Going home after donating a kidney Information for patients Sheffield Kidney Institute (Renal Unit)
This booklet explains how you need to look after yourself when you go home after donating a kidney. If you follow the advice in this booklet it will help you to keep healthy and recover quickly after your operation. We hope we have answered all your questions but if you want to know more then please contact us. We explain how to do this at the end of the leaflet. When can I go home after my operation? The transplant team will let you go home when they feel you are ready. For example this will be when you can walk around without help, when you are eating and drinking normally and your bowels are working. You will usually be able to go home between 3 to 4 days after your operation. You should be ready to leave the ward after lunch time. You will be given any tablets or medicines you may need by the pharmacist. Usually this will be medicine for pain relief and to keep your bowels regular. If you were taking any tablets or medicines before your operation, you will need to carry on getting these from your GP. Ask whoever is collecting you from the hospital to bring a pillow for you to hold over your operation site for your journey home. Will I have to attend clinic? You will need to come to the living donor clinic about one week after you are sent home from the Transplant Ward. Your appointment will be at the Living Donor Clinic where you came for your donor assessment. The ward staff will book this appointment for you. page 2 of 8
Between going home and coming to this appointment, the living donor coordinator will telephone you to: Find out how you are recovering Confirm your appointment date and time When you come to the living donor clinic, you will be seen by your transplant surgeon and the living donor coordinator. You will also have: Your blood tested Your urine (water) tested Your blood pressure and temperature checked Your wound checked by your surgeon How often will I need to come to clinic? After your first visit to the clinic, you will usually need to come to clinic about 6 weeks after your operation, 6 months later and then yearly after that. Why do I need to come to clinic each year? You will be invited to come to the living donor clinic every year for the rest of your life. This is so we can check your blood pressure, weight and the results of your blood tests. If you do not live near Sheffield we can arrange for you to have your yearly check up done locally. The living donor coordinator will talk to you about this and make any arrangements. What if I do not have transport for clinic? Transport can be provided for your clinic appointments for up to 6 weeks after your operation. Please let the ward staff know if you need transport for your appointment. You will need to use your normal transport for any further clinic appointments after 6 weeks. page 3 of 8
How will I feel when I get home? You will probably feel very tired and you may need to nap in the day. This is normal and the tiredness usually improves after 5 to 6 weeks, but can last longer. Although you will be tired, you will be able to do some things, for example wash and dress yourself, make yourself a drink and simple meal, go up and down stairs. You may continue to feel bloated and it may take a few weeks for your tummy to return to normal. It may also take a few weeks for your bowels to return to your normal pattern. What should I do? You must carry on wearing the stockings you have been given for 6 weeks after your operation. These are to help prevent blood clots in the leg veins. It is important you know how to wear them correctly. You can get new stockings from the transplant ward when you leave or when you come to the living donor clinic if your old pair have become dirty or loose. Try to remain active by taking short gentle walks. This will also help stop blood clots in the leg veins. If you have a dog you can take it for a walk but it is not advisable if it is likely to pull on its lead. What can I not do? You must not do any: Heaving lifting and twisting Stretching and bending Major housework, for example vacuuming, gardening, decorating Driving This allows the wound to heal and reduces the risk of any wound complications. page 4 of 8
When can I do these things? You should be able to return to normal activity after about 6 weeks. If you work you should plan to take 6 weeks off, but you may find you need to take longer, for example: if you develop any complications after the operation, or if you have a manual job You should be able to start driving again after 6 weeks if you feel fit enough: you need to be pain free on braking and be comfortable wearing a seat belt. If you are unsure about driving, please discuss this with the transplant team. You will be assessed by your surgeon and be told when you can return to your normal activity. What about exercise? It is very important to eat healthily and exercise after donating a kidney. Any exercise programme should begin slowly. The length of time spent exercising and the effort involved should be slowly increased. You can find out more information about healthy eating from the web site below: www.nhs.uk/livewell/healthy-eating/pages/healthyeating.aspx How may I feel emotionally after the operation? Anyone can feel low in mood after a stay in hospital. You have been through a long and possibly difficult process leading up to the operation, afterwards this can lead to a sense of anticlimax. If you feel low or in any way emotional it may be helpful to talk things over to stop these feelings getting worse. You can talk with the living donor coordinator about your feelings or you can speak with your GP who may be able to arrange counselling for you. page 5 of 8
What about sex? You should be able to resume your usual sexual relationships as soon as you feel comfortable. It is not advisable for women to get pregnant for 6-12 months after donating a kidney so you must use contraception. It may be that you were advised to stop taking the contraceptive pill before the operation. If so, you should speak to the transplant team about when you can start the pill again. In the meantime you should use another type of contraception (for example, a condom) until you are taking the pill again. What if I am thinking about having a baby? When you become pregnant, you must tell all the staff you see that you have donated a kidney. This includes your GP, any doctor at the hospital, as well as any midwives you may see at your GP surgery or at the hospital. If you have any concerns you may contact the living donor coordinator. How do I get a fit note? Before you leave the ward ask for a fit note. When you attend your appointments at the living donor clinic you can ask your surgeon for a further fit note if you need one. page 6 of 8
Who do I contact if I have any problems? Between 8.00am and 5.00pm, you can contact the Living Donor team to discuss any concerns you may have. The team can then arrange for you to be reviewed if necessary. For urgent problems after 5.00pm and at weekends and bank holidays, contact: Renal Unit F Floor. See back page for contact details. page 7 of 8
Contact numbers Caroline Basarab-Horwath / Debbie Butlin Living Donor Coordinator 0114 271 5983 Lisa Hamilton Clinical Practitioner 0114 271 4643 Veronica Lennon Transplant Manager 0114 271 5138 Renal Unit F Floor 0114 226 6391 0114 271 5886 Produced with support from Sheffield Hospitals Charity Working together we can help local patients feel even better To donate visit www.sheffieldhospitalscharity.org.uk Registered Charity No 1169762 Alternative formats can be available on request. Please email: alternativeformats@sth.nhs.uk Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 2018 Re-use of all or any part of this document is governed by copyright and the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005 SI 2005 No.1515. Information on re-use can be obtained from the Information Governance Department, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. Email infogov@sth.nhs.uk PD6015-PIL2214 v4 Issue Date: January 2018. Review Date: January 2021