Transplant & kidney damage

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billkay12

New member
Hello all:
Been reading this forum for a while and have really learned a lot. I am 33 years old with CF, and my PFTs have really dropped over the last 6 months. I am now at about 20% and will be meeting with the transplant team soon.

I have a question that I haven't been able to find on the forums.. About 5-6 years ago my kidneys were damaged do to I.V. tobramycin, and since all the anti-rejection medications are really hard on your kidneys, I am scared that is it going to disqualify me.

Is anyone else in a similar situation or know what I can expect?

Thanks in advance!
 
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billkay12

New member
Hello all:
Been reading this forum for a while and have really learned a lot. I am 33 years old with CF, and my PFTs have really dropped over the last 6 months. I am now at about 20% and will be meeting with the transplant team soon.

I have a question that I haven't been able to find on the forums.. About 5-6 years ago my kidneys were damaged do to I.V. tobramycin, and since all the anti-rejection medications are really hard on your kidneys, I am scared that is it going to disqualify me.

Is anyone else in a similar situation or know what I can expect?

Thanks in advance!
 
B

billkay12

New member
Hello all:
<br />Been reading this forum for a while and have really learned a lot. I am 33 years old with CF, and my PFTs have really dropped over the last 6 months. I am now at about 20% and will be meeting with the transplant team soon.
<br />
<br />I have a question that I haven't been able to find on the forums.. About 5-6 years ago my kidneys were damaged do to I.V. tobramycin, and since all the anti-rejection medications are really hard on your kidneys, I am scared that is it going to disqualify me.
<br />
<br />Is anyone else in a similar situation or know what I can expect?
<br />
<br />Thanks in advance!
 
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CountryGirl

New member
I can't say I have been in your situation but I have learned a few things.

You are right, the anti-rejection drugs are hard on your kidneys, and thats why your drs will keep close watch post tx on your blood levels. They also try to keep you away from drugs that are filtered thru the kidneys and aren't tx drugs like ibuprofen and pepto-bismo.

I don't think what happened to you will disqualify you for a lung tx. However, they might want to tx both lungs and a kidney instead. Or later on after your lung tx they might decide to do a kidney too.
 
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CountryGirl

New member
I can't say I have been in your situation but I have learned a few things.

You are right, the anti-rejection drugs are hard on your kidneys, and thats why your drs will keep close watch post tx on your blood levels. They also try to keep you away from drugs that are filtered thru the kidneys and aren't tx drugs like ibuprofen and pepto-bismo.

I don't think what happened to you will disqualify you for a lung tx. However, they might want to tx both lungs and a kidney instead. Or later on after your lung tx they might decide to do a kidney too.
 
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CountryGirl

New member
I can't say I have been in your situation but I have learned a few things.
<br />
<br />You are right, the anti-rejection drugs are hard on your kidneys, and thats why your drs will keep close watch post tx on your blood levels. They also try to keep you away from drugs that are filtered thru the kidneys and aren't tx drugs like ibuprofen and pepto-bismo.
<br />
<br />I don't think what happened to you will disqualify you for a lung tx. However, they might want to tx both lungs and a kidney instead. Or later on after your lung tx they might decide to do a kidney too.
 
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cnsky54RRT

New member
If you read the other thread next to yours, it mentions my friend's kidneys stuff post-tx. Her doc explained that she has had a shutdown because of the large amount of antibiotics and other meds she took before the transplant, similar to your concerns. It did not disqualify her and sounds like something they see with this. Add to that a long time during surgery when she was on a pump to filter and aerate her blood, and the poor kidneys have had a lousy week. That said, Heather had zero problems with peeing before surgery (she would kill me if she knew I was telling you) despite the drugs that she has taken before. She is shut down now, and a bladder scan yesterday showed not a drop inside, but the doctors are giving her dialysis to clean up the blood, and won't start worrying until 12 weeks with no action. Since they worked fine up to the day of the transplant, I expect them to come back online any time.

And as Anna said, if worst comes to pass, you could have a kidney popped in. Much simpler process than a lung, more donors including living relatives. With PFTs in the 20's, please don't hesitate to jump at a transplant over kidney concerns! If you could just see the huge change in my friend since her surgery on Tuesday night! Hang in there!

