Hi Amy,
Welcome to Connect. We look forward to getting to know you. Are you a transplant recipient? A donor? What is your interest in transplant?

I am heart transplant recipient 07/17/2015

@amynewheart How wonderful that you received a new heart almost 2 years ago now. How are you doing? Teresa

Last couplemonths have been rough. Have been hospitalized three times for rejection 🙁 Had a biopsy this week and it came back as a grade 2, doctors made no changes to meds and i will have repeat biopsy in August

@amynewheart I am sorry to hear about the rejection problem, Amy. That must be very discouraging. I'm not a transplant recipient myself, so I'm not sure what "grade 2" means. If you care to share more, let us know what kind of symptoms you are having and how you are feeling. I'll be thinking and praying for you, please keep in touch with us. We want to support and encourage you as much as possible during this time. Teresa

@amynewheart, Amy, I am sorry to hear about your recent episodes of rejection. You are enduring a situation that, I believe, all of us recipients, fear. I cannot begin to imagine how frightening this must be for you. And with 3 hospitalizations on top of it.
Did they do any treatment in the hospital? And do you need to do anything during the wait for biopsy in August?
I am joining Teresa in saying a prayer for you.
Rosemary

I am sorry to be asking so many questions. and I invite any of our members who have experienced any similar situations with rejection episodes to add any helpful sharing about their experience.

@contentandwell, @2011panc, @chattykathy, @eileenheart, @doogie02, @lcamino, I hope you are doing well.
I am contacting you because you all have taken part in "This and That' discussion. And I know that all of you share a special connection because of our varying transplant interests.

I would like to make you aware of our new member @amynewheart, who is undergoing a rough period right now. I thought that perhaps one of you might have something to say from your own individual transplant experience that is relevant to her recent rejection episode.

@eileenheart, Do you have any thing to add from the perspective of a heart transplant recipient?
Rosemary

@amynewheart Amy I wish I could offer some words of wisdom to you but I can only say some prayers. I really know nothing about heart transplants. My liver transplant surgeon tells me not to worry, if I have rejection they can take care of it. I hope he telling the truth and not just trying to put my mind at ease.
JK

While in the hospital for first rejection episode which was a 3b (Severe rejection in multiple areas of the heart and starting to actually damage heart muscle) I was give three doses of IV steroids (1 gram each), i then received three days of a medication called atgam which totally brings your immune system down to zero. The second and third hospitalization just received the three doses of IV steroids. and of course they increased my home dose of prednisone and added methotrexate. Definitely frustrating but try to stay positive knowing the sacrifice that was made for me to get new heart. Thank you for your prayers!
Amy

@amynewheart Amy, thanks for the additional information. It sounds as if your transplant team is working hard on your behalf. We continue to wish you well! Stay strong, Teresa