My dad lost both his kidneys due to an unknown and unexpected hemorrhage in both kidneys. Prior to this, he was completely healthy. The doctors could never determine the issue of the hemorrhages. He’s currently on dialysis. What things should he do or continue to do to keep him going? Also, are there ways to receive an organ transplant more quickly due to the severity of the issue?

The most important things for a dialysis patient to do well is to follow his diet as recommended by his dietitian and to limit his weight gains on dialysis. I have found that patients who gain less than 5 pounds or 2.5 kilograms between dialysis sessions are the most likely to do well over the long course of time. It is important for your father to stay active and I suggest 150 minutes of extra physical activity every week. He should avoid salt in the diet and try to eat extra protein in the diet. He should not smoke and he should attend all of his prescribed dialysis sessions. Your father should monitor his blood pressure carefully and make sure his blood pressure is well controlled between dialysis sessions.

The fastest way to receive a kidney transplant is to have a living donor. If your father has a living donor and is on the transplant list, then transplant can proceed at any time. If your father is on the cadaver transplant list, then this is a waiting list and patients will be transplanted when their name comes up on the list.