IG Live 02.05.2025 – DPC Education Center’s Healthcare Consultant, Velma Scantlebury, MD, went Live on Instagram to answer your kidney related questions. February is American Heart Month, and it's crucial to remember that kidney disease is closely linked to heart health. Dr. Scantlebury talks about the particular importance of heart health for dialysis and transplant patients, as well as when you can be referred back to your nephrologist after transplant, what to do if a transplant center does not qualify you, and many other kidney-related topics.

For American Heart Month, Dr. Scantlebury highlighted the importance of hearth health for both dialysis and kidney transplant patients. One of the most important things in working up anyone who is on dialysis or trying to get on the transplant list is to take a look at heart health. If you’re on dialysis, make sure you’re compliant with your volumes so there is as little stress on your heart as possible. It’s also important to make sure that you stay up to date with your screenings to make sure your heart is able to support you when you’re called up for a transplant and to get issues worked out before that time.

Dr. Scantlebury also discusses how the timeline post-transplant will be different for everyone. Though there is no set time that works for everyone to be referred back to their nephrologist after getting a transplant, typically, patients are referred back after six months. Many things can impact this though, such as if the kidney is slow to take after transplant or if a patient starts to show signs of rejection. The care team at your transplant center will see you every two weeks post-transplant and monitor your recovery. She also talks about getting listed at multiple transplant centers as well as some reasons you might qualify at one transplant center but not another, and how you can go about finding another center.

If you have your own questions you’d like to have the doctor answer, tune in for our Live events on both Instagram and Facebook:

- IG Live @patientcitizens the first Wednesday of each month, 12:30pm EST
- Facebook Live www.facebook.com/patientcitizens the third Wednesday of each month, 12:30pm EST

Happy New Year and welcome back to Kidney Questions for the Doctor! DPC Education Center’s Healthcare Consultant, Velma Scantlebury, MD, went Live on Facebook this month to answer your kidney related questions. Post-holidays can be a bit gloomy, so Dr. Scantlebury talks a bit about seasonal depression, staying up-to-date on your screenings and testing for transplant, emergency preparedness, and many other kidney-related topics.

Seasonal depression often hits around this time of year because it’s cold and gloomy, the holidays are over, and, if you’re waiting for transplantation, the January and February months tend to be slower in terms of getting called up. Dr. Scantlebury talks about some ways to use this time to your advantage though, including getting up-to-date on required screenings and testing. Even if you aren’t sure you want a transplant or a little warry, getting more information and going through the process is a great way to make sure you are staying on top of your health and address any potential issues early on so they don’t become larger problems down the road.

Dr. Scantlebury also answers a patient question on emergency preparedness. Given the increase in natural disasters and extreme weather that have been occurring, it’s important for patients to have plan for what to do if they need to evacuate their home or if they aren’t able to dialyze on their normal schedule. If you are eligible for a 90-day supply of your medications, make sure to take advantage of that and have the extra in an easily accessible location, along with other emergency supplies such as non-perishable food, a can opener, candles, matches, etc. It’s also important to make a plan with family or friends so you have a known location you can travel to and make arrangements with a nearby center to receive treatment there. If you aren’t able to dialyze as you normally would or have to miss a treatment, it is important to minimize your fluid intake so that you don’t overload your heart.

We invite you to join us for our live events and ask your kidney-related questions! Find us on both Instagram and Facebook:

- IG Live @patientcitizens the first Wednesday of the month, 12:30pm EST
- Facebook Live www.facebook.com/patientcitizens the third Wednesday of the month, 12:30pm EST

IG Live 12.04.2024 – DPC Education Center’s Healthcare Consultant, Velma Scantlebury, MD, Live on Instagram to answer your kidney related questions. December is a huge time for gathering with friends and family, so Dr. Scantlebury talks about staying healthy and the best ways to protect both yourself and others from getting sick. This month, she also discusses treating COVID infections in transplant patients, heart failure and kidney disease, and many other kidney-related topics.

