Is it possible for a person with one kidney? General principles of nutrition after kidney removal

Often people who have one kidney live for many years without getting sick, and only accidentally find out that from birth they have one functioning organ. Living with one kidney requires compliance certain rules, which can help maintain health for many years. It is believed that one kidney can take on the functions of two. At the same time, people do not have to greatly limit themselves in their actions and change their lifestyle. For such a person, playing sports is not contraindicated, but moderate physical work even necessary. Women do not have to give up pregnancy: they have a chance, with the help of doctors, to carry it to term and give birth healthy child, and then calmly take care of it. None Negative consequences don't appear.

How does one kidney function?

Kidneys - paired organ. They accumulate toxins and waste, after which they are excreted in the urine. The kidneys must work well, it depends on this arterial pressure and the amount of fluid in the cells. If both organs are healthy, the loads are distributed evenly. When the performance of one of the kidneys decreases or is lost, almost all functions are taken over by the other. The consequences of this are an increase in size, which is physiological norm. There are several reasons for the absence of one of the kidneys: congenital anomaly(agenesis or aplasia) or removal surgically at incurable diseases of this organ (nephrectomy). How long do they live with one organ? By observing some dietary restrictions, refusing bad habits and by following the regimen, a person can live a full life with one kidney. If the remaining organ functions without impairment, then the disabled person medical indications they don't.

It happens that patients lose both kidneys. What to do in this case, what is the solution? Here, either lifelong hemodialysis or transplantation of a healthy organ from a donor can save you. The main problem of people living with a transplanted kidney is the constant danger of rejection. In this case, the immune system perceives the new organ as foreign body, and lymphocytes begin trying to destroy it. The method of preventing rejection is modern immunosuppressants that suppress the immune system. If you follow the rules, then life with a single kidney, even a transplant, will be acceptable. The transplanted kidney will work in two if you monitor your weight, take the prescribed medications in full, follow the recommendations of the transplantologist, and get tested regularly. You also need a lifelong diet from which alcohol is excluded.

Rules for a full life for a person with one kidney


Giving up bad habits will allow you to live full life.

What is needed for a full life if a person is born with one kidney or has it removed? It's simple. A diet, a healthy lifestyle, and giving up bad habits (smoking and alcohol) will allow you to live a full life without feeling disabled if you only have one kidney. Some inconveniences and problems will always accompany you in adulthood. This high blood pressure, the risk of disruption of the remaining kidney. Pregnancy causes certain difficulties for women.

To avoid complications, patients need to be examined by a specialist annually, especially if the kidney was removed for medical reasons. You don't need to drink a lot. The lifestyle recommended by doctors can support the organ and improve its functioning. First of all, pay attention to how you should eat. Food should not be salty or too fatty. Fried is allowed; the menu can include fried meat or other products without using spices. In order for a single kidney to cope with fluid, there are restrictions on drinking water. The approximate amount of fluid per day is 1 liter. If in such a situation someone drinks more than normal, swelling appears.

If you're interested professional sports, the absence of one organ is not a hindrance, you can do it for your own pleasure. But leave the grueling workouts and don't set records. You can do exercises in the morning, do fitness, or go to the pool several times a week. Any physical education is a useful thing. The kidneys “love” bending from side to side and circular movements of the body. However, do not combine or replace light exercise with strength exercises; the consequences can be unpredictable. The patient should also not work hard, but you can always find something you like, despite the restrictions.

Proper nutrition and restrictions

The body of those born without a kidney is accustomed to non-standard conditions, therefore special food provides for errors. The diet is designed, first of all, to minimize the load on the remaining organ, the urinary system, and also to speed up the recovery process after a person has had their kidney removed. The menu should not include homemade or store-bought pickles and marinades. For salt, significant restrictions must be made. It is also better to reduce your protein intake. This will make the work of the remaining kidney easier, and it will be able to remain healthy for a long time. It is better to boil, bake or stew food. You can cook fried foods from time to time.


The basis of nutrition should be easily digestible food.

The meals are structured so that the basis is easily digestible food. The main thing is how much fluid enters the body. There should be no shortage or excess. Therefore, it is so important for patients to maintain the correct balance. And clearly calculate the amount of water entering the body. You can’t do without water completely; it should help the kidney remove toxins, so every day you need to drink some clean drinking water. But coffee, ice cream, beer and alcohol are taboo. You can live without them and make the organ’s work easier. Not drinking alcohol is a kind of lifestyle and belief. Give up forever:

  1. rich pastries and fresh white bread;
  2. canned food, sausages and semi-finished products;
  3. rich broths, fatty meats;
  4. mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, onions and garlic;
  5. mineral water with sodium;

Diet food will initially seem tasteless and bland, especially if you have previously eaten dishes with the addition of artificial flavors and taste enhancers. Healthy food made from the following ingredients:

  1. bran bread;
  2. vegetarian first courses with added butter;
  3. turkey, veal, rabbit (meat a week after surgery);
  4. eggs and dairy products;
  5. potatoes, beets, cauliflower, cucumbers and lettuce;
  6. cereals;
  7. tea, compote, fruit and vegetable juices, with the addition of drinking water.

Ready meals should be warm, not hot and not too cold. Fresh vegetables and you can eat fruits, but you should not do experiments, which can affect health (especially if this concerns children) and switch to fasting or a raw food diet, which can lead to a decrease internal fat, holding the kidney in place. You need to drink fluids in moderation. Those who have one kidney at birth or as a result of surgery can do physical exercise. Please note that the athlete must eat in a special way. What to do in this case? For example, bodybuilding, in addition to training, involves increased content protein in the diet, which is undesirable for those who, being sick, will try to increase their muscle mass. It is believed that one should avoid activities where there is high probability injuries: football, basketball, boxing. Due to the injury to the only kidney, there is a risk of living the rest of your life on dialysis and dying early.

However, in Lately doctors are not so categorical, because severe injuries organs are quite rare. Therefore, children and young people who were born without a kidney can begin classes without fear. How long they will last - see how you feel. Exercising will not affect your health. If you, as a parent, are concerned, let your child be content with the pool several times a week. This activity improves health and improves immunity. Lifestyle improves its quality.

