At What GFR will you be considered for a transplant?

[BASSMAN]

I am considering getting a kidney transplant when the time comes.  Just exactly, when is that time?  Will you ONLY be considered for transplant when you reach 15% GFR.  If I found someone willing to donate.  Will they do it before you reach ESRD?  I am at 20% GFR right now.  Would they even start the process now?  All I have right now is a Neph as I am not on dialysis. No team or anything.  I am getting a fistula built in a couple of weeks.  I was just wondering.  I figure that after my fistula is built and if all goes good and after it is developed, I would like to start the testing and such.  My wife wants to be tested.  I have a wide array of emotions about the whole thing right now.  I am just looking for answers.  I guess it would depend largely on my insurance to what GFR I have to reach  before they will pay for it.

I know I have read on here about people getting a transplant pre-dialysis.  Do you have to have a GFR of 15 to be considered? 

Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you in advance!



Edited: Fixed error in subject line - okarol/admin

[willowtreewren]

I don't have a definitive answer for you, Bassman. But my husband's neph wanted to get him on the list early enough that he might have gotten a transplant before going on dialysis. It didn't work out. There was a one year delay in getting listed because the social worker was misinformed about insurance. ARGH. At any rate, ask your neph about it.

Good luck.

 

Aleta

[Rerun]

You can get evaluated at 20 GFR and under.

[Jie]

In the U.S. at 20% GFR, it is ok to start evaluation to get into the waiting list. Transplants normally occur with GFR below 15%, depending on the patients. With GFR above 15%, one does not need dialysis or transplant. I always believe that there is an optimal point to have a transplant if one has a living donor. This point varies from patients to patients. Some patients are still feeling pretty good at 10% or 11% of GFR. Some patients feel badly at 15% GFR. If one feels good, one year of delaying transplant is one year less on the post-transplant drugs. The optimal point is that the transpant benefit outweights the risk of post-transplant drugs. 

[paris]

All three transplant centers I have worked with (one being Johns Hopkins) will evaluate and transplant when you are at 20%.  There really no point in waiting until it gets lower, if you are approved and especially if you have a living donor. The process takes awhile, so go ahead and get evaluated and listed.   Good luck in your journey   

[Romona]

Since you have some one willing to donate, talk to your doc about gettting started. At the center that I got my transplant, it takes a few months to get an evaluation.

[BASSMAN]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply.  I really appreciate it!