I am considering donating a kidney to a family member. But I'm concerned about recovery.?

Question

Would someone who has gone through this please fill me in on what to expect? How long does it take to recover from this type of surgery (from the kidney donor's perspective, not the recipient's). I can't afford to take off too much time from work so I need to know how much time to expect.

Answer 1

i can't speak from the perspective you're looking for because the people i know who have been involved in a kidney transplant have been recipients.  but here's some info i found!

When you return home, your activities will be limited. You should not lift anything that weighs more that 20 lbs for the first six weeks. You may feel tired for the first week or two after the surgery and may need frequent naps. However, donors are encouraged to be active in between their periods of rest. Walking is considered excellent exercise during this time. You may also have some swelling around the incision area and should plan to wear loose, comfortable clothes.

You will likely be able to return to work 2-3 weeks after the surgery, depending on the type of work. However some donors require a longer recovery period if their work requires heavy lifting or other physical demands.

hope that helps!

Answer 2

First of all, my hats off to you for your unselfishness.  You must be one terrific guy.  My niece had a live donor for a liver transplant.  You will be compensated for your time out of work,  The donor for my niece was paid for all the time he was out of work.  What she did was have a donation party, so to speak, with raffles, food, etc.  All proceeds from that went into an account for the donor and for her surgery.  Livers are the only organs that will regenerate.  Recovery time is about the same.  Talk to the family member and ask about having one these parties.  It's really worth it.  I want to add that my niece works at Foxwoods in Connecticut and the owner drove up in a limo at the party and handed her a check for 5 thousand dollars.  What a wonderful employer.  It's worth looking into.  You really are supposed to be compensated for your donation.  If I had the money, I would gladly give it to you.  I think people like you are a God sent.  

Answer 3

I never went through it myself, but I found a website talking about the donation side of kidney surgery.

Generally, upon physician approval, you should be able to return to work in 2 to 4 weeks if you have laparoscopic surgery, and 6 to 10 weeks if you have open surgery.