Development: fusion of the upper pole of one kidney with the lower pole of the other, in which the longitudinal axes of the kidneys coincide.

Large medical dictionary. 2000 .

See what “kidney I-” is in other dictionaries:

    In plants (gemma), the shoot primordium. It consists of a short rudimentary axis (stem) with a growth cone at the apex and leaf primordia of different ages closely located on the axis, covering the axis and each other, vegetative P., or contains, except... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary

    Women in animals, one of the abdominal worms, in the form of a bean, serves to separate dilapidated, outdated particles of flesh from the blood, in the form of urine; old bubreg; two kidneys, on both sides of the ridge, under the gander membrane, behind the liver and spleen, and from them... ... Dictionary Dahl

    Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

    - (1) KIDNEY (1) kidneys, female. (biol.). 1. A plant shoot in an undeveloped state (flower primordium, stem with leaves). The buds on the trees have not yet blossomed. 2. Some lower animals have a small growth in some area. parts of the body from which it develops... ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

    Plants have a shoot primordium. There are vegetative buds, consisting of a rudimentary stem (axis) and leaf primordia, and generative buds, which also carry the primordia of inflorescences and flowers. In the axils of the leaves, axillary buds are formed, giving rise to branches; ...

    Old Russian measure of mass. It was used mainly in determining the mass of coins during their minting. In con. 16 start 17th centuries the kidney is equal to 1/25 of the spool... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

    KIDNEY, in botany, a small convex formation consisting of a short stalk and tightly rolled underdeveloped leaves covered with a shell of scales. Branches with leaves develop from leaf buds, flowers develop from flower buds (buds) ... Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary

    Measure, rudiment, bud, offal, eye, mesonephros, gemmule, bud, plumula, scion Dictionary of Russian synonyms. kidney noun, number of synonyms: 22 bubreg (1) ... Synonym dictionary

    bud- shoot of a seed plant (longitudinal section diagram); in the axils of the primordia of the lower leaves, the primordia of axillary buds are visible. bud (gemma) in plants, a rudimentary, not yet developed shoot of a plant. Vegetative P. consists of a short intrarenal... ... Agriculture. Large encyclopedic dictionary

    Bud- * bud * bud 1. In yeast, a daughter cell formed during mitosis (see): one cell retains cell wall parent cell, while the other, formed during budding (see), forms a new cell wall. 2. Plants have an undeveloped... Genetics. encyclopedic Dictionary

    KIDNEY, and, female 1. A plant shoot that has not yet developed; rudiment of a flower, leaf. Buds on trees. The buds swell, burst, and open. 2. In some lower animals or plants that reproduce asexually: growth on the body of the mother’s body... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

Books

  • Kidney and electrolytes. Questions water-salt metabolism and the functions of the night have recently attracted more and more attention from researchers in various specialties. There is no doubt that the problem of transport...
  • Artificial kidney and its clinical application, A. Ya. Pytel, S. D. Goligorsky, M. D. Javad-Zade, N. A. Lopatkin. We present to your attention the book “Artificial kidney and its clinical application". Significant advances in nephrology in recent years have made it possible to introduce into the practice of treating patients...

Most people with one kidney lead normal lives. But it all depends on the reason why a person lost this organ. And these reasons that lead to loss or malfunction one of two organs, several. One of these is congenital pathology. For example, at the stage intrauterine development Only one kidney is formed in the baby, or after birth, during development, only one left or right kidney develops and grows (this deviation is called dysplasia). It's also possible surgical removal (nephrectomy) due to damage by diseases such as: tumor, polycystic disease, pyelonephritis, tuberculosis, cancer, developmental anomaly, etc. The option of organ donation is not excluded - kidney transplant to another person.

Depending on the reasons that led to the loss of the organ, subsequent treatment, rehabilitation and after rehabilitation diets, as well as a person’s daily lifestyle.

If one kidney is a congenital pathology

Our body has a unique function - it adapts to various conditions life. If it so happens that your child or you have only one kidney formed since birth, or only one kidney performs its functions, do not be alarmed. Thanks to our body's ability to adapt, the remaining organ, in order to perform all functions for two, will develop faster both functionally and physically and can reach almost double the standard size ( standard sizes buds are approximately 12 cm long, 5.5 cm wide).

If a kidney is removed as a result of illness or injury

When these organs (kidneys) work in pairs, each of them uses a quarter of its capabilities. After nephrectomy, blood flow to the remaining kidney increases one and a half times, which makes it possible to almost double the functionality of the remaining organ. The process of final adaptation of one kidney to all additional loads is quite lengthy and lasts about a year. But after this time, the remaining organ will fully perform all the functions of the two kidneys.

If nephrectomy is associated with trauma, cyst, hydronephrosis and the second kidney is healthy, perform any indications or additional procedures not necessary. The person can continue to lead a normal life.

If the removal of an organ is associated with pyelonephritis or kidney tuberculosis, it is necessary to follow the recommendations of doctors. In this case, they usually use restrictions in fluid intake, monitoring exercise and constant monitoring with the attending physician until complete recovery.

It should be remembered that the recommendations are aimed at prevention possible illness the remaining kidney. During the rehabilitation period after kidney removal, it is necessary to avoid physical exertion, hypothermia, colds, control the amount of fluid consumed, the composition and quality of food.

Pregnancy with one kidney

Pregnancy and one kidney are quite compatible, but you need to take into account a number of factors that may later affect your health or the development of the fetus. To predict pregnancy and childbirth with such pathology, great importance has a diagnosis or reason for the organ being missing.

If you have congenital pathology , then before conceiving it will be enough to consult your doctor. If you transferred kidney removal surgery and are planning to conceive, you need to wait 2-3 years until the adaptation of the remaining kidney to increased load. And also carry out treatment and prevention for the remaining organ if the reason for the nephrectomy (removal) was an infection.

Pregnancies with one kidney are usually normal. Urine test results are practically no different from standard indicators during pregnancy. Urine excretion is not impaired.

Before conception, kidney function and general health women should be carefully examined by a urologist or nephrologist.

