IgA Nephropathy: Should I Get off Anti-Rejection Drugs after Transplant

A:

If it is really 100% matched, then kidney rejection will not occur and also no anti-rejection drugs will be needed. Besides, you and your brother are two person. Even though you are brother, there is difference in your gene. Our immune system can tell the organ that does not belong to us, so kidney infection may occur if you stop taking anti-rejection drugs.

IgA Nephropathy is an autoimmune disease which appears due to immune problem. Under such a condition, if you fail to get your immune system normalized, your new kidney might be damaged by the immune problem. That is the reason why IgA Nephropathy has a high reoccurrence rate after kidney transplant.

As for your condition, what you need to do is to take anti-rejection and do medical test regularly. Once there are signs that show decline of kidney function, medical treatment is needed to stop further deterioration of IgA Nephropathy.

Kidney transplant is a good way for people who do dialysis due to IgA Nephropathy to get rid of dialysis, but it is not the only way for these who still have a certain kidney function. Instead of kidney transplant, alternative treatment is recommended to improve kidney function, because in such a case, even if a matched kidney is found, there is a certain risk for patients to get IgA Nephropathy again.

After kidney transplant, patients need to take anti-rejection drugs regularly for life-safety. Therefore, I do not suggest you to get rid of these medicines. You should take your medicine under doctor’s direction and if there is something goes wrong, go to your doctors as soon as possible for solution.