Liver transplant - Let's support each other

gaylea1, you r 💯 on it. It just takes years/times to get your body/mind back after TP. Hang in there🌻🌈💚

Hi, I’m new on here. My mom was given the gift of a liver August 4th and she’s been really going through it. If anyone can help with suggestions I can do to help her. She’s been having bad heartburn/nausea when eating and having abdominal pains. She’s been to the hospital for the pains already but they didn’t see anything worrisome. Her appetite is very low and was wondering if that’s common? Any suggestions can help, thank you in advanced.

Low appetite is very common. I went from 180 to 130. Your mom has to think positively, she a very major surgery and now she has to work through a major recovery. My advice is to thankful you are alive and take one day at a time. Tom

Welcome to our group. I will be celebrating my 3rd transversary on the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, in 2 weeks. Please let your Mum know that it does get better. Her appetite will return and believe it or not the pain does go away. I still experience some pain. Not all the time but it depends on what I eat and when. I just "push" through it and make sure to walk. I'm not going to say it's a cake walk. I've had a very rough time of it. But it did get better. Now I feel amazing. In the beginning I questioned if I had even done the right thing, was it worth it. Well 3 years later the answer is "ABSOLUTELY" stay strong it will get better. Try prayer it really does work. 🙏😊💞

Congratulations. My husband is 9 months from his liver transplant. He started to feel so much better about 2 months after the surgery, then a month or so later started to develop more discomfort and other symptoms, such as itching. Tests do not indicate a major problem but his energy level and discomfort are very difficult. I think perhaps the worry that the problems are due to pending rejection or biliary shutdown only makes thing worse. We are having faith that if we can just struggle through this it will get better.
Tell your mom, and yourself, that you are not alone.

My bride is pending approval. She was going to get her hair color updated and a friend said not advised as the chemicals in the process can cause problems. Any input

Hi Parmcat. Thank you for sharing ur joirney. My husband is told to be prepared for liver transplant due to his liver cancer. We didnt yet apply to waiting list. My question now is how often do you have to visit clinic after transplant is done. Is there like mandatory observation, tests u have to do every week, month or some in clinic procedures?! My husband is USA citizen, but we live in a different country. So my concern now do we have to stay in USA all the time or after transplant we can go back.

I am at nearing 6 months post LT and I'm similar to several others on here. I have basically had a great recovery since my transplant in April. I have had great labs (with a couple of scary outliers) and have remained active throughout. I have had a wonderful wife as my caregiver along with support from family and friends,

However, I developed pain down my right side. This has continued and moves through the area below my scar. Ultrasounds show no internal problems. They say that it is probably from the cutting of the tissue. I understand that it takes time and I am trying to take it as slowly as they want me too. However, please don't tell then that I have been "through a major surgery." I know that; and if I forget, my body will let me know in a hurry.

Im sorry for rambling!! I have great labs, good color, to much of an appetite, don't drink and try to maintain a positive outlook. However, it is discouraging when you hurt (at different places and different times) and no one really understands.
I want to thank everyone on this forum for their support. We will get through this together. God Bless you and our donor's families.

I don't know what is 'mandatory' but can share our experience. We moved to Arizona from California once he was listed. Within 10 days were were blessed with a transplant. Two months after transplant, and a pretty easy recovery, we were told we could go home. He gets weekly blood tests done, which I print out and send to Mayo Clinic, via their patient portal. We returned to Arizona for one day of tests and appointments five months after transplant. There have been a number of zoom video sessions, a ton of messages back and forth and a number of phone calls, some after hours due to continuing bumps in the road to recovery.
Mayo has been there for us whenever we need them. We will be returning to Arizona, for a one year follow-up in January.
We considered transferring his care to a local transplant clinic, something they were willing to do, but decided to stay with Mayo Clinic. It has been a challenge at times with the need to have ultrasounds and low white blood count required injections. We are blessed with a wonderful local dr willing to help with these needs.

@hdillon7, Congratulations on your recent liver transplant. I know that you are thrilled about the good labs and test results!
My transplant was 14 years ago at Mayo Rochester. I had to laugh at your comment... "please don't tell then that I have been "through a major surgery. I know that;..." I remember that one quite well! The one that I get now is, "You mean you still have to take those medicines? You look so well?"
Related to your pain, I notice that any slight twinge of pain or even a twitch in the area of my liver transplant or my kidney transplant draws my attention. Currently, I am post cataract surgery and my full attention is on anything that is left eye or vision related. You are absolutely correct about listening to your body! I learned real quickly that over-doing meant discomfort, pain, or tiredness. I also learned since my transplant that healing, for me, took longer than pretransplant. For instance, if I get a cold, or a cut, or a bruise, or a sprain,...it takes me longer to heal. If doctor says 10 days, I can plan on 2 weeks. I hope that your pain which is likely part of healing will become less. I hope that one day you will suddenly realize that you don't hurt anymore!

Your rambling is good! I like to call it, "Sharing your experience" .
What is something you would like to share with someone who is currently waiting for a liver transplant?