General principles of nutrition after kidney removal

After you lose one of your kidneys, your body experiences a certain load, both in its filtration functions and in its metabolism. Diet after removal of the left or right kidney is no different and should be based on certain principles:

  • the daily menu should consist of easily digestible and satisfying food;
  • minimize the consumption of protein foods (meat, fish, legumes and other protein-containing dishes);
  • Fluid intake should be moderate. Daily norm liquids, including soups, tea, juices, etc., should be within 1 liter;
  • Significantly reduce the amount of salt when preparing dishes.


It is not recommended to completely give up carbohydrates and proteins. Their amount in the daily diet should correspond daily norm person. Daily diet must be balanced and fortified. It is recommended to reduce the amount of food consumed at a time, but increase the frequency of intake to 5-6 times a day. It is also recommended to change the way you cook food. Replace fried foods with boiled, stewed, baked ones. Steam bath dishes are especially welcome. They are very easily absorbed by the body, while maximizing the usefulness of the products that were used in preparation.

Special nutrition is used until the body gets used to the absence of one of the kidneys. After adaptation, all new products are introduced into the diet gradually.

When preparing a diet, be sure to consult a nephrologist or nutritionist, because, depending on each individual case, food may vary.

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Kidneys are the most important organs living creature. In their absence or complete removal Without hemodialysis (“artificial kidney”), human life is impossible. To answer the question “Is it possible to live with one kidney?”, first of all, you need to understand the functions of this organ.

Kidneys are paired organs that excrete unnecessary and harmful metabolic products and toxins from the body. Main function:

  • filtration of blood components;
  • excretion from the body by-products metabolism;
  • urine formation.
  1. Direct participation in hematopoiesis.
  2. Osmoregulation - maintaining the proper level of water and the percentage of salts in the body.
  3. Ionoregulation - regulation of the balance of acids and alkalis in the blood plasma.
  4. Metabolism (metabolism) - the formation of vitamins, maintaining the proper level of lipids (fats), carbohydrates and proteins in internal fluids.
  5. Endocrine function - the production of hormones that are responsible for the regulation of the total volume of circulating blood, the production of red blood cells in bone marrow, maintaining the required amount of water in the body.

  1. Aplasia, organ agenesis - underdevelopment or congenital absence of an organ.
  2. Dysplasia is the name of the defect renal tissue which does not allow the body to carry out its functions.
  3. Nephrectomy is the forced surgical removal of an organ. This measure is necessary if there are large cysts on the kidney, urolithiasis With purulent lesions, formation of axalate stones in the organ, serious developmental anomalies, malignant tumor, physical trauma, accompanied by softening of the kidney tissue.
  4. Donating a kidney to another person.
  • magnetic resonance angiography;
  • CT multispectral;
  • CT spiral;
  • angiography - x-ray of the kidneys.

Can they live with one kidney? Definitely yes. When one organ is lost, the other completely takes over its functions, hypertrophies (increases in size), and begins to work with redoubled force. This phenomenon (restorative, compensatory) is the norm for a living organism.

If you can live with one kidney, is it possible to live without them? Today this is also possible. The solution is to install lifelong dialysis (" artificial kidney") or a donor organ transplant. In the second case, one must constantly be wary of kidney rejection, since lymphocytes perceive it as an “enemy” foreign body that needs to be neutralized and destroyed. Therefore, patients take strong immunosuppressants that suppress protective functions their body.

  • impairment of basic renal functions;
  • high blood pressure (hypertension);
  • education in abdominal area adhesions, hernias;
  • recurrence of tumor formation (if the kidney was removed due to damage by cancer cells).

  1. Dairy, fermented milk products- 2-3 times a week. The limitation is due to the calcium content in this food - its high concentration may cause sand to form in the kidney. Low-fat cottage cheese, sour cream, yogurt, and cream are allowed.
  2. Fruits and vegetables. These products, both boiled and fresh, should make up 70-80% of all food consumed. They are easily digestible, contain an optimal set of vitamins, and have a beneficial effect on digestion.
  3. Lipids. Unrefined, cold-pressed varieties are acceptable. vegetable oils: mustard, sesame, sunflower, olive, corn, flaxseed.
  4. Carbohydrates. From simple types The patient is advised to avoid: sugars, sweets, carbonated drinks, baked goods made from white flour. Preference complex carbohydrates: grain black bread, porridge, bran, vegetables.
  5. Squirrels. The amount of protein food consumption (meat, fish - only low-fat varieties, eggs) should be reduced to 2-3 meals per week.
  6. Liquids. In order not to overload the only functioning organ, you should drink no more than 1-1.5 liters of liquid per day. This volume will not overload the kidney and at the same time will help remove all toxins from the body. Preference for vegetables and vegetables diluted with water fruit juices, fruit drinks. Do not overuse strong black and green tea, coffee, meat broths.
  7. Spices. Salt intake should be kept to a minimum.

Fasting, vegetarianism, and a raw food diet are undesirable—such a diet can deprive the kidney of the supporting layer of fat that keeps it tightly in place.

Food should enter the body not hot, not cold, but warm. Products are boiled, baked, stewed. A good option- purchasing a steamer or multicooker. These devices preserve the maximum of healthy and essential microelements, vitamins.

  • quail eggs;
  • low-fat fermented milk products;
  • unsalted hard cheese;
  • pasta from durum wheat;
  • lean fish;
  • cereals;
  • vegetable broths;
  • lean veal, rabbit meat;
  • “white meat” poultry - chicken, turkey;
  • fruit and berry juices, jellies, mousses, cocktails, compotes;
  • bran bread;
  • first courses vegetarian recipes, but with the addition of butter;
  • lettuce, beets, cucumbers, cauliflower, potatoes.

Unhealthy food

  • preservation, home and store-bought, including marinades and pickles;
  • sausages, sausages, smoked meats, semi-finished products;
  • sweets containing white sugar;
  • baked goods made from white flour;
  • sweet carbonated waters;
  • medicinal mineral drinks (especially those containing sodium);
  • any alcohol - even beer;
  • fatty meat and broths made from it;
  • salty, fried, spicy foods;
  • onions, garlic, tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms.

