False Beliefs about Kidney Transplant Condemn to Dialysis

Thousands of kidney patients are going into dialysis on a regular basis in Turkey. Besides, thousands of them are waiting for kidney on the “National Organ Transplant Waiting List”. Although more than half of the patients with chronic renal failure are candidates for kidney transplant, the false facts among people about kidney transplant cause a lifelong dialysis or death of the patients. Memorial Şişli Hospital, Department of Kidney Transplant Specialists informed about false facts about kidney transplant which are common among the society.

“I have chronic renal failure, but I will go with dialysis as far as I can”

Wrong! The most ideal treatment of renal failure is kidney transplantation. The best results are taken if a person has the kidney transplant before going into dialysis. Therefore, we recommend to the patients in chronic kidney failure to have the transplant before going into dialysis and continue their life with comfort.

“I will be in poor health after kidney transplant”

Wrong! In the transplantations from living donors, donors’ coming into hospital without any health issues, being discharged in the shortest period possible and living a comfortable life are so important. If a person is under a slight risk in case of giving a kidney, this person cannot be accepted as a healthy donor. We also know that no kidney donor has an increased kidney disease risk in the long run because of this process. Thus, it should be emphasized that the operation is quite safe and these persons continue their life without any health problems.

“If I have transplantation I may not have a child”

Wrong! Kidney donors can get pregnant and deliver a baby after a healthy pregnancy process. For takers, the situation is as such: Some decrease in reproduction and problems regarding getting pregnant may occur in persons with kidney failure. However, contrary to the common thinking, kidney transplantation increases the chance of getting pregnant in women and fertility in men. Women can get pregnant after the first year of the transplantation; deliver the birth comfortably with necessary controls and breastfeed their babies.

“I will have to consume so much water after the transplantation as well”

The persons who have kidney transplantation should take 1-1,5 litres of water daily to produce urine. Because the transplanted kidneys are more sensitive against dehydration, patients should be careful.

“I do not have the same blood group with anyone in my family. So I cannot take organ from them.”

Wrong! Just as kidney transplant can take place between the persons with blood compatibility, it can also take place between the takers and donors with no blood compatibility. When we consider the results all over the world, transplants without blood compatibility have same success with the operations with blood compatibility.

“I cannot have kidney transplant because of my diabetes”

Wrong! The most frequent reason of kidney failure is diabetes today. If a person has both diabetes and chronic kidney failure, the depreciation during dialysis is faster. The most benefited group from the transplant is the patients with diabetes. For this reason, if the patients have both diabetes and chronic renal failure they are recommended to have kidney transplant as soon as possible without going into dialysis.

“I have hepatitis C, I cannot have kidney transplant”

Wrong! Just like the patients with diabetes, hepatitis C patients also enter into a problematic process regarding kidney health immediately. For this reason, this patient group have tremendous benefits from kidney transplant as well. If the patients have no liver cirrhosis, they can have kidney transplant in an easy way, but they should be quite careful because hepatitis C causes cirrhosis. If the patient has cirrhosis, kidney transplant does not suffice alone; this is a quite wrong application. These persons should have both liver and kidney transplantation. They should be assessed in the organ transplant centres where both of these transplants are executed and their treatment process should be evaluated accordingly.

“People with bladder disease cannot have kidney transplant.”

Wrong! If bladder disease is treated with operations like patches from intestines or enlarging the bladder, results of kidney transplant does not differ from the other patients’ anymore. With the developed technology and advanced surgical methods, urological diseases do not constitute a barrier against kidney transplant. There are many patients who sustain their lives in dialysis without knowing these scientific facts. These persons should know they may continue their life in comfort with a successful kidney transplant.

https://www.memorial.com.tr/health-guide/8-recommendations-to-preserve-kidney-health

8 RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE PROTECTED AGAINST CHRONIC KIDNEY FAILURE

Chronic renal failure has been consistently increasing in recent years. Patients either live with dialysis or they may have a healthy life with organ transplantation. On the other hand, keeping kidney health under control since childhood and taking the necessary precautions can protect people from failure in the advanced ages. Memorial Bahçelievler Hospital Organ Transplant Centre Specialists gave some information about what should be kept in mind to protect kidney health.

It is most frequently seen in women above the age of 40

Kidney is an important organ which cleans body from poisonous substances, plays an important role in the formation of bones, produces the erythropoietin hormone which activates vitamin D and provides red blood cells. If kidney functions decrease under a certain limit, this indicates a chronic renal failure and means the filtering value decreased below 60 ml/min. And if this filtering value decreases below 20, this indicates end stage renal failure. The important thing is to intervene before the development of renal failure. The cells remained in kidney do not renew themselves and the situation gets worse. If there is a renal failure for more than 3 months, this means a chronic renal failure and because this disease causes anaemia, osteoporosis and cardiac diseases, it causes a fatal risk if not treated. The kidney failure most frequently seen in advanced ages and women although it may happen independently from age and gender. Researches reveal that this happens more frequently after the age of 40.

Do not forget your routine controls

Renal failure may not give any symptoms in early stages. The most effective way to detect the disease is to have blood and urine tests with certain periods. Decelerating and treating renal failure with early diagnosis is possible. Risk factors like diabetes, high blood pressure, being overweight and story of renal failure in parents necessitates routine control as once in 6-12 months. Unfortunately, there is no habit of having regular check-up in our country, and these routine controls have a tremendous importance in preventing renal failure. In some countries, creatinine level is watched for kidney health; if this level passes the level of 1.2, nephrology specialists should be consulted. This is vital for early diagnosis.

Keep these in mind to protect kidney health!

• Blood sugar should be watched periodically: More than half of the diabetes patients may have renal failure in time. Therefore, blood sugar must be controlled periodically.
• Watch your blood pressure: Normal blood pressure is on the level of 120-80 and below. If it is 139-89, this value is accepted as a pioneer of high blood pressure and should be kept under control with alterations of life style like regular walk or salt-free diet. If the blood pressure is 140-90 and above, regular medication and blood pressure control are needed.
• Keep a healthy diet and limit the salt intake: Salt intake should be limited as maximum one teaspoon daily. Instead of processed food and fast food, fresh vegetables, fruits and homemade food should be preferred.
• Protect your kidneys with enough water intake: Drinking 1.5-2 litres of water daily is vital for kidney health. This amount should be increased in case of exercise, inflammatory diseases, and pregnancy or breastfeeding periods.
• Quit smoking and avoid smoking areas: Affecting nearly all organs in body, smoking also decelerates the blood stream which comes into kidneys.
• Do not use pain killers and antibiotics needlessly: Pain killers and antibiotics which are taken insensibly cause renal failure, so these should not be used without doctor control.
• Learn the causes of stones and urinary tract infections: The fallen stones should definitely be analysed and the causes of urinary tract infections should be detected.
• Exercise regularly: Walking for 30 minutes for 3-4 times a week and regular exercises keep kidneys healthy while lowering blood pressure.

Prepared by the Medical Editorial Board. Our health library contents have been prepared for informational purposes only and with the scientific content on the registration date. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis or treatment about your health, please consult your doctor or health institution.