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Anyone having issues with gaining weight after liver transplant?
Transplants | Last Active: Dec 13, 2025 | Replies (23)Comment receiving replies
Hello, my name is Mary and I received a liver transplant in August 2024 at Mayo Scottsdale. My illness came on rather suddenly, and I was extremely ill. I live in Ca and have Kaiser Permente insurance and they contract with the Mayo Clinic. I found out I had end stage liver disease following a fall that lead to a Er visit and then 11 days in ICU with a sodium level of 101. I am very fortunate and thankful to all my medical team members and happy to say, my surgery was very easy with no complications. To this date, and even following a biopsy of my damaged liver, the Dr.’s have no diagnosis of why my liver failed. They called it Cryptogenic. I am doing amazing and feeling well. I am 63, and gaining my strength back was a slow process but I am getting stronger every day. My only issue is weight gain. I did lose a lot of weight prior to my transplant and gained my weight back slowly, until I reached my previous “normal” weight. Since then, I have continued to gain about 4 to5 pounds a month and I am not almost 30 pounds above my average weight. I eat healthy and have followed my dietician advice and am exercising and eating in a calorie deficit as well. I have followed up with my PCP and she has ran thyroid and a few other tests A1C etc, and all are normal. Has anyone else had this experience and if so do you have any suggestions?
Replies to "Hello, my name is Mary and I received a liver transplant in August 2024 at Mayo..."
I had the opposite problem but I would suggest don’t eat anything fried, any fast food of any kind , put a APP on your phone YUKA and scan everything you eat while grocery shopping your going to be surprised the garbage that stores sell, I’m at my weight and keeping it there and swim a mile a day I’m 65 3 years post keep healthy and exercise, my scar wouldn’t let me gain too much weight otherwise I’d be in pain
Also a Kaiser member that went to Mayo Scottsdale. Summer of 2024 I weighed 220 had some issues and lost a little weight before my transplant on 02/06/2025, came home after 4 months in the Casita weighing 150. I am now holding steady in the 170-180 range and feeling good. I eat what I like, just less. Walk about 6 miles per week and diddle around the house during the day. Other than an eye issue just after the transplant and on going, I’m doing great.
I've experienced weight gain as well. My liver transplant was June 27, 2025 at Mayo in Jacksonville. Since the transplant I am experiencing terrible cramps in my hands, forearms, legs, and feet. No one seems to know the definitive cause of these but it makes it difficult to walk and I have now employed a cane. I am trying to do some indoor walking since I can rest when I like rather than be stuck outside and unable to go further. Less exercise, coupled with (until very recently) 40 MG of prednisone and insulin injections likely have caused the weight gain. I look forward to getting better and getting this weight back off.
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Hi Mary. We have some similarities. I also had a liver transplant at Mayo Scottsdale around mid 2024. I am in your age range and like you despite a 9 hour surgery overall things have gone as well as can be expected. I lost weight at the time of the surgery , decided to double down and lost more weight over the next year. However my body has become very stingy with weight with me gaining a little back even when doing everything right. I think for me it is my age and my body has a "set point" of where it wants to be weight wise. Have not given up, will not give up, but despite my wife cooking healthy I am stalled for the moment at being a little heavy and not totally to my ideal weight. All I can advise is keep doing everything right ! (---: Congratulations on your successful surgery ! Best of luck.