However, you should refrain from strength sports, exhausting training, and professional records. It is also worth paying attention to the athlete’s diet. Shown for bodybuilders and bodybuilders increased consumption protein, which is unacceptable for the diet of a person with one kidney. Sports with increased risk serious injury to a single organ - boxing, football, basketball are also undesirable.

One kidney and pregnancy

Until recently, pregnancy and childbirth with only one kidney were considered fatal for a woman - there was a risk that the organ might fail. Level of modern medical care allows you to get favorable prognosis pregnancy, subject to comprehensive health monitoring (patients with one kidney are susceptible to infections), a certain daily routine - alternating rest and work, proper diet. The only contraindication to pregnancy is kidney removal due to cancer.

  • A person can only be born with one kidney. This condition is called renal agenesis. Another disorder called kidney dysplasia is when a person is born with two kidneys, but only one of them works. Most people who were born without a kidney (or with only one working kidney) can have normal healthy life.
  • A person may have had one kidney removed during surgery or to treat an injury or illness (such as cancer).
  • A person could donate a kidney to another person who needed a transplant.

Interesting. I considered people with one kidney almost disabled. And here there are just small restrictions. Basically, save internal organs from injuries, regardless of the number of kidneys). And I didn’t even suspect that the kidney was growing.
Still, in this case, you need to carefully monitor the quality of the liquids you consume.

One kidney can also affect productive and social life - for example, it will be difficult (if unrealistic) to pass a medical examination for admission to officer schools and police academies. And from a medical point of view, indeed, 1 kidney in the process of human growth becomes “like two” and does not add any discomfort.

I didn’t know that a kidney grows faster if left alone.
Although, what's surprising here? Everything in our body is interconnected, and the work of one organ affects another.

Selling a kidney is not an option... Of course, anything can happen and sometimes you have to get out of it, but I would start from the head. It's a pity that she is the only one with us)))

A friend of mine had a kidney removed about 4-5 years ago, and after this time he feels quite normal. The only thing is that you have to limit yourself in many ways so as not to overload. Of course, he was removed due to illness, but if you look on the Internet, many people simply remove it to make money, this is complete stupidity!

When you are approaching 50 years old and remember the removal of a kidney for a new iPhone, you will obviously hate yourself for it.

What if you remove a kidney not for the sake of your iPhone, but for the sake of being with your children?

You may not need to stick to a diet, but alcohol is probably prohibited? Poor people!

You can live your whole life without even knowing about it and die from a completely different disease... Before, when there was no ultrasound, this was practically the case.

Hello. I live with one kidney and my blood pressure sometimes increases. This is fine?

It is important here to take into account your age and period, how long you have been missing a kidney, and how often problems with blood pressure are observed.
Many people now suffer from hypertension and prehypertension, and unhealthy kidneys are one of the most common causes. The absence of one kidney may also be a cause of high blood pressure, but it usually takes long time. Those. It usually takes several years after the loss of a kidney for blood pressure to be affected.
You should definitely see a doctor who, if necessary, will prescribe medications to treat or maintain normal blood pressure. After all high pressure affects the health of the kidneys themselves, and can further aggravate the problem.
Try to follow a proper diet (minimum salty, sweet, fatty, spicy). But I think you yourself know what is harmful to the kidneys. Within a couple of days I will publish an article about what you should not eat to maintain normal blood pressure. In the meantime, you can find out which foods can lower blood pressure. which foods can lower blood pressure. But don't look at the pepper there.

I went into the army with one kidney, served in the Far East and also in the Marine Corps!

Hello Alexander.. I also live with one kidney, I also served in the Army, I’m 33 years old, I’d like to exchange impressions... 89199342434 I have Viber registered on this number, if you read my letter write to me, because calling that number won’t work, I’m not going anywhere in Tajikistan

I don’t think anyone would be happy to have one kidney... Problems in later life are well off, but there’s nothing you can do about it if fate has such an attitude towards you (

Good day everyone. My kidney was removed when I was in first grade (I was born this way), one functioned stably, but the second did not develop at all. After a consultation, they said it needed to be removed (there was no sense in it), I had to have an operation. The rehabilitation course lasted almost 2 years (I was very worried). I studied at home and thought it was the end of my whole life. They convinced me that I was disabled, everything was forbidden to me (I was 6 years old at the time, at that age you would believe anything) I limited myself in everything. By the age of 11, I began to get tired of this; without listening to anyone, I started playing sports, began to harden myself, that is, I did everything so that my body would be ready for any surprises in life. At 13, I started powerlifting; my parents were categorically against it, but I stubbornly decided to live a full, healthy life (after a couple of years they accepted it) this moment I’m 23 years old, more than 17 years have passed since the operation, I still do powerlifting and lead a completely healthy lifestyle - I forgot the last time I went to the hospital - even a simple runny nose hasn’t bothered me for about 5 years now. Problems arise only in Employment - the army has disappeared - any physical work prohibited - everything related to posture organs is completely prohibited. Otherwise, I live a completely full, active life and don’t pay attention to anything. So many years after the operation, my kidney has increased in size by 2 times and is functioning at 2 times with 100% efficiency. That's just in recent years 2nd my blood pressure began to rise significantly. I don’t feel it at all, but every time I check it, the standard is almost always 150-160 to 80-90. But the most unpleasant thing I’m afraid of is the heartbeat - 100-110, the current is almost always, no matter whether I do anything or not. But all this does not bother me at all and is not felt in my life. In general, if you have one kidney, then you shouldn’t bury yourself, live a full, healthy life. Everything will be fine with you - good luck and have a nice life)

Hello. I am very pleased with your attitude towards life and observance healthy image life. This will help many who read your story. This example is very important.
But something needs to be done about the pressure. This is a very large load on the cardiovascular system, which can have a significant impact in the future. It is better to consult a doctor, because there will be less harm from taking certain types antihypertensive drugs than from hypertension without treatment. Most often, such drugs are prescribed for upper pressure from 160, but if you have repeatedly noticed 150, then it is quite possible that it often jumps to this level (especially during training). But even worse is your difference in upper and lower pressure ( pulse pressure), usually a person even feels much worse. In any case, in order to ensure the presence of deviations, it is necessary to measure blood pressure repeatedly over a period of time.
And the sport you chose for yourself is not very useful. I don’t argue, it is one of the most exciting and has a lot of advantages, but not for health in general. Cardio exercise is much more beneficial for of cardio-vascular system, and forceful ones, if used incorrectly, have a detrimental effect on it. But I think you will have more experience in this than I do, since it is clear that you clever man. Please consult a therapist about this.
And thank you again for the wonderful example.

