How come they say you cant drive for a month after transplant??

[Neo]

Any specific reason? Any actual danger to the transplat to just drive to get some fast food in the drive through??

[paris]

Your seat belt lays right across the incision site. Think if you slammed on the breaks and you hit the steering wheel!  Also your body is getting use to some big time drugs and you may not be 100% yet.     Did no one in the hospital talk to you about fast food for the first 2 months or so?   If you have something freshly grilled, right in front of you, it can be ok.  Check the health rating.  Fast food can be sitting in a warming bin for a long time and that can breed germs.   They gave me such strict rules and I follow them to the "t".   Also places like Subway (I adore subs), their meats, cheeses, veggies can be sitting there for hours.  I was told to avoid deli's but could make my own sandwich with prepackaged meats, that haven't been exposed to air.    I have had a baked potato from Wendy's, but asked for the potato not to be opened (if I do it myself, no one else has touched the inside).     Also, I was told to avoid fountain drinks (nozzles can be contaminated) and especially pre-made sweetened ice tea.    Each center has different rules and time frames, so go by what your center suggests.   Mine said usually 6 weeks until you can drive, but I waited 7 and then drove close to home.   

Hope things are going good.  Don't rush the process - your body has a lot to adjust to,  Very thrilled for you and your new kidney.   

[Chris]

I wasn't told a month. I was told for a week and to have one of those seatbelt pads. I didn't use a pad, I just wore more clothing since it was winter and had a towel to use also. I didn't wait a week hough because I like to drive. You just don't want anything to press or rub hard against the incision or get caught on the stapes also.

[Sunny]

I had my transplant Oct 6th and I drove for the first time today.
I was not on any pain meds and I think they have concerns about those meds affecting driving. I admit, it wasn't easy and I stayed in the slow lane the whole time, drove slowly, and was very careful. (I had to help my husband take his car into the mechanic).

[jbeany]

Not an issue for me - I was still in the hospital at two months out.  But I can see not wanting anyone to drive with the med induced shakes, not to mention what it did to my eyesight at the beginning.

[Riki]

it was never an issue for me either.. I'm legally blind, so don't drive anyway.. *L*

[Neo]

Hey Karol.. No they told me nothing about fast-food they said just stay away from stuff like sushi cuz they knew I loved sushi. But no nothing about fast food. They told me to eat away, and if I get a steak or something get it fully cooked and not rare.. Thanks for the info Karol I'll watch that stuff now.. I honestly didn't know...  Thank you for the info on the driving everyone... I was wondering why that was, I can understand with the seat belt, I drove across the street to vote Tuesday which wasn't far and on a back road. I wore my seatbelt really loose.. I'd rather be safe than sorry so I don't plan on going on any long drives just the places right next to my house, I have a bunch of stuff like public and stuff right across the street... Got my mask ready!

[Sax-O-Trix]

Not sure why the seat belt would be an issue...  You have to wear one whether you are the driver or the passanger  

[Chris]

Not sure why the seat belt would be an issue...  You have to wear one whether you are the driver or the passanger

You'll feel why when you have your transplant Sax-O-Trix. Keyword is feel and not just by touch.

[RichardMEL]

Well then wouldn't that ALSO affect being driven in a car to/from labs, hospital etc? I mean you still have to wear a belt???

[Chris]

yes, but the main concern they have isthat your not doing this everyday for hours at a time. They want the body to heal especially without the stress of driving and the road bumps jiggling every part of the body then haing the seat belt rub up against a site that is healing that is prone to infection is my understanding.

[paris]

Well said, Chris.  Like with any major surgery, they recommend a certain amount of time before driving -- hysterectomy, heart surgery, gall bladder,ect.  Personally, I am not taking any chances . I waited for this and don't want to do anything to harm the kidney. 

[Sax-O-Trix]

I looked into this on the net a bit more...  It seems to have to do with medications, being able to think clearly and the surgical site healing completely.  I have had two Ceaseran Sections and an Appendectomy.  The seatbelt wasn't a problem, but sitting up and using my right leg/abdominal muscles to push the gas pedal and accelerator were a problem early on (I started drivng a week out in all three cases.) 

Since I haven't had a kidney tx, I don't really know where the seatbelt is going to sit on my surgical site, so I don't know jack about the seatbelt issue other than we have to wear it either way in order to get to the hospital and lab (both 70 plus miles away for me.).  I will try my best not to drive for a few weeks or a month when the time comes.  Not driving is going to be very difficult as I love driving and I live 10 miles from the nearest sign of civilization.  I will have to give my keys to someone to hide, lol.  But like Paris said, it's better to wait than to be sorry...   

[paris]

You aren't suppose to drive until you are off the pain meds.  Also, think about the steering wheel, someone broad-siding you, etc.  You have an incision several inches long, held together with staples, and it is tender.   If you had an accident, was knocked out, who would immediately know you had a new kidney?      My kidney is on the left side and I still feel the pressure of the seat belt buckle -- it sits right on the incision.   One more thing, you will have lots of internal stitches holding muscles together, etc.  There is quite a bit going on under the skin!  LOL

We are a wordy bunch, aren't we?  The more we share, the more we know! Great thread.  And I hadn't thought about it before surgery.

[Sax-O-Trix]

I was cleared to drive 13 days post-transplant.  I did not ask to be cleared, it was the furthest thing from my mind.  The Dr. asked me if I was taking any pain meds and when I told him "No, I have only taken two since I have been home and that was the first and second nights", he said "Good, you are cleared to drive."  MInd you, I still have 30 staples in, am having plasmaphareseis treatments and have only been out of the hosptial for 6 days. I just said "Oh, okay."

So to beat a dead horse here, for me anyway, it seems to have come down to being off pain meds that would impair my driving.

[bette1]

I think you're told not to drive after any abdominal surgery.  They gave me that same instructions after my c-section and when I had a hernia repair.  They don't want you to reopen you abdomen if you get into an accident.  They also worry about your driving while taking pain med.