What happens if you have one kidney?

Honestly, as someone who barely gets 4 hours of sleep, I'm more worried about my dark circles, but having one kidney just means you have to be extra nice to the remaining one. No heavy drinking, and maybe stop eating those extra salty chips at 2 AM. You can live perfectly fine, just don't overload the poor guy!

I was actually reading up on this because my cousin might have to donate a kidney. Apparently, the remaining kidney actually grows a little larger to do the work of both! It is quite fascinating how the body adapts, but obviously they have to avoid contact sports to prevent any injury.

Hey, don't stress too much about this. My uncle has had only one kidney since birth and he is 65 now, completely fit and fine. Just drink enough water, eat clean, and do your regular health checkups. You've got this, life goes on absolutely normally!

Having a single kidney is very manageable, but you have to be careful with certain medications. Always inform any doctor you visit that you have only one kidney, especially before they prescribe painkillers like NSAIDs. Keep an eye on your blood pressure and stay hydrated.

Please don't listen to people online telling you to drink strange herbal juices to 'cleanse' your single kidney. Some of these home remedies can actually harm your kidney function. Only trust your nephrologist's advice and get your creatinine levels checked regularly through a proper lab.

I lost my left kidney in an accident three years ago, so I have been living with one since then. Frankly, nothing much changes in daily life. I just made some healthy changes like cutting down on junk food and getting a kidney function test done every six months just to be safe.