After you receive your kidney transplant you will stay in the hospital for generally less than a week.
While hospitalized, your transplant surgeon, nephrologist, transplant nurse coordinator, dietitian, social worker provide post-transplant education and support to assure you are ready to go home and care for yourself and your new kidney!
After discharge from the hospital, activity will be limited for about six weeks. Mild exercise, such as walking, is usually encouraged other activities will be directed by your transplant team.
It will be necessary for you to take medications for the rest of your life that will prevent your body from rejecting the transplanted kidney, some of these medications also help prevent infections immediately after a transplant.
Following a transplant you will be able to returning to work within two to three months, and follow-up appointments with physicians will be necessary. When your transplant team feels you are ready your care will be returned to your nephrologist for monitoring and treatment of your kidney care.
Undergoing kidney transplantation will help restore kidney function, thus eliminating the need for dialysis. Most patients recover strength and energy and are expected to be able to live twice as long, as compared to remaining on dialysis.