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04-24-2019, 09:46 PM
#171
Re: Transplant
Pete, you are actually sounding a lot better, within yourself.
I hope this is also true for your kidney
Good luck with tomorrows bloods, and hopefully the biopsy results will also come through
Keep Smiling
Michelle
Live your life in a way that you wouldn't be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip - WILL ROGERS
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04-25-2019, 01:51 AM
#172
Re: Transplant
I have some potentially excellent news!
The biopsy result is back and shows NO signs of rejection!!!
But, as always, with me, things are never quite so simple.
The surgeon was very pleased to inform me that there was no signs of rejection. He said there was some slight signs of damage to the tubules in the kidney, but this is quite common due to the trauma that the kidney goes through during the transplant process and there's a good chance function will improve again.
So all was looking great until he asked how long I'd been on steroids. He then realised that I'd started treatment for rejection (i.e. the IV steroids) before the biopsy. Therefore there is a chance that I WAS suffering from rejection and the steroids worked quickly and by the time I had the biopsy, signs of rejection had disappeared. I was originally told that if the biopsy shows no sigh of rejection I would not need the steroids and could cease them, but now that the biopsy can't be 100% relied upon, he wants me to continue steroids until he's discussed it with the rest of the team of transplant drs.
The only way for the biopsy to show for certain what was going on was to have it BEFORE any treatment. I do not have an issue with the dr who decided to commence treatment before the biopsy for the following reason - I had to wait 5 days for biopsy and due to Easter I had to wait a further 7 days for the results. If treatment had of being held off until I had the biopsy, I believe too much damage could have been done to my kidney. In an ideal world I would have had the biopsy done the same day as rejection was suspected, but that was never going to happen with the NHS.
My blood test results have usually been accessible online by now, but I guess there's a backlog due to Easter break. If my kidney function has improved since Saturday, that would strongly suggest there was no rejection and my kidney is recovering. If my kidney function has deteriorated further, then it could be that the IV steroids before the biopsy were working against a rejection episode and the 20mg oral steroids I've been on since aren't strong enough.
So I'm still hoping for some positive blood results, otherwise we still won't be certain about the rejection, or what should be the best course of treatment.
Diagnosed April 1995
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04-25-2019, 03:02 AM
#173
Re: Transplant
@gilders
Seems like two steps forward and one step back...
Pete
dx 1/11
"Every day is a good day. Some are better than others." - unknown
"Take your meds as directed and live your life as fully as you can." - Michael Chacey, MD
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04-25-2019, 03:03 AM
#174
Re: Transplant
Originally Posted by
Pete
@
gilders
Seems like two steps forward and one step back...
Better than one step forward and two steps back
Diagnosed April 1995
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04-25-2019, 03:36 AM
#175
Re: Transplant
What a complicated and convoluted time period this has been for you! Thoughts will be with you until, and beyond, the time everything has been declared normal and you can resume your life as before. You have shown the patience of a saint during this whole ordeal. Best of luck to you!!!
Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
Anne, dx'ed April 2011
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04-25-2019, 04:54 AM
#176
Re: Transplant
Now it seems that we have to rely on what got you this far, prayer and positive thinking.
Masha
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04-25-2019, 06:00 AM
#177
Re: Transplant
The blood results finally came through.
I said earlier that an improvement in function would almost certainly confirm that I haven't been suffering from rejection and a decrease in function could suggest that I am suffering from rejection and the only reason the biopsy looked clear would be due to me starting treatment before the biopsy.
Well, as usual with me, there's never a simple answer as my function has neither increased or declined. Although this doesn't give me a clear answer to what's going on, I think stability in function strongly suggest that there's NO rejection, either because there never was any rejection (just post transplant blip) or the 20mg steroids are stopping rejection.
The main thing is that currently my new kidney is NOT declining in function. So overall I'm very happy.
My function only went above 50% once post transplant. It mainly fluctuated 1-2% around 45%. So my current level of 42% is fairly reasonable. I have been eating more since on steroids and an increased intake of meat can increase your creatinine levels, which in turn can effect your estimated function percentage.
I'll definitely sleep easier tonight. But can imagine I'm going to be nervous before every blood test for a while to come.
The surgeon has also said that he's happy for me to come to clinic on a weekly basis now, instead of 3 times/week. So he must be confident that things are good!
Thank you all for being there for during these last few weeks. It almost feels like I've got a team of people around the world holding my hand and giving me support. I just hope that from now on things will be smoother and I can relax and enjoy getting my fittness back and generally enjoying life without worrying too much.
Diagnosed April 1995
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04-25-2019, 06:18 AM
#178
Re: Transplant
Great news, Pete!! Normal is a good thing!!
Pete
dx 1/11
"Every day is a good day. Some are better than others." - unknown
"Take your meds as directed and live your life as fully as you can." - Michael Chacey, MD
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04-25-2019, 07:29 AM
#179
Re: Transplant
Normal! Yippee! Yippee! Yippie!
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04-25-2019, 09:38 AM
#180
Re: Transplant
More power to you, Pete!
Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
Anne, dx'ed April 2011
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