J
 
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cnsky54RRT

New member
If you read the other thread next to yours, it mentions my friend's kidneys stuff post-tx. Her doc explained that she has had a shutdown because of the large amount of antibiotics and other meds she took before the transplant, similar to your concerns. It did not disqualify her and sounds like something they see with this. Add to that a long time during surgery when she was on a pump to filter and aerate her blood, and the poor kidneys have had a lousy week. That said, Heather had zero problems with peeing before surgery (she would kill me if she knew I was telling you) despite the drugs that she has taken before. She is shut down now, and a bladder scan yesterday showed not a drop inside, but the doctors are giving her dialysis to clean up the blood, and won't start worrying until 12 weeks with no action. Since they worked fine up to the day of the transplant, I expect them to come back online any time.

And as Anna said, if worst comes to pass, you could have a kidney popped in. Much simpler process than a lung, more donors including living relatives. With PFTs in the 20's, please don't hesitate to jump at a transplant over kidney concerns! If you could just see the huge change in my friend since her surgery on Tuesday night! Hang in there!

J
 
C

cnsky54RRT

New member
If you read the other thread next to yours, it mentions my friend's kidneys stuff post-tx. Her doc explained that she has had a shutdown because of the large amount of antibiotics and other meds she took before the transplant, similar to your concerns. It did not disqualify her and sounds like something they see with this. Add to that a long time during surgery when she was on a pump to filter and aerate her blood, and the poor kidneys have had a lousy week. That said, Heather had zero problems with peeing before surgery (she would kill me if she knew I was telling you) despite the drugs that she has taken before. She is shut down now, and a bladder scan yesterday showed not a drop inside, but the doctors are giving her dialysis to clean up the blood, and won't start worrying until 12 weeks with no action. Since they worked fine up to the day of the transplant, I expect them to come back online any time.
<br />
<br />And as Anna said, if worst comes to pass, you could have a kidney popped in. Much simpler process than a lung, more donors including living relatives. With PFTs in the 20's, please don't hesitate to jump at a transplant over kidney concerns! If you could just see the huge change in my friend since her surgery on Tuesday night! Hang in there!
<br />
<br />J
 
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ej0820

New member
I don't have anything to add as an answer to your question, but I wanted to thank you for posting it! I'm not quite at the point of tx yet (PFTs in the 30s-40s) but I know I'm closer to that point than I ever seriously have been. I had the same thing happen with my kidneys and IV tobramycin about 3-4 years ago and have been fearing the same as you with not even being considered for a tx b/c my kidneys have a history of crapping out, especially now that tx isn't really a decision that's so far into my future I can ignore it for a while longer.

I read an article about a boy in North Carolina who had CF and was waiting for a double lung AND kidney tx. It didn't say why he needed the kidney, but I wondered if it was because of kidney damaging drugs; either preventative for tx drugs or because his kidneys were already shot from previous abx.

Great question, thank you for asking! Best of luck to you.

::sending healthy kidney vibes your way::

<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
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ej0820

New member
I don't have anything to add as an answer to your question, but I wanted to thank you for posting it! I'm not quite at the point of tx yet (PFTs in the 30s-40s) but I know I'm closer to that point than I ever seriously have been. I had the same thing happen with my kidneys and IV tobramycin about 3-4 years ago and have been fearing the same as you with not even being considered for a tx b/c my kidneys have a history of crapping out, especially now that tx isn't really a decision that's so far into my future I can ignore it for a while longer.

I read an article about a boy in North Carolina who had CF and was waiting for a double lung AND kidney tx. It didn't say why he needed the kidney, but I wondered if it was because of kidney damaging drugs; either preventative for tx drugs or because his kidneys were already shot from previous abx.

Great question, thank you for asking! Best of luck to you.

::sending healthy kidney vibes your way::

<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
E

ej0820

New member
I don't have anything to add as an answer to your question, but I wanted to thank you for posting it! I'm not quite at the point of tx yet (PFTs in the 30s-40s) but I know I'm closer to that point than I ever seriously have been. I had the same thing happen with my kidneys and IV tobramycin about 3-4 years ago and have been fearing the same as you with not even being considered for a tx b/c my kidneys have a history of crapping out, especially now that tx isn't really a decision that's so far into my future I can ignore it for a while longer.
<br />
<br />I read an article about a boy in North Carolina who had CF and was waiting for a double lung AND kidney tx. It didn't say why he needed the kidney, but I wondered if it was because of kidney damaging drugs; either preventative for tx drugs or because his kidneys were already shot from previous abx.
<br />
<br />Great question, thank you for asking! Best of luck to you.
<br />
<br />::sending healthy kidney vibes your way::
<br />
<br /><img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
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