Use of essential oils for transplant patients

Hi Rosemary - as I mentioned my transplant team only advised me not to ingest them. I’m not on tacrolimus. I get a belatacept infusion monthly instead. I haven’t been advised of any levels being elevated. Also, yes they told me I could take Tylenol which I’ve tried only once since taking it right after my surgery. It doesn’t help with the neck pain and stiffness anyway.

I only use Panado.
My transplant team did not know anything re essential oil use. My one doc said it could be beneficial and another said i need to check my tacrolimus levels. So i figure its due to the use of essential oils perhaps.

@vashti, I is good to hear that you have communicated this with the transplant team. In the very beginning with my transplanted liver and kidney, my team stressed the importance of contacting them with any questions. Even now, my PCP tells me to check with my transplant team when he is not 100% certain about something.
When will you be having your next labs? Will you let me know what you find out?

Vashi, I want to introduce you to other new transplant recipients in a discussion that was recently started by new recipients: Post Transplant Surgery and Early Recovery: What's normal? This link will take you directly to the discussion where you read and say "Hi", and tell us about yourself.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/post-liver-transplant/

I’m 20 years out, thriving with my son’s strong kidney. My transplant team is long in the past... I checked with my Nephrologist, He said, don’t ingest essential oils (he also said I cannot get a tattoo near my transplant site, lol). I trust him and now I use essential oils. I would never ingest them though. I use a combination of oils to make up Thieves Oil and diffuse it in the house. I use eucalyptus oil (diluted in carrier oil) for breathing issues. I use diffused Lavandar and other oils too relieve stress. There are lots of uses! As someone above said, use therapeutic grade oils and get a good book about them. I use “Modern Essentials Handbook”. It is published and distributed by AromaTools. This book is a comprehensive guide to using essential oils: caveat: Do Not Ingest Essential Oils.

Good day

I have been researching the use of essential oils post transplant for so long now and have finally come to my own conclusion, as this topic is such a mystery.

I had a transplant two years ago and have always loved massaging with essential oils. I was a sports massage therapist.
My nephrologists both thought it would be quite beneficial. After using it for 6 months on and off, my tacrolimus levels shot up to 3x what it use to be.
I stopped using it and my bloods stabilized.
I am very sensitive to most meds as is.
Is there anyone who actually has more info on safe oils to use as i am so confused why it would all be seen as a contra-indication.

Regards
Vashti

Hi @vashti, thanks for coming back to report your experiences and conclusions about using essential oils as a transplant recipient. You'll notice that I moved your message to the earlier discussion to keep the topic in one place so to speak as others will be interested in hearing about your experience.

You can see in an earlier post by @keggebraaten, she spoke with transplant pharmacy staff at Mayo. Like you discovered, our pharmacy staff says there have been reports of essential oils used on the skin interacting with prescription medications in unsafe ways. There is not a lot of science done yet on essential oils and prescription medications, so in most cases we do not know if mixing them together is safe or not. If you are using these or wish to do so, you should talk with your transplant care team and your pharmacist. For those who are using the oils, our pharmacy staff recommends always diluting them before putting them on your skin. They also recommend that transplant patients do not use these orally, meaning do not ingest any of the essential oils.

Thank you so much. My transplant team is not familiar with the use of essential oils either. I have spoken to a cosmetic formulator and was told to rather leave them out and to use vegetable carrier oils and butters that are refined without any impurities.
Thank you so much x

@vashti, I have always avoided essential oils because of the uncertainty, and I didn't want to take a risk. I think that the way you described your elevated tacrolimus blood level is evidence that it did indeed affect your medication levels. I am happy that you are keeping your lab schedule! It frightens me to think what might have happened if you had not discovered it early. Do you remember how long it took for your blood levels to return to normal?
Have you tried the vegetable carrier oil or the butter that the cosmetic formulator suggested? Are you satisfied with the results?

Hello @vashi. Thank you for your messages. I am also interested in alternatives to essential oils. Please let us know if you pursue the vegetable carrier oil or butter and how it works for you! Thanks.

Hi. Yes, i am quite sensitive to most medications. I am diabetic on insulin too, so i am a challenge on my own lol.
I have only been using fractionated coconut oil. I use it all over my body and hair too.
I think the essential oils are to potent, too effective and much too concentrated for my immune system. I will let you know as soon as i start formulating with other carrier oils and active ingredients. I am sure that would be fine. Its not as concentrated as the ess oils and extracts.

I used it over a period of 6 months when my levels just increased. My dr reduced my 3mg advagraf to 2mg and i stopped the use of ess oils immediately. Its took a little over 3 weeks to see a significant difference.
I am a special case lol
Everything affects me.
Also grateful i found it before it was too serious.
X