5 Challenges often faced after organ transplant & bull; hello healthy

Many people still have misperceptions about their life after organ transplant surgery. After surgery, there are still many people who think that the effects of this transplant will last within a few weeks. Very wrong. Postoperative recovery time requires high determination, because although this organ transplant may save your life, but you have to pay attention to many things to "treat" this new organ in your body. Here are 5 challenges you may face after an organ transplant.

Side effects of drugs after organ transplant

Medicines taken to suppress the immune system after an organ transplant are strong drugs that can cause other side effects throughout the body. Which means, this drug not only suppresses the immune system, but this drug also affects the whole body. So, the bad news is that you may experience some health problems as a result of the side effects of this drug. The good news is that these side effects will lessen over time.

Here's a list of the side effects you may experience:

Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea
Headache
High blood pressure
High cholesterol levels
Swollen face
Anemia
Arthritis
The plague is weakening
Weight gain
Insomnia
Moody
Tingling in the hands and feet
Acne or other skin problems
Trembling
Hair loss
Hair grows on several parts of the body

Yes, it does seem a very long list. However, don't rush into stress. Not everyone will experience the side effects mentioned above. Everyone has a different response to this drug. Make sure you tell your doctor about any side effects you are experiencing. Your doctor may change the medicines you take.

Health problems

These health problems can range from those that are simply annoying, to those that are life threatening. The following is a list of health problems that may be experienced by organ recipients:

1. Diabetes

2. High cholesterol levels

High cholesterol levels often occur in people who receive organ transplants due to side effects of drugs that control the immune system. There are no physical signs when your cholesterol is high. However, this can be dangerous. This cholesterol can block your blood circulation, and may damage your new organs. Apart from that, it can also lead to heart disease.

3. High blood pressure

Like high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure is a side effect of drugs that suppress the immune system. This can cause serious problems. However, it is common for high blood pressure to decrease with the decrease in the dose of the immune system suppressant you are taking. You may have to change your lifestyle to help stabilize your blood pressure by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.

4. Digestive problems

This is very common in organ transplant recipients due to the side effects of steroids. Usually, your doctor will prescribe medication to help with this problem. From yourself, you can avoid drinking alcoholic drinks and those that contain caffeine, and make it a habit to take medication together with your food to reduce irritation.

5. Gout

Increased uric acid in the blood can cause gout, aka pain or inflammation in the joints. It is also caused or exacerbated by the side effects of drugs that suppress the immune system. Treatment for this problem depends on your condition. It could be that your doctor changes the medicines you are taking to solve this problem.

6. Sexual problems

Some people who receive organ transplants have sexual problems such as loss of sexual desire. These signs can occur due to health problems, medication, stress, or a combination of the three problems. Although sometimes this may be embarrassing, also consult this with your doctor. There is nothing to be ashamed of, your doctor may have a solution to solve this problem.

7. Grow fur

It could be that you have unwanted hair growing on some parts of your body. The solution is of course shaving , waxing , or use certain products to trim these hairs.

Other medicines taken after an organ transplant

In some cases after an organ transplant, you may need other medicines to help you deal with the side effects of immune system suppressant drugs, for example:

1. Antibiotic or antifungal

This drug serves to treat infections in your body that occur due to your immune system that is not functioning optimally due to being suppressed by drugs that suppress the immune system.

2. Antacid or antiulcer drugs

This drug serves to treat side effects on your digestion.

3. Diuretic drugs

This drug works to help problems with your kidneys and high blood pressure

Many people need more medication during the initial postoperative time. However, fear not, over time your doctor will decrease the dosage of immune system suppressant drugs, which means that the side effects of immune system suppressant drugs will also decrease.

Because people who receive organ transplants need a lot of drugs, you should be careful about the interactions of these drugs with one another. Make sure your doctor knows all the drugs you take. Even though these drugs are supplements or herbal medicines, you still have to confirm with your doctor that these drugs are safe to drink. In fact, some foods such as grapefruit juice can interact with some post organ transplant medications.

Psychological conditions after organ transplant

People who receive an organ transplant will usually experience a variety of feelings of fear, ranging from life-threatening health problems before the transplant: while waiting for the right donor, post-transplant recovery, and life with a new organ. Therefore, it is not surprising that many people who receive organ transplants experience chronic depression or fear. The drugs that are taken can make the situation worse and cause you to get worse moody . Even though this is common, don't think of it as normal. Consult this with your doctor to find the right solution.

The good news is that most people will feel better after having an organ transplant. Usually, after receiving an organ transplant, these people will comment such as "I don't remember how much pain I felt before the transplant", and so on. However, do not rush to force your body to do extreme activities, keep paying attention and taking care of your body condition.

Routines after organ transplant

Make sure you always keep in touch with the doctors who perform organ transplants on you. You may be given a schedule for various kinds of post-operative tests, although this depends on your circumstances. For example, if you are having a heart transplant, your doctor may ask you to come for a checkup twice a week for the first two months. The work of the heart, which pumps blood at any time, needs to be considered carefully.

Of course, for organ transplant recipients, the word "infection" is something that will not separate your entire life. You have to balance your immune system by still controlling and maintaining your lifestyle in order to support your immune system which is suppressed to accept new organs. Keep discussing all types of side effects you experience as a result of taking immune-suppressing drugs with your doctor so they can find solutions.

Another thing that is important to keep in mind is that it does not mean that you can live freely after an organ transplant. For example, you have a kidney transplant due to diabetes, but you don't control your lifestyle after the transplant so that diabetes returns, so what's the point of a transplant? Always remember that an organ transplant does not mean that your body has become immune to disease in the transplanted organ.

Organ transplants are all about the trade-offs, aka there are advantages and disadvantages as a result of this action. However, once you realize that this transplant was performed to make your life better, it will be easier for you to comply with all the procedures that must be undergone post-surgery. Don't forget to ask too support from your family, close relatives, and friends, especially the times when you just finished surgery. It is much better if you have several people around you who also understand about your medicines, so that they can help remind you to take medicines or keep your lifestyle according to the rules.