Kidney transplant - Recommendations 

The lifestyle advice below is recommended if you have had a kidney transplant.

Smoking

If you smoke, it is strongly recommended you quit as soon as possible. The NHS Smokefree website can provide support and advice.

A recent study found people who continued to smoke after a kidney transplant are twice as likely to have that kidney fail than non-smokers.

Your GP will also be able to recommend and prescribe medication that can help you give up. See Treatment for quitting smoking for more information.

Diet

A healthy diet should consist of :

• plenty of fruit and vegetables – at least five portions of fruit and veg a day
• plenty of potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy foods; ideally you should choose wholegrain varieties – read more about starchy foods
• some milk and dairy foods – read more about milk and dairy foods
• some meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein – read more about meat, eggs and beans and pulses
• a small amount of food and drink high in fat and sugar – read more about fats and sugars

Also avoid food that contains high levels of salt, as salt can raise your blood pressure, which can be dangerous in people with a kidney transplant. Read more about the dangers of salt.

Exercise and weight loss

Once you have made a sufficient physical recovery from effects of surgery it is recommended that you do regular physical activity.

Adults should do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week.

The definition of moderate intensity physical activity is any activity that increases your heart and breathing rate and may make you sweat but you are still able to hold a normal conversation.

Examples include:

• fast walking
• jogging
• swimming
• tennis
• using a step-trainer or similar at gym

Choose physical activities that you enjoy, as you are more likely to continue doing them.

It is probably unrealistic to meet these exercise targets immediately if you have not exercised much in the past. So you should aim to start gradually – possibly 15 to 20 minutes of exercise five times a week – and then build on it.

If you are overweight or obese it is recommended you try to achieve a healthy weight.

This can be safely done through a combination of eating a healthy calorie-controlled diet and regular exercise.

It is normally recommended you aim for a body mass index (BMI)of less than 25 (but do not go lower than a BMI of 18.5 as this would be considered underweight).

Read more about exercise and losing weight safely.

Alcohol, drugs and medications

Regularly drinking alcohol above limits recommended by the NHS will raise your blood pressure, which can be dangerous in people with a kidney transplant.

Therefore, staying within the recommended levels is the best way to reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure. The recommended limits for alcohol consumption are:

• 3-4 units a day for men
• 2-3 units a day for women

Find out how many units are in your favourite tipple, track your drinking over time and get tips on cutting down.

Alcohol is also high in calories, so you will gain weight if you drink regularly. Being overweight will also increase your blood pressure. Find out how many calories are in popular drinks.

You should avoid taking any illegal drugs as they can:

• damage your kidneys
• cause a sudden rise in blood pressure
• react unpredictably with your immunosuppressive medications

Finally, always check with your care team before taking any medication, including over-the-counter medication and herbal remedies such as St John's wort. These types of medications could be potentially dangerous.

Avoiding exposure to infection

Taking immunosuppressive medications on a long-term basis will weaken your immune system. Having a weakened immune system is known as being immunocompromised.

If you are immunocompromised, you will need to take extra precautions against infection.

Follow the advice below:

• Practise good personal hygiene. Avoid contact with people with serious infections, such as chickenpox or influenza (flu).
• Wash your hands regularly with soap and hot water, particularly after going to the toilet and before preparing food and eating meals.
• Take extra care not to cut or graze your skin. If you do, clean the area thoroughly with warm water, dry it, then cover it with a sterile dressing.

Be aware of any initial signs that you may have an infection. A minor infection could quickly turn into a major one.

Immediately report any possible symptoms of an infection to your GP or transplant centre. Prompt treatment may be required to prevent serious complications developing.

Symptoms of infection include:

• high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above
• headache
• aching muscles
• diarrhoea
• tiredness

Also ensure your vaccinations are up to date; though you will not be able to use any vaccines that contain live viruses such as the mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) vaccine.