2025-02-05 Instagram Live - Kidney Q&A

IG Live 02.05.2025 – DPC Education Center’s Healthcare Consultant, Velma Scantlebury, MD, went Live on Instagram to answer your kidney related questions. February is American Heart Month, and it's crucial to remember that kidney disease is closely linked to heart health. Dr. Scantlebury talks about the particular importance of heart health for dialysis and transplant patients, as well as when you can be referred back to your nephrologist after transplant, what to do if a transplant center does not qualify you, and many other kidney-related topics.

For American Heart Month, Dr. Scantlebury highlighted the importance of hearth health for both dialysis and kidney transplant patients. One of the most important things in working up anyone who is on dialysis or trying to get on the transplant list is to take a look at heart health. If you’re on dialysis, make sure you’re compliant with your volumes so there is as little stress on your heart as possible. It’s also important to make sure that you stay up to date with your screenings to make sure your heart is able to support you when you’re called up for a transplant and to get issues worked out before that time.

Dr. Scantlebury also discusses how the timeline post-transplant will be different for everyone. Though there is no set time that works for everyone to be referred back to their nephrologist after getting a transplant, typically, patients are referred back after six months. Many things can impact this though, such as if the kidney is slow to take after transplant or if a patient starts to show signs of rejection. The care team at your transplant center will see you every two weeks post-transplant and monitor your recovery. She also talks about getting listed at multiple transplant centers as well as some reasons you might qualify at one transplant center but not another, and how you can go about finding another center. 

If you have your own questions you’d like to have the doctor answer, tune in for our Live events on both Instagram and Facebook:

- IG Live @patientcitizens the first Wednesday of each month, 12:30pm EST
- Facebook Live www.facebook.com/patientcitizens the third Wednesday of each month, 12:30pm EST