Preparing for tests and surgery

[mkew]

Hi, I'm in the process of scheduling the three days of testing to ensure my eligibility to be a donor. I'm hoping to do the testing in October and the surgery in January.

I was wondering if anyone has any advice on preparing for the testing and especially for the surgery, physically, nutritionally, and/or mentally?

I'm very excited, happy and grateful to be able to be doing this but I'm feeling stressed about it. I think it's a normal feeling. I have never had surgery or any health issues before so I'm a little nervous.

I don't typically do a lot of aerobic exercise. I do yoga a couple times a week but sometimes I don't do it at all for a few weeks. I am very slim and generally very fit. I don't eat much junk food and I've been trying to eat less meat and more vegetables, even before I decided to do the donation.

Any advice?

[audrey12]

Hydrate a lot while you're doing the 24-hr urine catch.  I didn't the first time and I tend to drink very little during the day.  My creatinine was a little high the first time.  I repeated the catch and drank water, juice, etc., throughout the time I was awake.  Voila.  Normal results.

I had to have a colonoscopy, since I'm over 50, and a stress echocardiogram, which I'd never had before.  I was apprehensive but they were both fine and I'd have no problem repeating them.  (Actually did have a follow-up colonoscopy a couple years later.)

The CT of the kidneys was weird and I had to have a full bladder, which I hate.  But the test itself was nothing.

All in all, I think the 742 blood samples they took over the course of the testing, transplant and recovery were probably the most annoying thing.  Well, maybe 742 is exaggerating a little bit but it sure FELT like it!   

[Dora76]

Hi!

Congratulations on deciding to move forward with this decision; I hope it works out well for you.  I will soon be marking 2 years since my kidney donation in November.

Before I had all of my pre-donor screenings, I was nervous too--but this was more because I was really hoping to be an eligible donor.  But it made me feel better to know that the eligibility factors were out of my control.  I had already made my choice, and if it wasn't in the cards for me to be the donor, then so be it.

The actual tests weren't too stressful.  I took a day off from work to do the 24 hour urine screening and tried to stay hydrated.  Other tests included the blood draw (fine, as long as you're ok with needles), EKG, CT scan.  I had to have x-rays because I have pins in my spine and my surgeons wanted to be able to see what that would look like and how it might affect my body positioning during the surgery.

I agree with @audrey12...the CT scan was a little disconcerting, especially if you don't like small spaces because you're in that little tunnel thing while they scan you.  I later had to do a CT angiogram, where they inject a serum and then observe how it travels through the kidneys and urinary tract.  This just involves lying down and waiting for the observation to be done and takes about an hour.

Like you, I'd generally call myself "fit," or at least I try to be--I try to eat whole foods and especially eat more fruits and vegetables and exercise every day.  I was 27 when I donated, and besides the challenges of recovery I feel I have bounced back.

Good luck!

[kdub]

Hi There!

Good work asking for advice before you start your tests, I wish I had been smart enough to do the same.  I have two pieces of advice:

1. If you want to have life insurance at any time over the next 10 years or so, go get it before you get any tests done.  This way, when they ask you, "do you have any surgery's planned in the next 6 months", you can honestly say, "no".
2. After you get all your labs done at the donation center, take all of the results to a totally different nephrologist, and get a 2nd opinion. 

Good Luck!

[treehugger]

My advice: be patient! I am not being flippant; I think this is really important. Be patient with the process, with yourself, your coordinator, your nurses. The testing and paperwork and logistics can take a long time and move very slowly. Expect it to. Expect delays. Focus on enjoying the experience, the ride. You can always be happily surprised when things happen sooner than you thought. But mostly, be patient, and everything else will fall into place.

Best wishes,

Kara

[kmheiges]

The only thing I wish people would have told me is that when you get the contrast during the CT it feels like you peed your pants. I was so worried that I had wet myself, and couldn't stop thinking about how I was going to get out of there without anyone noticing. Even though it feels like you pee, just keep reminding yourself that you didn't! Good luck with the testing!