(Q1) How long do I need to stay in a Hospital after transplant surgery? :

(A1) Most people are in the hospital for 7 - 14 days. It is necessary to monitor your blood tests daily. These blood tests monitor your kidney function. Before you go home, the nurse will explain the medications you will take, why you must take them, when to take them, and how much to take (your dosage).

(Q2) Do I need to be on a special diet after a transplant? :

(A2)Yes. After an organ transplant, you need to follow a proper diet - particularly to avoid weight gain and avoid infection. Nevertheless after a kidney transplant the diet is much easier to follow than during dialysis.

(Q3) What special diet should I follow after a transplant? :

(A3) Your diet should be

• High in Fiber - Eat fruits (well washed), vegetables, whole grains, legumes and lentils.
• Low in carbohydrate -Avoid candy, chocolate, sweets, ice-cream, dessert
• Low in Fat - Limit butter, margarine, red meat, fried foods, poultry skin, bacon, sausage, full fat dairy, eggs, mayonnaise and junk food.
• Moderate in Salt - Limit salted foods such as chips, crackers, French fries, processed cheese, sauce or powder flavor packets for noodles or rice, soups and canned vegetables.

(Q4) Why do I need to follow a salt restricted diet? :

(A4)Post transplant you may need to restrict salt, although it varies with each person. Transplant medications, especially steroids, may cause your body to retain fluid. Salt makes this problem worse. It increases fluid retention and raises blood pressure. Controlling blood pressure is very important for your transplant.

(Q5) Do I need to restrict potassium? :

(A5)As long as your transplant is working well, you should be able to take normal amounts of potassium from your food. However, some transplant medications can increase your blood level of potassium.

(Q6) Do I need to take calcium? :

(A6)Steroids that you take cause bone loss. In some patients it damages the head of the thigh bone (avascular necrosis) causing difficulty in walking. Some of these cases need replacement of hip joint. Therefore it is very important to take calcium.

(Q7) What about my Cholesterol and Triglyceride levels? :

(A7)Fat (cholesterol or triglyceride) levels in your blood may be high due to increased appetite and medicines used after transplant. High levels of cholesterol and triglyceride can cause heart disease. There are many steps you can take to lower the fat and cholesterol in your blood. These include diet and exercise. If this does not control, medicines may be required.

(Q8) When can I resume work? :

(A8)If you feel well you can resume work at 4 to 6 weeks after transplant. It is important to make time adjustment at work to be able to maintain regular visits to the doctor. Regular visits are very important in the early period after transplant.

(Q9) Do I need to wear mask? :

(A9)The role of mask in preventing airborne infections is not very clear. Our current recommendation is to wear mask while visiting crowded areas. There is no need to wear mask at home.