Kidney Removal

[LynnB]

Lynn, I had a kidney transplant a year and a half ago. I had to give up diving 18 years ago when I found out I had kidney trouble. I had given up hope of ever diving again. I had a rough 1st year but things turned around and I am doing well. My doctors told me I can return to diving. I was invited to the Sea Hunt 2011 event and made my first dives in 18 years at Silver Springs. It does not get any better than that. I am once again collecting and diving vintage gear. I have my old life back and try to make the best out of every day. Dive as often as you can and enjoy every dive. Each dive means so much more to me now then before. I am taking it slow and getting my skills back. Good Luck to you! Mike

Well that is great! Glad your transplant went great and you are doing well... Yes I am sure diving will have a whole new appreciation. But I acutally spent a week in Key Largo only a few weeks before my surgery and i was very appreciative as I had no idea what road I had ahead of me.
Did they have to remove both of your kidneys that you got a transplant? Why would be Dr. not let you dive for 18 years. Not sure I understand that unless there is a lot more to it.
I am acutally doing really well. I really feel like I could dive now but it will be a little bit before I can make it any place to dive as school is back in and that is where I work.
So happy that you were able to get back in the water. Keep me posted on how your dives go..
Take care,
Lynn

 

[TSandM]

In general, the native kidneys are not removed when a transplant is done. The transplant does not go in the renal fossa; it's hooked into the iliac artery in the pelvis.

When renal failure is bad enough to merit a transplant, the patient is generally on dialysis. Many dialysis patients are not stable enough to contemplate scuba diving -- their volume status and electrolyte balance can be pretty tenuous. I was actually shocked to discover that someone I knew through SB was a dialysis patient and diving regularly -- but she was in high output renal failure, so her volume status wasn't an issue. She just needed toxins "cleaned" from her blood at intervals. At any rate, it does not surprise me that a physician would advise against diving in a renal failure patient. Returning to that activity was one of the gifts that a successful transplant gave.

 

[divenutny]

LynnB,
My kidney was removed 5 years ago due to Kidney cancer. This has not prevented me from diving once everything has healed. My surgery was in January, I was diving mid-May. Since I dove in the North East, I do not any local diving before May. I did try to get my surgeon to allow me to dive in March in Fla, he would not agree. In retrospect, his decision might have been smarter than my eagerness to dive that soon.

If you want to discuss this further, please reply or send me a PM. Sorry I did not see your thread sooner. I'm typically on SB regularly, been fairly busy lately.

Tom

 

[TN Traveler]

Lynn

I had my left kidney removed lat Octber and was diving again at the end of January. No problems. Both my urologist and GP are divers and they said as soon as I was healed I could dive. I did suffer a back injury during the surgery that required about 2 months of PT which may have helped me get back in shape quicker.

By the way , I am no "spring chicken" being Medicare eligible, but I have taken 4 trips since the surgery with no problems,

You will be fine!!

 

[LynnB]

By the way , I am no "spring chicken" being Medicare eligible, but I have taken 4 trips since the surgery with no problems,


Well neither am I LOL.. I just celebrated my 58th! And birthdays have a lot more meaning now!
I have recovered quite well so I am sure by the time I will be able to have a dive weekend I will be able to dive..
Thanks....
Lynn