I just got the call -- I'm off to the hospital!!!

[thegrammalady]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11 i'm glad things are going so well.

[okarol]

Can you drink alcohol after having a transplant?

They tell you to DRINK A LOT!!! But they mean water.

[Jill D.]

Can you drink alcohol after having a transplant?

Moderation. You can't become an alcoholic... but a drink here and there is ok. I had a few strawberry daiquiris once in awhile after my 1st transplant, like once a month, but my doctor said once a week is kewl..

That is very good advice Angela. My friends and I had a girl's weekend last weekend, and I drank more than I should have. Mind you, I didn't get drunk but we had a leisurely time floating on the lake all day, with cocktails (and plenty of water), trashy novels and good tunes. I didn't drink at night, but for three days afterwards my blood pressure was high, my BUN was slightly elevated, there was some protein in my urine and I felt a little "off" (PMS didn't help!). That's enough to scare me into either abstaining or being on the conservative side of moderate. For instance, I went to a huge wedding last night and only had a glass of wine for the toast.

[okarol]

Hi Fighter,
Was just thinking of you and wondering how you are doing!
Hope all is well!

Karol

[SILKYKEEPINGITREAL]

my prayer's go with you and many blessing's  to ya

[keefer51]

Good Luck Fighter.

[Falkenbach]

Can you drink alcohol after having a transplant?

Yes. Recommended (by Australian authorities, anyway) is no more than 2 standard drinks at any one time. I would be extra careful to rehydrate with water after each one, personally.

I am a fan of a good drink, but I haven't had a single one since my transplant on 30th May. Just haven't wanted it. But I will, in good time, share one or two with friends again.

Fighter, your summary of your experience was excellent. A lot of it was similar to mine, though you sound like you went through a bit more, being in hospital longer and so on. I don't know if that's because you had a cadaver kidney and I had a live donor, or just individual differences. I also had a very difficult time for the first couple of days, even wondering "what the hell have I done??!!" for a short time. But yes, definitely worth it in the long run.

I too have to visit the rest room very frequently, even though I have never been on dialysis (my transplant was pre-emptive) but the time spent in hospital with the catheter, and the increase in fluid that you have to drink is enough by itself, and the bladder is just not used to it! Also, the first couple of weeks I was on diuretics for massive fluid retention as well, so I just about lived by the rest room door - always making sure I was never far away.

I really admire you for being brave and strong enough to have all your friends visit. I had family only, and whenever friends asked if they could come in, I said "no" because I wasn't feeling up to it! I was just too worn out. If the phone rang beside me, I just got frustrated (couldn't reach it most of the time anyway, and have a vague memory of knocking it on the floor by accident - it magically re-appeared back on the side table, so a nurse must have snuck in whilst I slept and fixed it for me).

Unlike you, I DO remember waking up and thinking I could feel the worst pain I'd ever felt in my life. But then I remember nothing again - must have gone back to sleep and when I woke up next time, I was back in my room and that bad pain was gone. By then, I think I was hooked up to the pain machine with the button by my hand.

[Bajanne]

We are so glad to hear of your progress.  Our caring thoughts and prayers continue to be with you.  How are you doing today?

my prayer's go with you and many blessing's  to ya

SILKYKEEPINGITREAL,  could you please go to the Introduce Yourself section and tell us about yourself.  We are glad that you decided to join the IHD family, and we need to get to know you.  Thanks in advance.

Bajanne, Moderator

[Fighter]

Thanks everyone! Basically everything is going very well; I am now almost two months post-op and though the euphoric state I mentioned earlier has died down a little I still feel fantastic and relieved to be off dialysis. My creatinine is still dropping, but very slowly - sometimes it even goes back up slightly, but it's currently at its all-time low of 1.5. The docs are busy weaning me down from the high doses of anti-rejection drugs I was taking at the beginning. I now take 4mg of steroids once daily and 8.5mg Prograf twice daily. The CellCept remains unchanged so far at 500mg twice daily. I've been on and off the blood pressure meds (currently back on at 2.5mg Zestril once daily). I'm going back to work on Monday which is about time considering I feel well able to do pretty much anything at this point. The discomfort from the scar has receded nearly 100% and I don't have any side effects from the drugs to report so I guess I can't really ask for more. I'm gradually including more sports into my daily routine - I've even played tennis a couple of times. I'm still going back to the hospital twice a week, and usually they just take a blood sample and my blood pressure and the doctor asks me how things are going. When I say I'm fine they let me go but the entire process usually lasts about two hours counting all the waiting time. So I feel like I'm still going there constantly but pretty soon I'll be down to one consultation weekly, then once every two weeks, etc... I feel like travelling and I've already been to Berlin for a weekend and am going to Switzerland this coming weekend. I'll also go to Sweden for a week at the end of August (can't wait for that one!). I feel very grateful towards all the people who supported me while I was on dialysis and when I was recovering from the procedure. To thank them I'm organizing a huge dinner party for thirty people next Thursday at my place! I've never done anything like that before (the biggest dinner party I gave to date was for ten people...) but I'm looking forward to the challenge! Well, that's about it, hopefully things stay that way for a long, long time...

[Black]

Thanks for the update and I'm so glad it is such good news!!      Hope it continues to go so well and that pesky creatinine  behaves.   

[okarol]

It's great to hear an update Fighter!
 

[angela515]

Great news.

[Falkenbach]

The discomfort from the scar has receded nearly 100%

That IS good news, I look forward to not having any more discomfort in that area! To hear that this discomfort can be gone so soon for some is really encouraging - I hope this happens for me too! 

Have a great dinner party, too. That is quite a challenge, but you sound like you're well and truly up for it. Congrats!

[glitter]

Thanks for posting your experience, it gives us hope  to know you are doing so well!!

[Sluff]

Thanks for the update Fighter. 

[Wattle]

Hey Fighter   

How did your dinner party go?   

[Fighter]

Thanks for asking, it went great! I cooked like crazy for 28 people. We really had a great time. Here's a pic... I'm in the middle on the right hand side in the white pullover.

[Sluff]

Great Picture Fighter, I'm so glad for you at how your life has turned around. 

[Jill D.]

Fighter - so glad you are feeling well. Great picture - you look great and it looks like a nice bunch of fun people. It's wonderful that you felt well enough to cook for so many people! 

[Wattle]

What a way to celebrate       Looks like you have a wonderful support group Fighter.   

[Ohio Buckeye]

What a great picture!
Thanks for sharing that with us.
How wonderful for you!
Enjoy your travels, your new life, your work to the utmost.
Best wishes to you in everything you do.

[Falkenbach]

Fighter - what a username, it suits you! You look fantastically healthy! What an effort, cooking for 28, too awesome for words. And the table looks fantastic. Brilliant job!

 

[pandabear]

So happy for you! 

[kidney4traci]

I totally missed this thread and enjoyed catching up on your news.  Congrats and thanks for the updates, it offers something to look forward to personally!  Keep fighting!

[Fighter]

Thanks everyone!
This website really helped me get through some of the rough times (along with amazing support from my family and my friends...). Times aren't rough anymore, far friom rough actually, thank god they came up with kidney transplants, I can't imagine staying on dialysis forever...
I'll give you another update sometime soon...