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After a successful kidney transplant, your new kidney will filter your blood, and you will no longer need dialysis.

To prevent your body from rejecting your donor kidney, you'll need medications to suppress your immune system. Because these anti-rejection medications make your body more vulnerable to infection, your doctor may also prescribe antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal medications.

It is important to take all your medicines as your doctor prescribes. Your body may reject your new kidney if you skip your medications even for a short period of time. Contact your transplant team immediately if you are having side effects that prevent you from taking your medications.

After your transplant, skin self-checks and checkups with a dermatologist to screen for skin cancer and keeping your other cancer screening up-to-date is strongly advised.

Kidney transplant success rates

Survival rates among kidney transplant recipients in U.S. transplant centers can be found online at the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients website.

If your new kidney fails, you can resume dialysis or consider a second transplant. You may also choose to discontinue treatment. If you decide to discontinue treatment, your doctor can give you medicines to help relieve your symptoms. This decision depends on your current health, your ability to withstand surgery and your expectations for maintaining a certain quality of life.