Cardio exercises are mandatory, because only with their help can you make the heart muscles elastic and stronger. However, read articles on this subject (how to properly train your heart). Pressure, according to at least, it should get better. By the way, cardio training, as you probably know, helps to develop the relief, and your body is most likely pretty well pumped.
ZY I am proud of people who do not despair, but always move forward. Good luck to you!

I have an almost similar story :) I studied at school, practiced boxing and wrestling. After finishing school, he entered military school, at school he was an excellent student in sports and hand-to-hand combat:), after graduation I ended up serving in a special unit, fought, after for a long time worked as a force officer training instructor special purpose, while actively involved in sports and training like crazy! Every day I had to endure a huge physical exercise! At the age of 30, I quit my job and went to work as a civilian, but at the same time I continue to actively engage in Thai boxing, swim, run, I really like to take a steam bath, and sometimes I dive into an ice hole :). I never smoked or drank alcohol in my life... During my studies at school and at the military school there were two very severe inflammation lungs, THANK GOD, everything worked out. And then, at the age of 39, I was admitted to the hospital with suspected appendicitis and upon examination they did not find appendicitis, but a thorough examination revealed that I did not have a right kidney and never had one and I didn’t even know about it! Why am I telling this, many people become despondent and believe that everyone... they are inferior people. This is all wrong! Of course, if my parents had known from childhood that I had such a situation, they would probably have tied me to the sofa and forbidden me to do anything else, but the thing is that no one knew this... And I had to freeze in the snow during shooting and In classes, I also had to lie down for a long time and endure loads that were simply not human, and everything would have been wonderful. So don’t be upset, life doesn’t stop there! Of course, you need to monitor your diet and lifestyle, but you shouldn’t be discouraged. In conclusion, I want to say that THANK GOD I have a wife and two wonderful children, and absolutely healthy ones.
live life to the fullest and be happy :), MAY THE LORD GOD HELP US ALL!

Hello, my son, born from twins, had this problem! He is now 20 years old and I first found out about this a month ago and only because they began to examine my son about his increased blood pressure: 170/100 is the average daily pressure, I am very worried about what’s next! Urine and blood tests are good. In the future, the urologist told me there may be problems with erection and ejaculation, since there is only one ureter. Do you need a donor kidney?

I suffered with blood pressure for a long time. Doctors said it was because of nerves. But it turned out to be a kidney. So trust our doctors.

Hello. I have a question: is there any disability group or not? If not, why? In Russia they immediately give you the second group.

And it turns out that they won’t give you disability or what? If an elderly person has had kidney cancer removed, will they be given disability or not?

The issue of assigning disability in Russia is regulated by the Order of the Ministry of Labor and social protection Russian Federation dated September 29, 2014 N 664n.
According to this regulatory act, many factors play a role: how the absence of a kidney affects health, how much time has passed since removal and its cause, how it affects limitations in life (self-care, etc.). It is difficult to describe everything briefly, especially since the decision is made by a commission of specialists, which takes all this into account and may not always be as objective as possible. But we can highlight the main points:
1. If the only kidney is its own and there are no health problems with the second one or its damage is insignificant, then this is considered a 30% impairment of the functions of the human body (I degree). Those. This minor violations and the group most likely will not be given if there are also no restrictions on life activities.
2. If there are more serious violations in the functioning of another kidney - this is already 60-100% dysfunction of the human body (III-VI degree), then here the second or first disability group should already be assigned.
3. When transplanting a single functioning kidney, the first 2 years are 90-100% impaired in the body’s functions (VI degree), i.e. This is disability group I. After these two years - 50% (II degree), which means already the 3rd disability group.
4. After removal of the malignant renal pelvis or tumor, it all depends on the stage of the formation itself at which it was when removed. But in the first 2-5 years there is at least 50% dysfunction of the human body (II degree), i.e. at least 3rd disability group.

For more details, see the order itself, which is linked at the beginning of the comment.

My son had a kidney removed at six months, there are restrictions on food and physical activity. Regarding disability, yes, they gave me a disability, but every year they hint that I have healthy child and they won’t extend it for the next year...But: based on the law, every year I talk about restrictions. When they ask what limitations he has in his life, I answer simply: my son wants to play hockey, but he can’t. They fall silent. And I add: any A nephrologist will confirm that until a person grows up, no one can guarantee that the only kidney will develop correctly and what we will see at 25-30 years old. Therefore, until this age, there should be no talk of removing disability.

Hi all. I have had 1 kidney since birth. I only found out about this in the army at the end of my service. I served normally and live without any restrictions. Before the army, there was a time when I drank a lot and nothing happened. After he returned, he quit and continued to play sports. I run marathons easily at an average pace in 3.5-4 hours, I ride a bike for 150 km, I’ve been boarding and skiing for 6 years. So my advice to everyone with a similar anomaly is to forget it and live normally, as you want.

I only found out about my missing kidney when I was 20 when I was drafted into the army, is this normal? If it weren’t for the call, I would never have known that I was born without a right kidney. Of course they didn’t take me into the army

Is it possible to engage in diving with one kidney and, in general, underwater diving in general, which involves long-term air retention? Is this beneficial or is it the other way around?

Hello, Yuri.
Sorry for the delay - I just arrived and haven't been at my PC for a week.
If the kidney functions normally and satisfies the body's needs for filtering and hormonal functions, then this is not a contraindication for diving, and therefore will not have a negative impact on health.
But in case of renal failure (when we're talking about about a person on hemodialysis), then the situation here is different. If the kidney does not fully cope with filtration, then substances such as urea nitrogen and creatinine are not removed from the blood and their amount is increased. This leads to a dullness of the sensorium (the ability to sense), deterioration of perception and a decrease in underwater skills. But here, too, everything is individual and there are no exact figures, since increased level of these substances in the blood can have different effects on different people.
Therefore, if there is no hypertension, which often accompanies kidney problems, and normal tests for urea nitrogen and creatinine, then there are no visible obstacles to diving.

