Medications after Transplant
Medications after transplant are very important.
Always take your medications as prescribed by
your physicians. Do not take any medications – including
over-the-counter ones – that haven't been
prescribed by the transplant physicians. If
you were taking any other medications prior
to transplant, ask your transplant nurse or
physician before taking them again. Contact
your transplant coordinator if you have any
questions about your medications.
You will begin taking immunosuppressant medications
the day of or the day before your transplant and
you will continue to take them for the rest of
your life. There are different combinations of
immunosuppressant medications. You will only be
taking 2 or 3 of them. Common immunosuppressants
include prednisone, Prograf®, Cyclosporine/Neoral®,
Imuran® and Cellcept®.
The most common side effects of immunosuppressant
medications are:
Notify your doctor if you experience any of these
symptoms.
Because your immune system is suppressed to
prevent rejection of your transplanted organ,
you are at an increased risk of contracting
some infections. To minimize this risk, doctors
routinely prescribe certain medications for
transplant patients, including antifungal, antiviral
and bacterial medications. Your transplant physicians
will decide which ones you need.
A tooth or mouth infection is especially dangerous.
After your transplant, have your teeth cleaned
every 6 months. Before a visit to the dentist,
check with your transplant nurse to see if you
need antibiotics.
You also may need to take some of the following
medications after your transplant:
- Antiulcer medication, to prevent stomach irritation
caused by immunosuppressants
- Antihypertensives, to control high blood pressure
- Cholesterol-lowering agents
Remember, it is important to take only those
medications your transplant physician has approved.
If you have any questions about what medications
are OK to take, contact your transplant nurse
or physician.
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