transplant evaluation, what to expect?

[sullidog]

My transplant evaluation is scheduled for Thursday April first at OSU here in ohio. My question is what should I expect? I know they will check your antibodies and blood but what else will they check?
Troy

[okarol]

Have you seen these links? They might be helpful: http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=2607.0 and http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=703.0.

[MooseMom]

I was so glad to get to my evaluation because I felt like I was finally able to do something other than just sit around and wait for my kidneys to finally fail.  I had my evaluation just last week.  The transplant coordinator was so wonderful.  She gave me all of the transplant center's literature/pamphlets about all aspects of transplantation for me to take home and read at my leisure.  She led me through all the info in person, too, but they are aware that many people are in freak-out mode and that sometimes they just cannot process so much info at one time. 

The only test I had to take at the evaluation was blood tests; they extracted 15 vials of blood.

Take with you any and all results of any tests you have had done within the past few years.  I already had had a mammogram and pap smear as part of my regular annual checkup, so I took those results with me along with results from a colonoscopy I'd had done a couple of years ago.  The transplant coordinator was very impressed by how prepared I was; I figured if it looked like I was organized and competent, so much the better.

They required me to have a chest X-ray and an abdominal ultrasound, both of which I've had done.  At each testing facility, I tell them that I would like copies of all reporsts sent to me.  That way, if something doesn't get sent to the transplant center, I will have a copyu

[MooseMom]

part two..I have to have an EKG which I will have done the next time I see my neph.  You will also have to see a dentist to make sure there is no active infection.  You will also have to have some sort of stress test to check the strength of the main pumping chamber of your heart.  A visit with the center's social worker is also required.  The idea is to 1. Make sure there is no active malignancy or infection; the post surgery anti-rejection drugs will just make these things run rampant, 2. make sure your heart is strong enough for the rigors of surgery, and 3. make sure that there are no psychological issues that would make you non-compliant as the post transplant drug protocol is exacting and rigorous.
If you decide to go for a transplant, these people are going to be an important part of your life, so this is your chance to see if they are people you can work with on a long-term basis.  This is not an easy process, and they want to be sure that this is something you really want to do and that you are determined to do.