I read all the comments, I also found out at the age of 27, just like you, I never refused anything in my life, there was a time when I drank full program, but I’ve stopped drinking for 4 years now, I don’t drink alcohol at all, I lead a healthy lifestyle, I have 4 children, two twins. I work as a builder, I used to work as a mason, but now I’m a foreman and have opened my own business. I’ve never had any health problems, but lately my blood pressure has also been reported to be 140-90, 150,160. I don’t understand, it’s because nervous work or from the kidneys I don’t know for sure... But my character is also sugar, in general, thank God at 33 I feel great, but I’m thinking about the future, for example after 50 years, if God forbid we live as it will... Thank you all

I have been living with one kidney (right) for 19 years. You can live on nothing. Yes, there are restrictions, but basically I live like everyone else. Sometimes I even forget that I have one kidney. Working pressure 90/60.

Hello. I had grade 3 hydronephrosis. There were no signs, no pain, I found out when I had a medical examination! They said we need to wait because it’s like a time bomb! Your second kidney has long ago taken over the function of both kidneys, so you don’t have to worry, but when you hear all these restrictions, recommendations and all that, it’s scary.

I also had hydronephrosis and found out about it at the age of 20. Since childhood, at the age of 12, pain began on the left side, the pain did not go away for 7.8 hours, painkillers saved me. When asked by doctors, they always said ulcer or gastritis, the last time it started very severe pain. I started to do an examination and it turned out that there was a hostile anomaly in the development of the urinary tract, the artery was tied up with the urinary tract and the kidney had difficulty draining fluid. The doctors said the kidney had not worked for three years and the right one had already taken over the work in two years. The kidney was removed, almost three months have passed now, I feel good, I rarely have high blood pressure. I can say one thing that life after the birth has not changed much, of course for the first 1.5 years if the restrictions need to be adhered to. If someone still has to deal with this, there is nothing fatal here, and as they write that you won’t live long or are disabled, don’t believe this is the speculation of people who have not encountered this, and any professional doctor will say that you will be fine in the future. The main thing is to monitor your health in time.

Kidneys are the most important organs of a living being. If they are absent or completely removed without hemodialysis (“artificial kidney”), human life is impossible. To answer the question “Is it possible to live with one kidney?”, first of all, you need to understand the functions of this organ.

Characteristics of the kidneys

Kidneys are paired organs that remove unnecessary and harmful metabolic products and toxins from the body. Main function:

filtration of blood components; excretion of metabolic by-products from the body; formation of urine.

But these are not all the tasks that the kidneys perform in the body. Their additional functions:

Direct participation in hematopoiesis. Osmoregulation - maintaining the proper level of water and the percentage of salts in the body. Ionoregulation - regulating the balance of acids and alkalis in the blood plasma. Metabolism (metabolism) - formation of vitamins, maintaining the volume of lipids (fats), carbohydrates and proteins at the proper level in internal fluids. Endocrine function - the production of hormones that are responsible for regulating the total volume of circulating blood, the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow, and maintaining the required amount of water in the body.

Possible reasons for the absence of an organ

According to statistics, 0.05% of people, which is approximately every fifth out of 10 thousand, live with one kidney, without even knowing it. A person may have a single organ for a number of reasons:

Aplasia, agenesis of an organ is underdevelopment or congenital absence of an organ. Dysplasia is the name given to a defect of the kidney tissue that does not allow the organ to perform its functions. Nephrectomy is the forced surgical removal of an organ. This measure is necessary in the presence of large cysts on the kidney, urolithiasis with purulent lesions, the formation of axalate stones in the organ, serious developmental anomalies, a malignant tumor, physical trauma accompanied by softening of the kidney tissue. Donation of a kidney to another person.

Diagnosis of the first two cases is carried out using the following methods:

magnetic resonance angiography; multispectral CT; spiral CT; angiography-x-ray of the kidneys.

Features of the functioning of one organ

Can they live with one kidney? Definitely yes. When one organ is lost, the other completely takes over its functions, hypertrophies (increases in size), and begins to work with redoubled force. This phenomenon (restorative, compensatory) is the norm for a living organism.

If you can live with one kidney, is it possible to live without them? Today this is also possible. The solution is to install lifelong dialysis (artificial kidney system) or transplant a donor organ. In the second case, one must constantly be wary of kidney rejection, since lymphocytes perceive it as an “enemy” foreign body that needs to be neutralized and destroyed. Therefore, patients take strong immunosuppressants that suppress the protective functions of their body.

Is it possible to live with one kidney: consequences

The vast majority of patients who have had a kidney removed do not experience serious problems with health. Although a person undergoes a number of difficulties in the postoperative and rehabilitation stage, the presence of one organ instead of a pair does not affect his life expectancy in any way. Therefore, the question “How long can they live without a kidney?” incorrect.

The consequences may be as follows:

violation of basic renal functions; high blood pressure (hypertension); formation of adhesions and hernias in the abdominal region; relapse of tumor formation (if the kidney was removed due to damage by cancer cells).

How to live with one kidney after surgery: patients should periodically visit a nephrologist, take biochemical tests to monitor the functioning of the organ 1-2 times a year. Sometimes recommended CT scan. A person becomes fully able to work after two months of rehabilitation. A woman with one kidney can survive childbirth normally and give birth to a healthy baby.

The main rules of a fulfilling life

How to live fully with one kidney:

How to live with one kidney at full capacity? Follow a certain diet. It reduces the load on the only functioning organ and the urinary system as a whole, helping to recover faster.

In the first 24 hours after surgery, the patient is asked to completely stop eating. Two hours after nephrectomy, mouth rinsing is allowed, taking small quantity water. Since kidney removal is sometimes accompanied by intestinal dysfunction, appropriate measures are prescribed to stabilize its functions. medicines and special meals.