We are well into the holiday season and hopefully spending lots of time with family, friends, and loved ones. As we continue to gather, it’s important to remember that the best way you can protect both yourself and others from getting sick is to get vaccinated, even if you yourself are not in a high-risk group. Additional steps that you can take are to wash your hands frequently, wear a mask if you are going to be inside or in poorly ventilated/highly populated areas, use hand sanitizer, and to stay home if you are feeling sick. On the topic of illnesses, Dr. Scantlebury also discusses treating COVID infections for transplant patients. It’s important to test yourself at the first signs of illness and, if you test positive, call your doctor so they can call in medication that will help you get over COVID faster. Because there is a risk of rejection, it is important to get your labs done as soon as safely possible after you’ve recovered so your healthcare team can monitor you closely and look out for any signs of rejection.

Dr. Scantlebury also talks about heart disease and kidney disease, and the importance of managing your fluids when on dialysis to minimize the strain put on your heart. Underlying diabetes or high blood pressure are also contributing factors to developing heart disease, so it is important to talk to your doctor and be monitored closely, including getting an echocardiogram, to make sure your heart function isn’t being negatively impacted.

If you have your own questions you’d like to have the doctor answer, tune in for our Live events on both Instagram and Facebook:

- IG Live @patientcitizens the first Wednesday of each month, 12:30pm EST
- Facebook Live www.facebook.com/patientcitizens the third Wednesday of each month, 12:30pm EST

FB Live – November 20th: DPC Education Center’s Healthcare Consultant, Velma Scantlebury, MD, Live on Facebook to answer your kidney related questions. We have officially entered into the holiday season, which means lots of gatherings with friends and family and lots of holiday foods. Dr. Scantlebury talks about the importance of being up to date on your vaccines, washing your hands, and even wearing a mask to keep yourself protected from illnesses, as well as watching your sodium and phosphorous intake. She also discusses why O positive blood types are the most difficult to transplant, post-transplant surveillance, and many other kidney-related topics.

With the holiday season comes lots of indoor gatherings with friends and family. One of the best ways to protect your health during this time is to make sure that you are up to date with all vaccines recommended by your doctor. Washing your hands often is also a great way to protect your health, and even consider wearing a mask while indoors to help keep yourself and those around you protected. When it comes to food this time of year, we usually end up straying from our normal diets due to parties and gatherings. While it’s still okay to have some of the richer holiday foods in moderation, it’s important to still monitor your phosphorus and sodium intake, especially if you dialyze in center and might be missing a treatment due to holiday related closures. As always, your healthcare team is a great resource for helping you come up with a plan to stay healthy while also enjoying the holidays with your loved ones.

Dr. Scantlebury also answers a patient question about why O positive patients are difficult to transplant. When looking at blood types, O positive is the most common, and can also give to A, B or O positive patients, but can only receive O positive. So when you think about those listed for transplant, with most people being O positive, there are more people to “compete” with. This is one of the reasons it’s so important to talk to your circle to see if you have a loved one who is a match and would consider being a living donor.

Once a patient is transplanted, they will being post-transplant surveillance, which consists of regular check-ups as well as bloodwork. This is the crucial next step in the process since it isn’t always obvious when a patient goes into rejection. Often times when patients get further out, they will go longer between blood work and check-ups, but it is important to follow your doctors’ guidelines so that if your body does begin to reject your kidney, it can be caught early.

We invite you to join us for our live events and ask your kidney-related questions! Find us on both Instagram and Facebook:

• IG Live @patientcitizens the first Wednesday of the month, 12:30pm EST
• Facebook Live www.facebook.com/patientcitizens the third Wednesday of the month, 12:30pm EST

October 16th: DPC Education Center’s Healthcare Consultant, Velma Scantlebury, MD, was Live on Facebook to answer your kidney related questions. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Dr. Scantlebury talks about the importance of monthly self-exams, as well as mammograms as recommended by your healthcare team. We are also well into fall, so Dr. Scantlebury reminds everyone to make sure they have gotten their recommended vaccines and to make those appointments, if not. She also discusses the importance of mental health and many other kidney-related topics.

Since it is breast cancer awareness month, Dr. Scantlebury starts off our live with a reminder of the importance of staying up to date on mammogram and other cancer screenings, especially if you are on the transplant list. Just because you don’t feel any lumps or massing when doing a self-exam, that doesn’t mean you should skip recommended mammograms. It’s also particularly important to let your doctor know if you have a family history of breast cancer, as you may qualify for an early screening. You can also talk to your doctor about genetic testing for the BRCA, or breast cancer, gene if you have a family history.

