How To Keep Transplant Kidney Healthy

With your transplant, it is important to take care of your overall health. To find out how well your kidney is working, and to watch the levels of immunosuppressive medications, you will also need regular blood tests. This will also help find any possible problems at the earliest. A basic follow up plan is provided at the time of discharge. Follow up visits can be modified by your doctor as per the test reports.

Good transplant outcome is always a team effort—especially when you have a transplant. The people on your healthcare team (Nephrologist, Transplant Surgeon, Counselor and Coordinator) help you most when you work with them as part of the team. Always share your concerns, ask questions, and try to learn about transplant as much as you can. Always Remember, you are the most important part of the team!

Sticking to daily medicine schedule is very important after kidney transplant. This is like creating a new habit, so that you can remember to take your medications on time. Talk to your transplant team if you are having difficulty sticking to your medication schedule with your daily routine. In addition, here are some common concerns to taking medication and ways to overcome them:

Concerns to daily medication

To overcome concerns

I tend to forget to take my medication, especially if: * I am busy doing other things. * I can’t remember whether I’ve taken them already. * I fall asleep or oversleep. * Something disturbs my daily routine like an office phone call or a colleague’s visit. * It is a holiday or celebration. * Nobody reminds me. It’s hard for me to take my medications: * On time. * When others can notice me taking them. * When it is inconvenient to do so due to any reason. I forget to carry them with me when I leave home

* Keep a medication calendar bedside or in sight showing the days/times to take them. * Use a watch or mobile box with alarm or keep a pillbox. * Place medications where they are visible like in a transparent box (but keep out of reach of children or pets). * Schedule your medications at the same time daily i.e. follow same routine daily. * Keep a small etc. supply of medication in your purse, at your desk at work, or other helpful places in a separate box. * Even if you forgot some medicine then take it as soon as it is remembered and then go back taking the medicine as usual and inform your doctor about missed dose.

Generic name	Tips
Tacrolimus	Grapefruit juice need to avoided as it affects how the medication is broken down in the liver.
Cyclosporine	Grapefruit juice need to avoided as it affects how the medication is broken down in the liver.
Prednisone	Best to take with food to avoid stomach upset.
Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF)	Take orally on an empty stomach 1 hour before or 2 hours after the meals.
Sirolimus	Grapefruit juice need to avoided as it affects how the medication is broken down in the liver.
Everolimus	Grapefruit juice need to avoided as it affects how the medication is broken down in the liver.
Azathioprine	Best to take with food to avoid stomach upset.