The main conditions of the diet during the rehabilitation period:

Dairy, fermented milk products - 2-3 times a week. The limitation is due to the calcium content in this food - its high concentration can cause the formation of sand in the kidney. Low-fat cottage cheese, sour cream, yogurt, cream are allowed. Fruits and vegetables. These products, both boiled and fresh, should make up 70-80% of all food consumed. They are easily digestible, contain an optimal set of vitamins, and have a beneficial effect on digestion. Lipids. Unrefined cold-pressed vegetable oils are acceptable: mustard, sesame, sunflower, olive, corn, flaxseed. Carbohydrates. The patient is advised to avoid simple types: sugars, sweets, carbonated drinks, baked goods made from white flour. Preference for complex carbohydrates: grain black bread, porridge, bran, vegetables. Proteins. The amount of protein food consumption (meat, fish - only low-fat varieties, eggs) should be reduced to 2-3 meals per week. Liquids. In order not to overload the only functioning organ, you should drink no more than 1-1.5 liters of liquid per day. This volume will not overload the kidney and at the same time will help remove all toxins from the body. Preference for vegetable and fruit juices and fruit drinks diluted with water. Do not overuse strong black and green tea, coffee, meat broths. Spices. Salt intake should be kept to a minimum.

Fasting, vegetarianism, and a raw food diet are undesirable - such a diet can deprive the kidney of the supporting layer of fat, thanks to which it stays tightly in place.

Food should enter the body not hot, not cold, but warm. Products are boiled, baked, stewed. A good option is to purchase a double boiler or multicooker. These devices retain a maximum of useful and essential microelements and vitamins in cooked dishes.

Preference is given to fresh products. When storing them, you need to pay attention to its conditions and freezing rules. Eat several times a day in small portions, at the same time.

quail eggs; low-fat fermented milk products; unsalted hard cheese; pasta from durum wheat; lean fish; cereals; vegetable broths; lean veal, rabbit meat; “white meat” poultry - chicken, turkey; honey; fruit and berry juices, jelly , mousses, cocktails, compotes; bran bread; first courses according to vegetarian recipes, but with the addition of butter; lettuce, beets, cucumbers, cauliflower, potatoes.

Unhealthy food

How to live with one kidney without problems? Completely avoid the following products:

canned food, home and store-bought, including marinades and pickles; sausages, sausages, smoked meats, semi-finished products; sweets containing white sugar; baked goods made from white flour; sweet carbonated waters; medicinal mineral drinks (especially those containing sodium); any alcohol - even beer; fatty meat and broths made from it; salted, fried, spicy foods; onions, garlic, tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms.

Undesirable: legumes, fish, meat broths, salted cheeses, milk chocolate, sorrel, celery, parsley, radish, radishes.

When talking about how to live correctly with one kidney, it is impossible not to mention playing sports. Hiking, cycling, cross-country skiing, skating, swimming pool exercises, horseback riding will definitely benefit you. physiotherapy, fitness, morning exercises. The kidneys “love” circular rotations of the body and bending.

However, you should refrain from strength sports, exhausting training, and professional records. It is also worth paying attention to the athlete’s diet. Bodybuilders and bodybuilders are advised to increase their protein intake, which is unacceptable for the diet of a person with one kidney. Sports with an increased risk of serious injury to a single organ - boxing, football, basketball - are also undesirable.

One kidney and pregnancy

Until recently, pregnancy and childbirth with only one kidney were considered deadly for a woman - there was a risk that the organ might fail. The level of modern medical care makes it possible to obtain a favorable pregnancy prognosis subject to comprehensive health monitoring (patients with one kidney are susceptible to infections), a certain daily routine - alternating rest and work, and a proper diet. The only contraindication to pregnancy is kidney removal due to cancer.

How long do people with one kidney live? No less than those having such a paired organ. As for any other person, life expectancy is influenced by hereditary data, ecology, lifestyle, addiction to bad habits, and the presence of other diseases.

Most people live normal, healthy lives with one kidney. However, it is important to take care to stay as healthy as possible and take care.

Why can people have one kidney?

There are three main reasons why a person may only have one kidney:

A person can only be born with one kidney. This condition is called renal agenesis. Another disorder called kidney dysplasia is when a person is born with two kidneys, but only one of them works. Most people who are born without a kidney (or with only one working kidney) can lead normal, healthy lives. A person may have had one kidney removed during surgery or to treat an injury or illness (such as cancer). A person could donate a kidney to another person who needed a transplant.

What if I was born with only one “working” kidney?

If you were born with only one normal kidney, or if one kidney was damaged or removed during childhood, the remaining kidney will grow faster and become larger than normal. The remaining bud can grow to become almost the same size as the two buds combined. This helps it do all the work that two kidneys would normally do.

This growth is called “compensatory” or “restorative”. It happens in different ways: may be the result of accelerated cell division or an increase in the size of the cells themselves. For example, if one kidney is removed, the number of cells in the other increases at an increased rate. Eventually, the remaining bud may enlarge until it is as large as the two combined. In other words, one healthy kidney can do the work of two.

Can a transplanted kidney work for two?

Yes. Careful testing has shown that the transplanted kidney can also increase in size and function. She can achieve a level of functioning that is approximately 40 percent greater than normal level for one kidney.

What does living with one kidney mean in the future?

In general, most people with one healthy kidney have minor problems all the time. However, some problems have also been occasionally observed in the long term.

Some people who were born with one kidney, or had one removed as a child, have a chance of having kidney problems later in life. This usually occurs after 25 years or more. There is also a chance to have increased blood pressure at a later age (suffer from hypertension). However, the loss of kidney function is usually not significant and life expectancy is not greatly affected. Most people with one kidney live healthy lives normal life with a few minor restrictions.

How often should a person with one kidney be tested?

Kidney function should be checked at least once a year. Enough for this simple analysis urine and blood. You should also measure your blood pressure at least once a year unless there is a specific reason to do it more often.

Can a person with one kidney play sports?

Physical exercise– this is health and benefit for everyone. However, it is important for a person with one kidney to be careful and protect it from injury. This recommendation applies to everyone, regardless of the reason for having one kidney, whether these are people who were born with one kidney or donors. Some doctors think it's best to avoid contact types sports such as football, boxing, hockey, soccer, martial arts, or struggle.

