Paired Exchange Programme

[weemo28]

Hi there!

I'm currently recieving HD 3 times a week, having suffered renal failure due to Lupus.  My 2 brothers and my fiance have all been tested as potential donors, unfortunately i have antibodies which reacts against theirs.  We are now in the Paired Exchange Programme, hoping to 'swap' kidneys with another couple in similar situation to us.

Has anyone ever been successful in the programme?  The transplant coordinators obviously can't give me any time scale.

Thanks x

[Sydnee]

Ed got his kidney on Oct 31 2013. Ed and his donor were part of a chain donation/paired donation. it was a year after Jared signed up for the pair exchange that Ed got a kidney, (Ed was an easy match, Jared was hard)
Ed got a kidney first from an altruistic donor, Then someone else got a kidney in Nov, then Jared sent his kidney to a different state in Dec. there were at least 3 people in this chain but they never were willing to tell us much.

Jared said that there were 3 or 4 times that they drew his blood to test against recipients in that year.

[Cordelia]

Yes. My husband and I were in a paired exchange last April. Our surgeries were very successful. My husband donated to someone else so I could receive a kidney.  A matching was found after the 2nd matching run took place. We consented to the program in March of 2012 and a match was found in October of that year. We had our surgeries in April of 2013 so it took almost a year from the time we consented to the time that our surgeries took place.

I had high antibodies and my husband wasn't a match, so it was a great opportunity.  I was on in center  hemodialysis  for 2.5 years. My wait time was cut in half waiting for a kidney because I was told it would be a 4-5 year long wait. 

My kidney is doing great and my husband is doing well.  I am one year post TX.