Hope you are well, just a quick note to let you know that all went very well with my operation last Monday in Dublin. I was able to leave hospital on the Wednesday and travel accross Dublin to see my nephew who was in the childrens hospital.He is making a fantastic recovery as well and is hoping to be discharged very soon.

I would like to thankyou for your kind words and encouragement you sent at a time when i was extremely anxious.

I hope in the future i can help someone in the way you have helped me.

Kindest regards

Maryxx

I think the difference here is that when donating a kidney both kidneys are very healthy. Yes I agree if one already has kidney damage then the dye used in a CT Scan might cause a problem, it is a small risk, but a risk none the less and so may not be used on the remaining kidney. In the case of donating though the remaining kidney is a very healthy one and it is very important that as much information as possible is got about the kidney before extraction of one.

Having donated the kidney, yes we are then left with only one and should that one become damaged in the future and require a CT scan then I am sure the medical people will weigh up the pros and cons and act in our best interests.

Here is some information regarding the risks of a CT Scan
“There are a few small risks. The contrast dye used in the test can damage your kidneys, especially if they are already impaired by disease.However, some newer dyes are less likely to cause kidney injuries. If kidney damage does occur, this is usually temporary, although in some rare cases it becomes permanent. If you are allergic to the dye used in the procedure, you may get a rash or your blood pressure may drop enough to make you feel faint until you get treatment. As with x-rays, there is a small exposure to radiation. The amount of radiation from a CT scan is greater than that from regular x-rays, but it’s still too small to be likely to cause harm unless you’re pregnant”

I hope that explains the risks of a CT scan to people reading this.

There are risks to quite a lot of medical procedures. The pros and cons have to be weighed up. It is good to know that the medical people looking after us won’t put us through any tests unnecessarily.

Hopefully before long a dye can be produced and used that has no risks at all.

Thank you for pointing this out to us.

All the best
Di

When your friend says to avoid spicy and oily foods really he is saying what the specialist is saying .. eat healthily. You can eat spicy foods, just don’t have them every day. As for oily foods … you need to keep away from stuff like fried foods, and foods cooked in the bad oils. If you need to use oil for cooking with use say olive oil which is healthier for you. But this isnt just for people with one kidney, this is for everyone. No one should be eating lots of oily foods or spicy foods say every day.

Well balanced is what is needed for foods. i.e. not too much of anything but also making sure you get enough proteins and other things that the body requires. Keep away from processed foods, definitely keep away from hydrogenated fats. Eat veggies and fruits as well as the healthy meats i.e. chicken, turkey is high in protein and good for you .. without the skin! Don’t fry the foods if you can help it. If you do then use extra virgin olive oil.

The only three things I was told about regarding eating and one kidney was keep hydrated. That I did anyway as I always drink about 1.5 litres water per day. Watch the sodium (salt) intake. A lot of foods are high in salt anyway, so try not to add any to cooking. Careful on buying Lo-salts as often the potassium then shoots up in the salt. Keep away from NSAID’s medication. Otherwise I was told to just eat healthily. I was told I could eat whatever meals I wanted (taking into account not too much salt etc) but not to over indulge in any one food and to make sure I ate a balanced selection of foods. To put it simply, eat healthily, whether one or two kidneys.

I see no reason for you to stay away from cooking spicy foods as long as it is not every day of the week. Again it boils down to “well balanced” foods.

Where possible get organic foods, fresh foods. If you buy packaged foods check the additives and preservatives and if you don’t know what each of the chemicals do, then research on google and make a decision as to whether harmful or not. Something used occasionally can be perfectly OK, but if used every day may not be OK …

Really, just make sure meals are well balanced, dont over indulge in any one type, keep low on the sodium and only use oils for cooking with if really necessary and then preferably something like extra virgin olive oil. This is for everyone, not just someone with one kidney.

Why is your boyfriend having his kidney tested, do you suspect there is something wrong? In which case there may be dietary restrictions which only the surgeon or hospital dietician can give you advice on.

If you really are worried, then ask the hospital if your boyfriend and you can see the hospital dietician ….. as really that is where the best advice can come from, as I don’t know the health of your boyfriend but the hospital does.

Keep in touch
Di
x

I hope you had a nice Christams, and Hope you have a lovely New Year.

My boyfriend went to see the specialist today, and we still do not know what he can or cannot eat, as he still have to go for more test ie MRI and CT and blood test, Urine test, so there is still a long wait, but according to the specialist said he should be find if he eats balance meal, but still not sure, as my best mate said that he should avoid spicy food and oily food so not sure as yet, but I will let you know more when i find out.

Susanna