After 40 years with type 1 diabetes, the body gradually shows signs of change. Most people are aware that damage occurs to both small and large blood vessels. Over the past decade, I experienced minor eye bleeding, and in the last three to four years, my kidney function began to fail.
At first, it’s shocking—especially when you’ve been careful and your HbA1c has generally been good—but reality hits.
After trying medications to stabilize the situation, doctors concluded that the damage was irreversible. I needed to start dialysis.
There are two types of dialysis:
- Conventional dialysis – performed in a hospital
- Peritoneal dialysis – performed at home
Protect your kidneys with good diabetes management
Dialysis procedures are similar but have key differences
Both require a catheter. Conventional dialysis takes place in a hospital every two to three days for four to five hours.
For convenience, I chose peritoneal dialysis, which can be done at home and has recently become available in Croatia through free health insurance. This type is done nightly and requires learning a relatively demanding procedure. The encouraging part is that it follows a repetitive routine. Strict adherence to protocol and hygiene for both hands and equipment is essential.
Peritoneal dialysis at home
Due to its complexity, peritoneal dialysis is recommended for patients who are independent or have help from family—my husband assisted me.
Another difference: conventional dialysis destroys blood cells faster, but it clears toxins more efficiently. Healthy kidneys normally perform this job.
Kidney Transplantation
Peritoneal dialysis kept other parameters stable, but my creatinine remained high, making me a candidate for a kidney transplant. However, to qualify, you must undergo detailed evaluations and be generally healthy. Paradoxically, everything else in your body must be in order to get on the transplant list.
After 40 years with type 1 diabetes, transplantation was the solution for chronic kidney failure.
I became a candidate in summer 2021, but I had to undergo numerous tests over approximately six months to assess whether my body could accept and maintain a donor organ. The hospital system functioned efficiently, so waiting times were short, though some tests had to be repeated—often the ones I found most uncomfortable.
AI generated
There were even humorous moments—for example, being sent to dermatology and venereology for check-ups. Everyone stared at me, and only on the corridor did someone yell, “Where is she for syphilis?” That’s when I realized they meant me. 🙂
Of course, I didn’t have AIDS, syphilis, or anything serious—just failing kidneys.
A Kidney Was Found! Surgery Follows
Luck smiled sooner than expected. Only four days after being listed as a transplant recipient, I received a nighttime call asking if I was healthy, if I accepted the organ, and whether I could come to the hospital in the morning.
On arrival, the procedure began with blood tests and analyses. The donor’s and my blood were checked again to confirm compatibility.
The operation lasted several hours overnight. By morning, urination began. Luckily, my new kidney started working almost immediately, lowering creatinine by about 150 units per day. 🙂 The doctor was pleasantly surprised—he didn’t expect my body to react so well.
Only then did he tell me that kidneys for my rare blood type typically appear once every 10 years.
I spent 10 days in the hospital. Postoperative progress was smooth, with daily improvements in lab results. By day five, creatinine and urea levels were normal—much to my and my doctor’s satisfaction. 🙂
Life After Transplantation and Immunosuppressants
After transplantation, therapy continues with oral immunosuppressants. No catheter, no dialysis. Only then did I fully appreciate how unwell I had been and how much better I now felt.
A new immunosuppressant coming! Read more here:
A New Immunosuppressant – Could It Make Transplants Safer for People with Diabetes?
The feeling is incredible. My body’s balance, disrupted by kidney failure, is gradually restored.
However, you must take care—immunosuppressants weaken your immune system. You worry about organ rejection and are more susceptible to infections.
Conclusion
More than three years have passed since my transplant. From a urological and nephrological perspective, everything is stable. Medications that suppress immunity have been reduced, though I will take them for life.
I received a new chance at life and am endlessly grateful to the donor’s family. Everyone with diabetes should take kidney health seriously and regularly monitor function with their doctor.
If you are interested in this topic, you can also read our article: Why Don’t All Diabetics Simply Transplant a Pancreas?
Author: Ivana Vucetic
