Young with CKD

I met a 30 year old guy yesterday at one of the NephroPlus centers. He has been on dialysis for a few months now. Very well informed and proactive, he knew his options and was making educated decisions. A refreshing change from many other patients I see.

The issues to deal with for the younger lot diagnosed with CKD are very different, the most important among them being the longer life with the disease you have to deal with. Many people who are diagnosed with CKD in their later years have mostly 'lived their life' and don't have too many regrets getting the disease. They resign to the fact and accept the disease and try to pass off the rest of their days peacefully. Of course, that is not to say they are having a great time. But, compared to the young, they are probably lucky!

The young, on the other hand, are just embarking on life's journey when God/fate/karma/whatever has struck a huge blow. Suddenly, their plans all go awry. They have to contend with a life-threatening, chronic condition for the rest of their lives. Every step of their life will now be dictated by this disease. What they eat, what they drink, where they travel, whatever they do, everything, will now be governed chiefly by this disease. It is not easy.

The side effects of long term kidney disease can affect your quality of life in many ways and they tend to become worse with time.

Therefore, I strongly feel that if you are young and have CKD, you should take a shot at a transplant. Yes, it is not always successful. It may have its drawbacks in terms of having to bear the cost and side effects of immunosuppression medication and steroids. But, in my opinion, it is the only shot at a normal life that people with CKD have. Unless you have some condition that prevents you from getting one (your primary disease, some other inherent condition, finances etc.) you should give a transplant a shot. Make sure your nephrologist has done plenty of transplants. This is very important from the point of view of handling post-transplant complications where medicine doses might need to be altered or the medicines itself might need to be changed. So, talk to your nephrologist about the possibility of a transplant immediately. You will not regret it!

Comments

Ajit said…
Hi Kamal-I follow your blog and i agree with u on what u just commented on taking a shot with a kidney transplant. I underwent my first transplant in 1993 when i was 23 and my second transplant when i was 36. The quality of life after a transplant is super, with the note of precaution always there. Take care.
Kamal D Shah said…
Hi Ajit, thanks for your comment! I am glad you had two good transplants. Take care and here's wishing you many, many years with your second!

-Kamal
Kamal! One dumb doubt! When is second transplant required? Is it only when the first one fails or for any other complicated reason?
Kamal D Shah said…
Yes Thrinath, a second transplant is required when the first one fails.
Ajit said…
Thanks Kamal.....By the way Kamal want to know if there are any charitable institutions can can help me with my medicines.....It is really killing.
Kamal D Shah said…
No Ajit. I am not aware of any such charitable institution!
poulami said…
Hi Kamal,
I am curious if cadaver transplants are common in India , specially in the southern part of the country. My husband has CKD,stage 3, doc said transplant will be a better choice for him (when needed), and none of his family members has the same blood group, and I heard that kidney from relatives is now mandatory in India.
Thanks,
Poulami
Kamal D Shah said…
Yes Poulami, cadaver transplants are catching on here as well. There are some centers that do more than others but yes, they are becoming increasingly common. Nowhere near what it should be though!
poulami said…
Hi Kamal,
Thank you very much for your reply. Btw, is there any age bar for the transplant? I heard that a person who is older than 50 years of age , can not donate a kidney, and a person aged more than 60 , can not take a kidney from others in India. Is that true?
Poulami
Kamal D Shah said…
Well, there is no particular number set in stone. A lot depends on the general health of both. But it is true that the older a person gets, the lower his or her chances of both giving and receiving a kidney.
poulami said…
thank you so much Kamal.
CKD&ME said…
Hey, i really liked the blog. It brought up some interesting facts. I'm actually starting my own blog about being young with CKD. http://youngwithckd.blogspot.com
I would love if some people took an interest!