@bosco17,
I just realized that you are a liver transplant patient. However, do not worry because all of us with organ transplants take immunosuppressant medications for the same reason - to protect our organs from rejection and potential organ failure.
Here is what the UNOS Transplant website has to say:
"One of the most important aspects of protecting your transplant is the medications prescribed to you. By weakening or reducing your immune system’s responses to foreign material, anti-rejection medications reduce your immune system’s ability to reject a transplanted organ. These drugs also allow you to maintain enough immunity to prevent overwhelming infection."
If you were a good match to the donor ,I was told by a very prominent Dr that your body will no longer attack the transplanted liver after 10 yrs your body will recongnize the organ as your own. Now I realize this will not work for everyone and if you do try weening down it should be under the care of your transplant team
@bosco17,
I just realized that you are a liver transplant patient. However, do not worry because all of us with organ transplants take immunosuppressant medications for the same reason - to protect our organs from rejection and potential organ failure.
Here is what the UNOS Transplant website has to say:
"One of the most important aspects of protecting your transplant is the medications prescribed to you. By weakening or reducing your immune system’s responses to foreign material, anti-rejection medications reduce your immune system’s ability to reject a transplanted organ. These drugs also allow you to maintain enough immunity to prevent overwhelming infection."
@rosemarya That's an excellent resource. I just looked up prednisone though, and interestingly, it does not mention that it causes bone loss! I didn't know that or I would have been pro-active in getting enough calcium and vitamin D but from what I have learned that's pretty common knowledge.
@bosco17 Doctors are human and they can have varying opinions but I have never heard of any saying that a transplant patient can get off of their immunotherapy after 10 years if it's a good match. It's a big risk to take. Certainly, if it is something you plan to do you should discuss it with your transplant team so they can get lab work more frequently for a while until they know you are all set.
JK
@bosco17 - There are strict laws in place in and outside the US with severe penalties that prevent drug companies from providing financial incentives to doctors. They have no reason to prescribe unnecessary medications. The studies I’ve seen so far indicate some can be weaned off, others can’t, and there isn’t data to determine who can without going into rejection. Basically it’s Russian roulette unless you are being closely monitored and they can (hopefully) reverse it before there’s permanent damage. I recommend you volunteer for a research study if you want to try. Otherwise there’s a good chance you will be denied a re-transplant due to noncompliance if it goes wrong.
Connect
Connect
Like
Helpful
Hug
If you were a good match to the donor ,I was told by a very prominent Dr that your body will no longer attack the transplanted liver after 10 yrs your body will recongnize the organ as your own. Now I realize this will not work for everyone and if you do try weening down it should be under the care of your transplant team
@rosemarya That's an excellent resource. I just looked up prednisone though, and interestingly, it does not mention that it causes bone loss! I didn't know that or I would have been pro-active in getting enough calcium and vitamin D but from what I have learned that's pretty common knowledge.
@bosco17 Doctors are human and they can have varying opinions but I have never heard of any saying that a transplant patient can get off of their immunotherapy after 10 years if it's a good match. It's a big risk to take. Certainly, if it is something you plan to do you should discuss it with your transplant team so they can get lab work more frequently for a while until they know you are all set.
JK
@bosco17 - There are strict laws in place in and outside the US with severe penalties that prevent drug companies from providing financial incentives to doctors. They have no reason to prescribe unnecessary medications. The studies I’ve seen so far indicate some can be weaned off, others can’t, and there isn’t data to determine who can without going into rejection. Basically it’s Russian roulette unless you are being closely monitored and they can (hopefully) reverse it before there’s permanent damage. I recommend you volunteer for a research study if you want to try. Otherwise there’s a good chance you will be denied a re-transplant due to noncompliance if it goes wrong.