Living With an Organ Transplant
Organ Transplant, Diet, and Weight Gain
Diet and weight gain are concerns for those having an organ transplant
As you start to feel better after your transplant, you may be struck by the sudden return of your appetite. After being sick for a while, it can be a great feeling. For the first time in ages, you really enjoy eating again.
But as great as that feeling is, eating a lot has that well-known downside: weight gain. And unfortunately, the steroids that you're taking can both boost your appetite and make it harder for your body to use carbohydrates. The result can be excess fat.
"We have a lot of transplant patients who get overweight," says Jeffrey D. Punch, MD, chief of the Division of Transplantation at the University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor. "It's pretty common."
It's key that you try to prevent weight gain or -- if you're past the point of prevention -- lose some of the excess pounds. While keeping a healthy weight is important for everyone, it's especially important for people who have had a transplant because it lowers the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
What Kind of Diet Should I Eat After an Organ Transplant?
There is no magical "Transplant Diet." In general, you should just eat the kind of diet that would be healthy for anyone. It should be low in fat and sugar and high in complex carbohydrates like cereals, vegetables, and grains. Of course, it all depends on your individual case. You may need to take special precautions. Stick to the diet your doctor recommends.
In many cases, eating is a lot simpler after a transplant.
"Before people get a kidney transplant, they often have to avoid foods with high magnesium and phosphorous, and they have strict fluid restrictions," says Richard Perez, MD, PhD, the director of the Transplant Center at the University of California Medical Center at Davis. "After a transplant, a lot of those restrictions are lifted and they can eat a normal diet."
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