Information for patients going home following liver transplant

Date of liver transplant…………………….

Surgeon……………………………………………………

Medication

• You must take your immunosuppressants as prescribed by the transplant team to help protect your new liver for the rest of your life.
• Only the transplant team should change your immunosuppressant medicine. Do not stop taking it unless directed by the transplant team.
• Please ask for further supplies of your immunosuppressant medication at future transplant clinic appointments and collect them from Lloyds Pharmacy (Outpatients Dept, Level 2).
• If you need more medication between clinic appointments, or require advice about your medicines, please contact the transplant pharmacy team on 01223 254934 or email (allow three working days for medicines)

Clinic appointments

• It is important to attend all clinic appointments in order to maintain your health.
• Bring your medication chart to clinic.
• You should not take your morning dose of immunosuppressants on the morning of your clinic.
• Bring your medication with you, to take after you have had bloods taken.

First clinic appointment

Date……………………………………………….

Clinic……………………………………………...

General practitioner

Within the first week of being home you should make an appointment to see your GP. This is so they understand your current health needs.

Wound clips

Wound clips are usually removed three weeks after transplant, depending on wound healing. You should make an appointment with the practice nurse, at your GP surgery for them to be removed.

Watch out for new problems

You should let your transplant team know if you have any of the following symptoms

• Temperature 38°C or above
• Pale coloured bowel movements
• Yellow skin or eyes
• Itchy skin
• Skin rashes
• Red or brown urine
• Pain or burning when you pass urine
• Difficulty breathing, feeling short of breath, or coughing up yellow or brown phlegm
• Feeling sick, being sick or having diarrhoea
• Feeling unusually tired or faint
• Swollen ankles
• Pain in the area around your liver
• The operation site becoming red or sore

Contact details of the team are on the back page.

Driving

We recommend you do not drive any vehicle for the first three months following transplant and then only drive if you feel safe to do so.

Exercise

• It is important to do gentle exercise after your transplant. Walking is excellent but you should avoid swimming for approximately three months following your transplant.
• Avoid any strain on your stomach muscles in the first 8-10 weeks following transplant and avoid lifting during this time. Even an iron or kettle should be used with care.

Food

• A healthy diet is important after your liver transplant to reduce the risks of diabetes, heart disease and damage to your new liver that can occur with weight gain.
• Avoid shellfish, pate, unpasteurised dairy products, grapefruit, Seville oranges and marmalade. (See dietitians’ advice sheet)

Health and wellbeing

• It is important to stay healthy following your transplant. We recommend you do not smoke.
• Talking to friends and family, your transplant team or local support groups can help you to come to terms with your new liver more quickly.
• If you have occasions of feeling upset or tearful for no apparent reason after your transplant, then talk to your transplant team.

Contacting your donor family

Only if you feel able, we would encourage you to write an anonymous letter to your donor family to show your appreciation of the gift of life that you have been given. Please talk to your transplant co‑ordinators for help with this.

Addenbrooke’s Liver Transplant Association

ALTA is a registered charity whose objective is to provide support and information to liver transplant patients and their families.

Click here to visit the Alta website (opens in a new tab)

Click here to email Alto Information team

Transplant Unit

Box 210, Addenbrooke’s Hospital

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ

Transplant Co‑ordinators

Tel: 01223 216672

Fax: 01223 216111

Mon-Friday 09:00-17:00

Click here to email the CUH Transplant Co‑ordinators

Transplant Pharmacy

Tel:01223 254934

Click here to email CUH Transplant Pharmacy

Ward G5 - Tel: 01223 217711 -- For out of hours advice

In Emergency -- 999 or go to nearest emergency department

Non urgent care should be via GP in first instance

GP tel no………………………………………..

Addenbrooke’s Hospital contact centre

01223 245151 out of hours urgent advice to radio-page on call hepatology registrar

Further Information is available from the British Liver Trust website