant coordinator and pose the same question.  I'm guessing the answer will be simple and may not be a disqualifying issue however, considering living donors are warned in pre-screening that donation can result in some depression issue, they may be concerned about YOU and your well being throughout the process, surgery and post-operative stage.  For this reason, it is VERY IMPORTANT that your transplant team be completely informed so as best able to help direct the care of both you and your recipient.   Good luck and I'm certain things will be fine.  Thank you for your generous gift of life for someone else.  What an incredibly fulfilling journey you are experiencing.  Best wishes to you both and prayers.

Scott   

[sherri]

Doctors make medical decisions based on the information that is given to them by their patients. You would hope that a doctor would be honest in giving you all the information so that you can make an informed decision about a procedure or treatment. The doctor cannot do that if he/she does not know all the facts. Anti depressants should never be stopped without the direction of your physician. Some need to be tapered down and not stopped abruptly. Another issue is the anaesthsiologist is going to medicate you based on the information you gave to them. They will ask you what medications and herbals or supplements you are taking for a very good reason. some of the drugs they give may interact with you medication even if you take it upon yourself to stop. Some may be left in your system. you would need to know how long the clearance is and how it effects your kidney. I would hope you would not want to jeopardize our recipient's health. This is very serious business.

You can speak with your prescribing physician (your PCP or psychiatrist) and let him/her know about your upcoming surgery. They may be able to give you more information. I would hope that your transplant center has gotten medical records from your PCP which should list all your medications on it.

I don't think they would disqualify you as a donor but the psychologist will certainly want to speak with you about the incidence of depression or anxiety pre and post donation and about the ramifications if the surgery does not go well for either you or your recipient.

Many really want to be donors and help their friend, family or other recipient. However, ultimately we all depend on an honest system so that the code of "first do no harm" is not compromised.

Hope all works out for you. Keep us posted.

Sherri

[kathjaz]

By all means, talk with the transplant coordinator about your medication. It's important for both you and the recipient. It will probably not disqualify you from donating, but you may have to have an additional interview with a psychologist or psychiatrist to evaluate the dangers to you of post-surgical depression. Things don't always go well with transplants, and recipients sometimes do have complications--sometimes serious ones--that can have an emotional impact on donors. Therefore, it's important to have as much support as needed.

I took anti-depressant medication on a consistent basis for a lot of years before I donated. During my donor evaluation, I had to have an  interview with the psychiatrist at the hospital where I donated just to make sure I was "in a good place" and that I could, hopefully, emotionally handle any unforeseen complications.

Good luck to you!