Weaning off of immunosuppressants w/ Liver Transplant
Has anyone weened off their anti-rejection meds due to side effects -- IF so-HOW?
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Transplants Support Group.
Has anyone weened off their anti-rejection meds due to side effects -- IF so-HOW?
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Transplants Support Group.
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.