Liver transplant - Let's support each other

Yes I can relate. I was light headed and dizzy most of the time but several other symptoms were a lot worse. My MELD was 34 when i was 16 months on wait list. I received my liver 17 months in from being on the wait list. I was very ill the year prior to diagnosis. My transplant was Nov 28 2018. I'm still light headed but thank goodness the worst symptoms are all gone.

I am a year and half into waiting for transplant. MELD is stable at 15 to 17. I am on long term disability. Worst issues are with fatigue and lightheadedness and foggy. Anyone relate? Thanks.

@tr1pol1sue, I'd like to add my welcome. We look forward to hearing more from you. I notice that you posted a lovely picture of yourself to your message. I encourage you to add it to your profile. Here are instructions about updating your profile on Connect.

- How to Update Your Profile https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/about-connect/newsfeed-post/how-to-update-your-profile/

In the months before my liver transplant I experienced leg and foot cramps mostly at night. The was nothing I could do to stop them. I contacted my Mayo Jacksonville RN and she recommended Hyland’s Leg Cramps over the counter medicine. It worked really well. There is a PM version too. I used both versions. I always contacted her before taking any new otc meds and continue to do so with my Nurse Coordinator post-transplant. I have not had cramps since my transplant in February 2019.

Drank it. I can only assume that it was the sodium that helped alleviate the intense counter grabbing pain. My family doctor told me that I was not drinking enough water. It was at Rochester during transplant orientation that I finally learned that muscle cramping was one of the symptoms of liver failure along with fatigue. Both of which I was experiencing at the time but could not pinpoint a cause when dealing with the family practitioner.

Did you drink pickle juice or rub it on the cramp?

This may sound a little off the wall but I used to relieve my cramps with pickle juice before my transplant. Now 3 years after my transplant I’ll cramp up if I don’t drink enough water over the course of the day so I keep kiwi fruit to eat instead of the bananas.

@tr1pol1sue, Welcome to Connect. I am happy to meet you. I have a liver and kidney transplant and I have not had the intense cramping that is being discussed here. How long ago did you get your kidney transplant? Do you still take the SloMag?

I am a. Heart transplant but do get those cramps occasionally. Usually for me just walking releives the cramp. And the soreness goes away once im up moving around

I had very bad whole body cramps. The only thing that would help is jumping in a scalding/very hot shower some times clothed. Get in bed and elevate my legs with pillows a position myself in away not to cause the cramp reaction. I had lots of pillows. That intense pain was the worst part of the whole illness.