mintmartini

I donated my kidney 14 years ago and I'm doing great! It was painful for a few weeks after but not terrible... Highly recommend doing it. It's the best thing I've ever done for someone else but it did so much for me too.

Welcome to being a living donor! I donated mine to someone I didn't know 14 yrs ago (was in my early 20s) and got the same C-section cut... As a heads up, you may experience worse periods than before because they cut thru the abdominal wall where you typically cramp from. Heating pads are the only thing that saved me. Despite all the pain for those years (hysterectomy last year thankfully) it was worth it. My recipient is still doing really well and is a part of my life now.

No prob. The first couple times drinking alcohol again were rough (just tipsy and quick hangovers) and all the big drinking nights ended in puking. When I drink now, I do either beer or wine. 3 glass max of wine/4 beer max. 4 beers in an evening and I'm the perfect level of happy chatty drunk. No spins, no pukes, no hangovers as long as I have lots of water too. Find your max # and then stick to that. My work limit is 2 because loose lips sink ships in my position.

This is not accurate in my opinion. I (F23 at time of donation) was told that pregnancy would be totally fine and normal with one kidney. I chose not to have children so I didn't go through that experience to know for certain. My blood work returned to a normal range for kidney function within a month of donation and has not had any issues.

I wouldn't recommend having the lower C-section style removal though. Every month at that time, cramps were horrible. The surgeon decided that because I was young he didn't want me to have to give up bikinis. Very sweet, but I don't mind the battle wounds being visible.

I donated to someone that was an acquaintance of my parents. The experience changed me as a human, for the better.