Seville oranges question about effect on immunosuppressants

I was told grapefruit, pomegranate and orange mar marmalade will be on my NEVER list after I get my kidney. I’ll miss grapefruit but I get to hahave orange/juice again so it’s an okay tradeoff☺️

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Hi! I am a post-heart transplant patient and am very careful reading labels. I just went to the pharmacy to pick up some cough lozenges and Halls drops - citrus flavor - contains grapefruit juices. In very fine print you can see what fruits are used in the product. La Croix sparkling water also has a grapefruit flavor and while it may read artificial/natural flavors, I will stay away from that. I don't want anything affecting my anti-rejection meds and I don't want a misread on my labs and have to take more or less meds as an erroneous result. Please be careful and a bit overly cautious.

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I was told by the hospital that starfruit is also off limits, along the lines of grapefruit, Seville oranges and pomegranates. I would never have suspected that.
Also, I was told I could have up to 7 clementines in a day, but not 8. I thought that was hilarious.
I also am overly cautious (one year after heart transplant) and always wash fresh fruits and vegetables and then dip in, or spray with, a vinegar/water solution, as taught in the hospital. For that reason, I never eat any raw fruit or vegetables in restaurants - no salad, no lettuce or tomato on the burger, no parsley garnish, etc.
When there are foods that I miss, it helps me to say this instead: "Well, I wish I could have sushi [or whatever], but instead I get to live!"

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I was told by the hospital that starfruit is also off limits, along the lines of grapefruit, Seville oranges and pomegranates. I would never have suspected that.
Also, I was told I could have up to 7 clementines in a day, but not 8. I thought that was hilarious.
I also am overly cautious (one year after heart transplant) and always wash fresh fruits and vegetables and then dip in, or spray with, a vinegar/water solution, as taught in the hospital. For that reason, I never eat any raw fruit or vegetables in restaurants - no salad, no lettuce or tomato on the burger, no parsley garnish, etc.
When there are foods that I miss, it helps me to say this instead: "Well, I wish I could have sushi [or whatever], but instead I get to live!"

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@gbcapecod I knew about grapefruit, pomegranates, and Seville oranges, but not starfruit. I have only had starfruit once in my life but I was recently thinking I wanted to try them again, so this is timely for me. I love the clementine thing too, but really, who eats even 7 of them in a day? I can maybe 3, but 7?

I used to eat sushi occasionally but it's not something I miss at all. I must admit, I do miss having a glass of wine with a nice dinner when we go out. I think it's just post-liver transplants where wine is prohibited though. My niece's husband just had a kidney transplant and he can drink wine after a few months. It's not a problem with the immunosuppressants, it's just that any alcohol is not good for your liver.
JK

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@contentandwell, Both my Home with my kidney and my Home with liver packets recommend to "Avoid alcohol". It also says that if you have any questions to discuss it with your transplant doctor.
At my annual checkup in April it was the kidney doctor who replied to my question, "How can I best keep my transplanted organs healthy as I enter my next 10 years. Without blinking an eye, he said to me, "Take your meds, get your routine labs, and no alcohol". There was no doubt what he was telling me!

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@gbcapecod, I extend my virtual hand shake to welcome you to Connect. You have made me laugh as I tried to imagine eating that many oranges! What was your reaction? I think I would have been too stunned to reply!

Congratulations on your 1st year with you new heart! I am a liver and kidney recipient (2009) and I believe that the habits that we develop early during our recovery set the path for our future habits. You have every right to be overly cautious. Is it becoming easier, to live within the boundaries of your new normal?

I would like to share some healthful post-transplant links with you. Click on the link, and you are connected to the Mayo Connect Pages where you will find articles from tha transplant staff.
-Self-Care Tips for Transplant Patients
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/transplant/?pg=4

-Top Transplant Hacks: Patients Share Their Best Tips and Tricks
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/transplant/newsfeed-post/top-transplant-hacks-patients-share-their-best-tips-and-tricks/

And here is a discussion where you can meet other heart transplant recipients. You are invited to join in anywhere.
Preparing for a heart transplant
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/preparing-for-a-heart-transplant/

@gbcapecod, How difficult was it for you to make these healthy food preparation changes?
Rosemary

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Hi @ Rosemary's,
Sorry it's been awhile that I have been on here just wanted to check in have been trying to keep up on connect with all the posts and this one caught my eye on the starfruit also as I was never told that starfruit was off limits either with being a heart transplant patient but they never told me that pumelos were off limits either and pulmelos are an Asian grapefruit with the same enzymes as regular grapefruit and Seville oranges so I avoid the pulmelos and starfruit even though I Love them hope you are doing good my heart is still strong and doing beautiful it's hard to believe that I will be 9 years post transplant in three months time in January. I am doing much better since my accident last year I now walk with one cane only but working on getting away from using that all my other injuries have healed completely but am now dealing with arthritis in both my legs and knees do to my injuries have also been dealing with a couple of infections that don't want to go away so I just got back on Friday from mayo in Rochester and waiting for some results to come back to decide what antibiotic to go on and whether it will be oral or IV so it's been kind of a rough year for me hope you had a good summer I'm so not ready for winter as we haven't really had summer here and definitely no fall but we have had snow flurries yesterday as I said I just wanted to check in and let you know how I am doing hope you have a good weekend.
Thanks @glinda

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