Weight Loss after transplant - online meals

Hi @blbird33 😊
It's great to hear from you! I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing pain. I am hoping someone will have some good ideas for you regarding ordering healthy meals on-line. When I saw your post, I was thinking maybe Meals on Wheels or a similar program may work for you. (Many times you are able to specify things like low fat, low salt, etc.)
Also, your transplant nutritionist and/or social worker may be able to assist with some on-line food delivery options?
I am hoping someone on who knows a good food delivery service will jump in and let us know. Please keep us posted on how you are doing @blbird33

Thank you for the ideas of nutritionist and SW. Great ideas! BB

@blbird33, How are you getting along?
Have you made any headways with finding a meal service? Are you eating enough to maintain or gain weight?
Has your pain diminished? or have your doctors offered any solution for managing it?

Rosemary, thank you for asking. I am beginning to see some progress in reducing the pain and softening the scar tissue. The surgeon and docs found out with the nerve block that the pain was coming from scar tissue from the PD catheter removed at the transplant surgery. So, I was lucky to have my Stanford Nephrologist refer me to the Stanford Pain Mgmt clinic Pain doctor who recommended the next stage of rehab, Core Management Rehab. And use Sutter in home PT/OT or wait for PT/OT at Stanford Pain. Started with Sutter In Home care paid by Medicare and love the PT/OT coming 3 times a week with heat, lidocaine 4% cream, and moderate massage of the scar. I am so grateful that so far after 2 weeks there is improvement! Yay! This will take time, so I have to be patient and stay in one day at a time. I am working on myself and learning to accept some pain to loosen up this scar tissue so I can live a life without pain or minimal pain. I have 6 weeks of this in home care and then move to an Outpatient PT where they have more tools to loosen the tissue even deeper. I am still losing weight, so reached out to New Life Medical Nutrition Therapy that Medicare pays for to help me. Still making very easy meals and drinking high calorie Ensure. Bought Biotin but fearful to take another med to stop hair loss. And I am very grateful for my new kidney and learning so much what one day at a time means and how I have to be an active participant in releasing this pain and scar tissue. Hope you are doing well. Thank you and so appreciate this blog and group support, BB

BB, I am happy to hear that you are beginning to see some progress! Maybe you can begin to imagine a life without such pain. I hope the nutrition therapy service will be beneficial for you. You and your new kidney deserve the best!

I know that you have been concerned about your thinning hair, and I wonder if you will begin to see improvement as your weight recovers and as you improve your nutrition. I think you are wise to avoid the biotin supplement for now.

I lost a lot of weight and muscle mass prior to transplant with liver failure and kidney failure and dialysis. Aftet transplant, I was told to eat and to gradually get active. Walking is my favorite activity. Ice Cream if my favorite food, so I have to be careful now and not overdo it! It is a constant struggle for me, plus my husband is tall, slim, and doesn't gain weight.
How was your weight before transplant? Were you on dialysis?

@blbird33, It has been a while since we chatted, so I thought I'd drop in. I sure hope that you are continuing to experience some progress and relief from the pain that you associated with scar tissue. Are you still receiving in-home PT? As I recall from my earlier experiences, PT can be exhausting! I remember taking a nap in the afternoon.
How is the meal planning coming along for you? Have you connected with a meal program that you had mentioned?

Hello Rosemary,
My husband and I will be at Mayo next week for testing for a liver transplant, and I see you had hours many years ago. Could you please describe some of the experience? How long were you in the hospital after? Did you lose a lot of weight?. Thank you. Lindsay

@lindsay208 - Are you the patient or the caregiver?

Next week will be a busy one for both of you. You will learn more about liver health and liver transplant than you ever thought possible. Your head will be spinning so be sure to carry a notebook and pen for notes and questions.
I want to share this group discussion. Many other patients have already shared experiences and have asked questions/received responses. I invite you to join in:
- Transplant Evaluation - What to expect
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/transplant-evaluation-what-to-expect/

Before my transplant I had lost a lot of weight due to advancing liver disease (PSC), nausea, and kidney failure/dialysis. I also had ascites and edema so the scale did not represent my true weight. After my transplant I was skin and bones. It actually hurt to sit in a hard chair and i needed to sit on a folded towel or blanker for comfort. My doctors told me that I had to eat, had to regain my muscle mass, and to slowly become more active. Walking was slow at first, and I was easily worn out and napped a lot. I had regained enough muscle and strength on a reduced distance hiking trip 9 months later.

I was discharged from inpatient care on day #7. 3 weeks later I was discharged from outpatient care and returned home via a 750 mile car ride with my husband.

I posted my story here:
- Organ Donation and Transplant: What is Your story?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/organ-donation-and-transplant-what-is-your-story/

@lindsay208 - Are you the liver patient or caregiver?