We are now well into fall, so if you haven’t gotten your vaccine yet, talk to your doctor and make that appointment! If you have been recently transplanted, make sure you discuss recommendations with your healthcare team and make a plan that works for you. As we move into the colder months, we are gathered more inside, which puts us at higher risk for catching viruses. Especially if you have kids or grandkids that are back at school, it is very common for them to bring home upper respiratory infections, so make sure you are protected.

The colder, darker months are also a time when people might struggle more with their mental health, and it’s important to know you can reach out to friends and family for support. Everyone is different and we aren’t all able to handle situations the same way, so Dr. Scantlebury really encourages everyone to use the resources available to them and talk to a professional if you think you might need help.

We invite you to join us for our live events and ask your kidney-related questions! Find us on both Instagram and Facebook:

- IG Live @patientcitizens the first Wednesday of the month, 12:30pm EST
- Facebook Live www.facebook.com/patientcitizens the third Wednesday of the month, 12:30pm EST

IG Live 10.02.2024 – DPC Education Center’s Healthcare Consultant, Velma Scantlebury, MD, went Live on Instagram to answer your kidney related questions. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Dr. Scantlebury talks about the importance of not only breast cancer screenings for women but staying up-to-date on all cancer screenings for both dialysis and transplant patients. This month, she also discusses some ways to help comfort someone who may be ineligible for a transplant, if you can have your fistula removed after transplant, and many other kidney-related topics.

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Scantlebury highlighted not only how important it is for all women to get screenings when eligible and to do monthly self-exams, but she also discusses the particular importance for kidney patients to say up to date on their cancer screenings. Whether you’re a dialysis patient, on the transplant list, or have had a kidney transplant, adhering to all cancer screening guidelines helps your healthcare team address any possible issues right away and helps keep you eligible for transplant if you are on the transplant list.

When it comes to transplant, though it is often the goal of most patients, there are sometimes that a patient isn’t eligible for a transplant, which can be difficult to hear. Dr. Scantlebury discusses how transplant has a risk/benefit ratio, and how there are still many ways to optimize your function on dialysis and lead a great life. She talks about fistulas and why, usually, they are not removed after transplant and how they can actually be useful for transplant patients sometimes if they need an infusion. Additionally, Dr. Scantlebury talks about needing insulin after a pancreas transplant, embolization of a kidney, and answers many other important patient questions.

If you have your own questions you’d like to have the doctor answer, tune in for our Live events on both Instagram and Facebook:

- IG Live @patientcitizens the first Wednesday of each month, 12:30pm EST
- Facebook Live www.facebook.com/patientcitizens the third Wednesday of each month, 12:30pm EST

FB Live – September 18th: On our September Facebook Live, Dr. Scantlebury talks vaccines and recommendations for the new COVID-19 boosters, flu shots, and more, as well as logistics for traveling while on dialysis, mental health, and many more kidney related topics.

Now that we are solidly into autumn, Dr. Scantlebury reminds us that it is recommended for everyone get their updated COVID and flu vaccines for the year. This is especially important for kidney patients, are they are at a much higher risk of complications from getting sick. Additionally, anyone who is eligible for RSV, shingles, or pneumonia vaccines should also make sure that they talk to their healthcare teams to schedule those. If you are over 65, you’ll likely receive a different flu vaccine that is stronger, but always talk to your doctors if you have any questions or concerns about any recommended vaccinations.

Dr. Scantlebury also talks about some tips for traveling while on dialysis. If you do peritoneal dialysis, you can let your center know where you are going, and they will ship your supplies there ahead of time so you don’t have to lug it with you. For hemodialysis though, make sure you talk to your travel coordinator to help you arrange a transfer to a facility near where you will be traveling and send ahead all necessary paperwork.

In answering a question from a patient during our live event, Dr. Scantlebury discusses some of the mental health challenges that patients can face, such as being afraid of dialysis and the anxiety and depression that can come from having to make a major life change. She highlights the importance of seeking help from friends and family and leaning on them for support, as well as speaking with a professional who can help provide useful tools for working through those feelings, as well as options for patients who need additional mental health help.

We invite you to join us for our live events and ask your kidney-related questions! Find us on both Instagram and Facebook:

- IG Live @patientcitizens the first Wednesday of the month, 12:30pm EST
- Facebook Live www.facebook.com/patientcitizens the third Wednesday of the month, 12:30pm EST