Looking for long-term Transplant success stories

@pjw51
I am glad my post transplant learning journey answered some of your questions.
I forgot to mention, I also wash my hands all the time - after I touch money, grocery shop, handle door knobs, pet my pups, etc.
And I scrub all my veggies and fruit before cutting any of them. I was advised not to get pre-chopped foods because there is no assurance that whoever cut them, may have not washed off any bacteria.
There are a lot of sensible rules and it won't be long until they become 2nd nature to you.
ajdo129

@rosemarya In August 2024, I had acute liver failure due to reasons that still remain unknown. I went from a fit 185 lb, 59 year old man to a guy with a maxed out MELD score in a matter of weeks. After the transplant, I lost 50 lbs and it scared the heck out of me.

I wish I knew the significant weight loss is fairly common. It's due to your body cannibalizing muscle and fat to get the fuel it needs to do the internal repairs.

After the transplant, focus on moving but do not start pushing yourself with intense workouts until you begin regaining weight. If you're like me and worried about how you're going to rebuild muscle as an old person, don't. Your muscle really does come back on its own. The doctor refer to it as real "muscle memory.'

@ajdo129

Your post lifted some of the post-transplant questions especially regarding the infections and meds. Thank you @pjw51

This Monday April 20,2026, I will be having my 4th year post transplant checkup. The first year I learned how important it is to take tacrolimus/prograf as close to every 12 hours as possible or else I would trigger warnings of a rejection.
The 2nd year I got a lesson on what it means to be immune suppressed. One sty in my right eye became 11 stys total in both eyes even with regular advised care and meds. Heavy duty antibiotics cleared that up.
I live in AZ and got Valley Fever, mold spores in the soil and air on super windy days. So my 3rd year, I saw the impact of two lifelong meds that have a delicate balance with each other (tacrolimus and fluconazole).
All the rules we are given re foods, herbs, and supplements to avoid; cooking proteins to well done; no alcohol; and other rules become second nature in the way I live my life. I dance, train with weights, enjoy time with friends, take art classes, travel, and yes I nap. Life, this second life, is good and well worth all the rules in keeping it that way.
I hope this helps. Barbara

Good Morning!
2 1/2 years post liver transplant. I have had no complications. My surgery was 5 hours and I was released from the hospital in a week. I only take Envarsus in the morning. Nothing else related to transplant. I get tired, but more or less that's it. My advice....do everything they tell you to do. No not skip appointments, do blood work when told, and take the meds they tell you to. Best of luck!!!

@swb183 I had my liver transplant 2 years ago. We have a very similar outlook. I have not had skin cancer nor kidney issues. With me hepatic artery stenosis, cmv virus and duct narrowing. But I look at those as challenges. That I have the opportunity to have because of my transplant ! Congrats on 6 years !!

I had a liver transplant in 2020 at the age of 60 due to cholangiocarcinoma. Transplant took place in the heat of COVID and were certainly challenging times. I’m six years in now and doing very well. Healthy and strong. Some potential side effects to consider due to anti-rejection meds like tacrolimus are the increased skin cancer rates. They have been a consistent problem for me due to living in Florida. Also long term damage to kidneys due to the meds. These are all just things to deal with. It beats the alternative!

@luckee I gave my brother a kidney in 1989. I was 38 and he was 36. He passed away last year at the age of 72. I was happy he lived that long. There is some sadness in this story. For some reason he stopped talking to me over 20 years ago so I never really knew how he was doing with doctor appointments and things like that. Once in a while I saw him at family occasions. The last time I had seen him was 5 years ago. It was sad to hear that he had passed and I never was able to say goodbye. I wasn't even allowed to see him after he passed. I do know that if I had to do it all over again I would. He was my brother and I had that love for him.

I am 44 years old. 2 years post liver transplant and doing well. I had a very complicated first year, but would do it again.

Great news. Been doing a lot of reflecting myself. Congrats have a wonderful day.