What Are the Disadvantages of Organ Donation?

Donating your organs can save lives and greatly improve the overall health of a person. Making the decision to donate your organs while still living can have both advantages and disadvantages emotionally and even physically. Since donating your organs is a vital decision only you can make on your own, it's important to be informed of any issues that may arise when becoming involved in this type of procedure.

Emotional Trauma

• After undergoing such a traumatic event and procedure of donating an organ, you may experience anger, hostility and possibly even post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD. Depression and anxiety can form after a donation, which may require guidance, as you may be unfamiliar with the results or have a difficult time dealing with the healing process. Patients also sometimes suffer from self-esteem and body confidence issues when losing an organ or undergoing another significant physical change to their bodies. Organ donation also costs money for the donor, which can have a significant impact on one's financial outlook and savings.

Physical Complications

• Being a live donor can include possible physical risks and complications such as infections, nerve damage and even post-op complications. After an organ donation, patients may experience pain for quite some time during healing. In some cases, bleeding may occur along with other problems such as the risk of kidney failure, infections and even a hernia--all depending on the organ you are donating and the risks that are based on you individually. Discuss the risks of each donation operation with your doctor to fully inform yourself before any donation procedure. In some rare cases, living organ donors can potentially die from donating organs---but as with any other traditional surgery, there are always risks involved.

Unsuccessful Transplants

• In some cases, transplants may simply not work with the donor and the recipient, which may lead to emotional trauma for both parties. After undergoing such a difficult and stressful procedure with your body, if the transplant fails it can take a massive toll on your outlook and feelings with the overall donation process. Counseling may help with coping through such a traumatic event.