As the patient heals and recovers health with the help of their new liver, dosages and number of medications are reduced over time.
By six months, it is common to be down to 1 or 2 medications. However, patients will be taking immunosuppression medications for the rest of their lives in virtually all cases. It is vital that these medications are taken as prescribed, in the proper amounts and at the specified times.
Missing medication doses or discontinuing them on one's own can lead to rejection and organ failure. Many medications have side effects. Side effects typical with post-transplant medications include: elevated blood pressure, changes in mood, hair loss or hair growth, elevated blood sugar, bone and muscle weakness, kidney dysfunction, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and headache.
Most patients will experience side effects initially, but these often diminish over time as dosages are reduced.
Although side effects can be troublesome, medications should never be discontinued without the knowledge and agreement of the transplant team. When side effects are severe, the array of medicines can often be adjusted to improve their tolerance. Yes, patients are encouraged to return to work after transplantation. It customarily takes around 3 months before returning to work is feasible. Certain patients will require light-duty assignments temporarily as they reacclimate to the workplace.
Unless there are complications, disability is usually not granted for more than six months after a liver transplant, because the disabling disease has been treated. From the start of the transplant process, patients should consider their long-term employment goals so that they can rejoin the workforce in a timely manner and avoid lapse in health insurance coverage.
Not only is alcohol toxic to the liver, it can also interfere with the metabolization of certain medications. Be aware that many "non-alcoholic" beers do contain some alcohol. Sexual activity can resume early after discharge from the hospital. Because of illness, many patients experience impotence or lack of desire prior to the transplant.
This usually reverses itself after transplant, but a patient's libido tends to return slowly. Immunosuppressed individuals are at greater risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, therefore protective barriers such as condoms should be used unless in a long-term monogamous relationship.
Liver transplants are reasonably safe procedures with good survival rates. These factors include their overall health, lifestyle habits, and additional conditions. Recovery time for people who receive a liver transplant will vary but mean between 3 and 6 months before they can return to everyday activities. As long as they take immunosuppressant drugs, as prescribed for them and make the recommended lifestyle changes, most people can enjoy a good quality of life for decades after liver transplant surgery.
People can often manage fatty liver disease by making dietary changes. Learn which foods to include and avoid in a diet for fatty liver disease. Liver cleanses promise to rid the body of toxins and impurities, but are controversial because there is little science to support their use.
Pain in the upper abdomen on the right side may be due to a liver problem. Here, find out which problems can affect the liver and what treatment is…. Alcoholic liver disease is the primary cause of chronic liver disease in the U. It occurs as a result of chronic excessive…. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is a condition in which fatty deposits build up in the liver. Here, find out what causes it and how to manage it.
How long will I survive after a liver transplant? Medically reviewed by Daniel Murrell, M. Survival rates Waiting for a donor match Procedure Complications Recovery Outlook A liver transplant involves surgically removing a liver that is no longer functioning properly, and replacing it with a healthy liver, or a portion of one, from a donor.
More than 5, people in the United States benefit from a liver transplant each year. There are more than 17, people on the waiting list for a new liver, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing. Other factors include blood type and the presence of disease beyond the liver. To be a candidate for a life-saving liver transplant, the patient must abstain from alcohol and drugs, as well as be both physically and emotionally capable of undergoing a difficult surgery and the complex schedule of medications that will follow liver transplant surgery.
Most people live more than 10 years after a liver transplant and many live for up to 20 years or more. Read more about life after a liver transplant. A liver transplant is a big operation that has a risk of some serious complications.
These can happen during, soon after, or even years afterwards.
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