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Looking for long-term Transplant success stories

Posted by glm777 @glm777, Dec 9, 2025

My SIL is 37
Transplant at age 20
Recently had biopsy showing inflammation
12 plasma exchange treatments
Now protein in urine
Waiting for antibody blood work to come back.
He and my DD are in their mid 30’s and just found each other less than 2yrs ago. Please give me some hope that my SIL can live many more years!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Transplants Support Group.

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Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Feb 9 10:38am
In reply to @slow1 "I may not be long term but almost 2 years. I will say this. Pre-op was..." + (show)
Profile picture for slow1 @slow1

I may not be long term but almost 2 years. I will say this. Pre-op was miserable but I finally focused on myself and what is important. I met a wonderful woman while I was at the worst of it. The day of our first date or supposed to be was the day I got the call for my Transplant. A year to the day we got married almost been married a year. I have a great family now and something to live for. For most people this is the one of the worst things that has happened them but for me it was the best. I now have direction, love and hope. All those I never had before, I was selfish and static. I know this isn't super inspirational but hey eat good, exercise and don't forget your meds. FYI your young if they go to take you off Cellcept have them heavily monitor you. They took me off for a month before a blood test and my levels took almost 6 months to regulate.

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@slow1 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! Lots of reasons for "congratulations"!
Ginger

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beracha | @beracha | Feb 10 6:01am
In reply to @slow1 "I may not be long term but almost 2 years. I will say this. Pre-op was..." + (show)
Profile picture for slow1 @slow1

I may not be long term but almost 2 years. I will say this. Pre-op was miserable but I finally focused on myself and what is important. I met a wonderful woman while I was at the worst of it. The day of our first date or supposed to be was the day I got the call for my Transplant. A year to the day we got married almost been married a year. I have a great family now and something to live for. For most people this is the one of the worst things that has happened them but for me it was the best. I now have direction, love and hope. All those I never had before, I was selfish and static. I know this isn't super inspirational but hey eat good, exercise and don't forget your meds. FYI your young if they go to take you off Cellcept have them heavily monitor you. They took me off for a month before a blood test and my levels took almost 6 months to regulate.

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I am 35 yrs post liver transplant. I take tacrolimus. Was in my 20s when I had transplant. Have had wonderful life. Good luck. Best advice is take meds, do blood work, watch ur diet and exercise.

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firecat | @firecat | Feb 10 9:38pm
In reply to @slow1 "I may not be long term but almost 2 years. I will say this. Pre-op was..." + (show)
Profile picture for slow1 @slow1

I may not be long term but almost 2 years. I will say this. Pre-op was miserable but I finally focused on myself and what is important. I met a wonderful woman while I was at the worst of it. The day of our first date or supposed to be was the day I got the call for my Transplant. A year to the day we got married almost been married a year. I have a great family now and something to live for. For most people this is the one of the worst things that has happened them but for me it was the best. I now have direction, love and hope. All those I never had before, I was selfish and static. I know this isn't super inspirational but hey eat good, exercise and don't forget your meds. FYI your young if they go to take you off Cellcept have them heavily monitor you. They took me off for a month before a blood test and my levels took almost 6 months to regulate.

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@slow1

To all of you out there blessed to have been transplanted, today is my 5th rebirth day! 5 years since my liver- kidney transplant, felling great.
God bless you all as he has me.
FireCat

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slow1 | @slow1 | Feb 10 10:57pm

Great news. Been doing a lot of reflecting myself. Congrats have a wonderful day.

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tiabean | @tiabean | Feb 14 12:00pm

I am 44 years old. 2 years post liver transplant and doing well. I had a very complicated first year, but would do it again.

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momof16 | @momof16 | 6 days ago
In reply to @luckee "My sister gave me a kidney in 1980 in San Francisco at the UCSF Moffitt hospital...." + (show)
Profile picture for luckee @luckee

My sister gave me a kidney in 1980 in San Francisco at the UCSF Moffitt hospital. I was 23 and she was 35. I am now going on 46 years! Back then there wasn't a lot of information on nutrition like there is now so weight gain was an issue. I had never had a weight problem before so when they told me to go easy on the sodium I switched from chips to cookies! I learned to stay away from junk food, fast food, greasy food and sugar as much as possible. I was never one to exercise (like at the gym) but I used to play a lot of sports. These days though it's mostly just walking and stretching. I always try to stay hydrated and drink lo6s of water not soda!

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@luckee I gave my brother a kidney in 1989. I was 38 and he was 36. He passed away last year at the age of 72. I was happy he lived that long. There is some sadness in this story. For some reason he stopped talking to me over 20 years ago so I never really knew how he was doing with doctor appointments and things like that. Once in a while I saw him at family occasions. The last time I had seen him was 5 years ago. It was sad to hear that he had passed and I never was able to say goodbye. I wasn't even allowed to see him after he passed. I do know that if I had to do it all over again I would. He was my brother and I had that love for him.

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swb183 | @swb183 | 1 day ago

I had a liver transplant in 2020 at the age of 60 due to cholangiocarcinoma. Transplant took place in the heat of COVID and were certainly challenging times. I’m six years in now and doing very well. Healthy and strong. Some potential side effects to consider due to anti-rejection meds like tacrolimus are the increased skin cancer rates. They have been a consistent problem for me due to living in Florida. Also long term damage to kidneys due to the meds. These are all just things to deal with. It beats the alternative!

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craigcraig | @craigcraig | 1 day ago
In reply to @swb183 "I had a liver transplant in 2020 at the age of 60 due to cholangiocarcinoma. Transplant..." + (show)
Profile picture for swb183 @swb183

I had a liver transplant in 2020 at the age of 60 due to cholangiocarcinoma. Transplant took place in the heat of COVID and were certainly challenging times. I’m six years in now and doing very well. Healthy and strong. Some potential side effects to consider due to anti-rejection meds like tacrolimus are the increased skin cancer rates. They have been a consistent problem for me due to living in Florida. Also long term damage to kidneys due to the meds. These are all just things to deal with. It beats the alternative!

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@swb183 I had my liver transplant 2 years ago. We have a very similar outlook. I have not had skin cancer nor kidney issues. With me hepatic artery stenosis, cmv virus and duct narrowing. But I look at those as challenges. That I have the opportunity to have because of my transplant ! Congrats on 6 years !!

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lsheerin | @lsheerin | 1 day ago

Good Morning!
2 1/2 years post liver transplant. I have had no complications. My surgery was 5 hours and I was released from the hospital in a week. I only take Envarsus in the morning. Nothing else related to transplant. I get tired, but more or less that's it. My advice....do everything they tell you to do. No not skip appointments, do blood work when told, and take the meds they tell you to. Best of luck!!!

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ajdo129 | @ajdo129 | 30 minutes ago

This Monday April 20,2026, I will be having my 4th year post transplant checkup. The first year I learned how important it is to take tacrolimus/prograf as close to every 12 hours as possible or else I would trigger warnings of a rejection.
The 2nd year I got a lesson on what it means to be immune suppressed. One sty in my right eye became 11 stys total in both eyes even with regular advised care and meds. Heavy duty antibiotics cleared that up.
I live in AZ and got Valley Fever, mold spores in the soil and air on super windy days. So my 3rd year, I saw the impact of two lifelong meds that have a delicate balance with each other (tacrolimus and fluconazole).
All the rules we are given re foods, herbs, and supplements to avoid; cooking proteins to well done; no alcohol; and other rules become second nature in the way I live my life. I dance, train with weights, enjoy time with friends, take art classes, travel, and yes I nap. Life, this second life, is good and well worth all the rules in keeping it that way.
I hope this helps. Barbara

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