Transplant waiting list Q&A

[angieskidney]

Wow nice dentist

At what age do they start doing the stress tests because I have never had to do the treatmill thing.

[Zach]

My transplant centers also required a yearly cardiac evaluation for all listed transplant patients.  I got somewhat familiar with both treadmill and adenosine stress tests.

The adenosine test freaked me out ... the idea that they were going to inject some stuff into me to make my heart race (not exactly race) terrified me.  But in the end it was pretty uneventful ... and I lived to tell the story.     

[angela515]

Yes and if it is for a 2nd kidney (they do not last forever and my last one failed after 11 years) then there will be even more antigens to match.

As to what exactly antigens are, I don't know. I just know I have a lot of them now and have been waiting on the list off and on for 5 years now.

This is true, but remember everyone is different. As for me, I didn't have any changes from when I had my first transplant, thank god.

[angela515]

Well, I'm not SURE here, but I don't think dental is a requirement anymore.  CRAZY I know, but I just went through the evaluation and I was waiting to get my teeth cleaned because it was such a HUGE deal 20 years ago.  They said "Oh, that doesn't matter anymore because when you get your transplant you will suck on this lozenge for the first few months that kill all the germs in your mouth." 

I'll see if I can find anything on-line to support that.

I'm not sure where you live, but it is definately NOT true here in Iowa or in Nevada. Dental is VERY important.

[angela515]

Jenna had to have annual dental and gynecology exams as part of her evaluation.
The lozenge she has to suck on is for thrush, which can develop due to the high volume of antibiotics she is now taking after the transplant.

Lozenge? They had me take a shringe of banana tasting crap for the same thing. Nicostatin or something like that? I forget now. But ya .. seems thrush is a HUGE thing for transplant patients right afterwards. Also .. seems odd but I will say it anyways. I don't know if she is on Cyclosporine, but if she is, tell her not to kiss anyone right after taking it. lol

I also take Micostatin, its a swish and swallow medicine... and it tastes yucky, lol.

[BigSky]

First transplant I was not required to do anything but send in labs every month.

This time they said it would be labs, chest x ray, ekg, and ultrasound of vessels. 

[angieskidney]

Jenna had to have annual dental and gynecology exams as part of her evaluation.
The lozenge she has to suck on is for thrush, which can develop due to the high volume of antibiotics she is now taking after the transplant.

Lozenge? They had me take a shringe of banana tasting crap for the same thing. Nicostatin or something like that? I forget now. But ya .. seems thrush is a HUGE thing for transplant patients right afterwards. Also .. seems odd but I will say it anyways. I don't know if she is on Cyclosporine, but if she is, tell her not to kiss anyone right after taking it. lol

I also take Micostatin, its a swish and swallow medicine... and it tastes yucky, lol.

Ya that stuff! I thought it tastes like bananas! lol ... well been awhile since I had one

[paris]

UNC required a full dental exam before going on the "list"      And the adenosine stress test was interesting!  I prefer the treadmill stress test - will they ever run out of test for us?  Tired of constant tests!