How long can I live with only one kidney? Know It Here

Shikhar Atri

, Treatments

It is funny to ask, what two organs can do other than one, right? It is known, that they will perform better body functions and you remain healthy. We as a medical tourism company get a lot of inquiries regarding Kidney issues. Some of them revolve around the fact that someone has one kidney.

 

(People Also Like To Read: How Long Can You Live With Kidney Transplant?)

 

The most asked question in this regard is “How long can I live with only one kidney?” At GoMedii International we take care of all the questions that are asked, and help our medical tourists and patients know what they wish to ask.

 

Coming back to the idea and doubt about, how long can I live with only one kidney? On average people say that there is not much of an issue, however, the function of two kidneys when performed with one will have complications, right? Hence, though living with a single kidney is not a big problem, it still has some issues that you might face in the future.

 

The other question that we are asked other than How long can I live with only one kidney, is that what are the reasons that a person can have one kidney. So here are some of the reasons, you can have one kidney.

 

There are a number of reasons you may have just one kidney. These include the following:

 

  • You were born with only one kidney.
  • One of your kidneys was removed (nephrectomy) to treat a medical condition or injury.
  • You’ve had a kidney transplant.
  • You donated a kidney to someone who needed a transplant.
  • You can also have two kidneys but only one that functions, which is the same as having a single kidney.

 

One big difference in outcomes of having one kidney relates to whether you were born with just one kidney versus having lost or donated one. For those born with one kidney, it does the job of both kidneys from day one, often growing into a larger and better functioning kidney.

 

When one kidney is removed or donated, the other kidney does not compensate, and therefore the overall kidney function is decreased by half.

 

How long can I live with only one kidney and what are the shortcomings of the same?

 

If you do not face complications like high blood pressure and diabetes you can manage to live a good life span and normal healthy life. However, despite that, you might have to face some of the following circumstances:

 

You have high chances of getting these and a lot of trouble:

 

  • Develop high blood pressure (hypertension)
  • Lose protein in your urine (proteinuria)
  • Retain fluid

 

The risk of developing mild high blood pressure, fluid retention, and proteinuria is slightly higher if you have one kidney instead of two. This is because a second kidney can compensate and make up for a kidney that has lost some function.

 

Since it has no backup, the loss of function of a single kidney could lead to proteinuria, fluid retention, or high blood pressure earlier than if you had two kidneys.

 

Hence, it is not about “How long can I live with only one kidney?” but more about how well can you live with it. There will be complications and that is why we are here! Come to India and experience the medical services in the country. Choose GoMedii International, NOW!

About GoMedii: GoMedii is a Healthcare Technology Platform That Works Out Your Treatment / Surgery the Way You Need & Plan. A Treatment partner that simplifies the patient journey at every step. Drop Your Queries for the most affordable & world-class treatment options.You may simply download the GoMedii app for Android or iOS.