Wearing protective clothing, such as a vest under your clothes, can help protect your kidneys from injury during sports. This may help reduce the risk, but does not eliminate it! It's worth talking to your doctor if you (or your child) are interested in participating in contact sports. You should always think about the risks associated with any activity and carefully consider whether they outweigh the benefits.

Do I need to follow a special diet with one kidney?

Most people with one healthy kidney do not need to adhere to special diet. If you have one kidney due to a transplant due to a medical condition or renal failure, then some restrictions on food are possible. If you have questions about your diet, you should talk to your doctor or dietitian.

People who donate a kidney can live as long as those who don't. After the first documented kidney transplant in the US, study shows procedure carries negligible long-term risk medical risk for the donor. Therefore, answering the question “How long can you live with one kidney?”, we can say that this has little effect on the duration and quality of life.

This will also help you make sure Interesting Facts about kidneys and their transplantation.

Often people who have one kidney live for many years without getting sick, and only accidentally find out that from birth they have one functioning organ. Living with one kidney requires following certain rules that can help you stay healthy for many years. It is believed that one kidney can take on the functions of two. At the same time, people do not have to greatly limit themselves in their actions and change their lifestyle. For such a person, playing sports is not contraindicated, and moderate physical labor is even necessary. Women do not have to give up pregnancy: they have a chance, with the help of doctors, to carry and give birth to a healthy child, and then calmly care for him. No negative consequences appear.

How does one kidney function?

The kidneys are a paired organ. They accumulate toxins and waste, after which they are excreted in the urine. The kidneys must work well; blood pressure and the amount of fluid in the cells depend on this. If both organs are healthy, the loads are distributed evenly. When the performance of one of the kidneys decreases or is lost, almost all functions are taken over by the other. The consequences of this are an increase in size, which is a physiological norm. There are several reasons for the absence of one of the kidneys: a congenital anomaly (agenesis or aplasia) or surgical removal in case of incurable diseases of this organ (nephrectomy). How long do they live with one organ? By observing some dietary restrictions, giving up bad habits and following a routine, a person can live a full life with one kidney. If the remaining organ functions without impairment, then they do not become disabled for medical reasons.

It happens that patients lose both kidneys. What to do in this case, what is the solution? Here, either lifelong hemodialysis or transplantation of a healthy organ from a donor can save you. The main problem of people living with a transplanted kidney is the constant danger of rejection. In this case, the immune system perceives the new organ as a foreign body, and lymphocytes begin trying to destroy it. The method of preventing rejection is modern immunosuppressants that suppress the immune system. If you follow the rules, then life with a single kidney, even a transplant, will be acceptable. The transplanted kidney will work in two if you monitor your weight, take the prescribed medications in full, follow the recommendations of the transplantologist, and get tested regularly. You also need a lifelong diet from which alcohol is excluded.

Most people live normal, healthy lives with one kidney. However, it is important to take care to stay as healthy as possible and take care.

There are three main reasons why a person may only have one kidney:

  • A person can only be born with one kidney. This condition is called renal agenesis. Another disorder called kidney dysplasia is when a person is born with two kidneys, but only one of them works. Most people who are born without a kidney (or with only one working kidney) can lead normal, healthy lives.
  • A person may have had one kidney removed during surgery or to treat an injury or illness (such as cancer).
  • A person could donate a kidney to another person who needed a transplant.

What if I was born with only one “working” kidney?

If you were born with only one normal kidney, or if one kidney was damaged or removed during childhood, the remaining kidney will grow faster and become larger than normal. The remaining bud can grow to become almost the same size as the two buds combined. This helps it do all the work that two kidneys would normally do.

This growth is called “compensatory” or “restorative”. This happens in different ways: it may be the result of accelerated cell division or an increase in the size of the cells themselves. For example, if one kidney is removed, the number of cells in the other increases at an increased rate. Eventually, the remaining bud may enlarge until it is as large as the two combined. In other words, one healthy kidney can do the work of two.

Can a transplanted kidney work for two?

Yes. Careful testing has shown that the transplanted kidney can also increase in size and function. It can achieve a level of functioning that is approximately 40 percent greater than the normal level for a single kidney.

What does living with one kidney mean in the future?

In general, most people with one healthy kidney have minor problems all the time. However, some problems have also been occasionally observed in the long term.

Some people who were born with one kidney, or had one removed as a child, have a chance of having kidney problems later in life. This usually occurs after 25 years or more. There is also a chance of having high blood pressure later in life (suffering from hypertension). However, the loss of kidney function is usually not significant and life expectancy is not greatly affected. Most people with one kidney live healthy, normal lives with a few minor limitations.

How often should a person with one kidney be tested?

Kidney function should be checked at least once a year. A simple urine and blood test is enough to do this. You should also measure your blood pressure at least once a year unless there is a specific reason to do it more often.

Is it possible for a person with one kidney?

Physical exercise is healthy and beneficial for everyone. However, it is important for a person with one kidney to be careful and protect it from injury. This recommendation applies to everyone, regardless of the reason for having one kidney, whether these are people who were born with one kidney or donors. Some doctors believe it is best to avoid contact sports such as soccer, boxing, hockey, soccer, martial arts, or wrestling.

Wearing protective clothing, such as a vest under your clothes, can help protect your kidneys from injury during sports. This may help reduce the risk, but does not eliminate it! It's worth talking to your doctor if you (or your child) are interested in participating in contact sports. You should always think about the risks associated with any activity and carefully consider whether they outweigh the benefits.

Do I need to follow a special diet with one kidney?

Most people with one healthy kidney do not need to follow a special diet. If you have one kidney due to a transplant due to disease or kidney failure, then there may be some dietary restrictions. If you have questions about your diet, you should talk to your doctor or dietitian.

People who donate a kidney can live as long as those who don't. Following the first documented kidney transplant in the United States, a study shows the procedure carries little long-term medical risk to the donor. Therefore, answering the question “How long can you live with one kidney?”, we can say that this has little effect on the duration and quality of life.