In general, your diet after liver transplant should be low in salt, cholesterol, fat and sugar. To prevent damaging your new liver, it's important to avoid alcohol. Do not drink alcoholic beverages or use alcohol in cooking.
A transplanted liver may be more sensitive to damage by chemicals, including alcohol. The transplantation team recommends that recipients avoid overuse of alcoholic beverages after transplantation.
Recovering from a liver transplant can be a long process, but most people will eventually be able to return to most of their normal activities and have a good quality of life. It can take up to a year to fully recover, although you'll usually be able to start gradually building up your activities after a few weeks.
Recovery after liver transplantation depends in part on how ill the patient was prior to surgery. Most patients are hospitalized for seven to 10 days after liver transplant. Afterward, they generally recuperate at home and typically return to work or school after about three months.
To help care for your liver, you will need to:
Eat a healthy diet, exercise, not smoke cigarettes and not drink alcohol. Contact your doctor if you are feeling ill. Have your labs drawn as directed by your doctor, including any additional testing. Follow lifting, walking, showering and activity restrictions.
Help at Home After Liver Transplant Surgery
You must have a caregiver with you 24 hours a day for at least 6 weeks after you leave the hospital. Being a caregiver is a big responsibility. You may need more than one person to help you for the first few months after your liver transplant.
Your belly and side will be sore for the first 1 to 2 weeks after surgery. You also may have some numbness around the cut (incision) the doctor made. It is common to feel tired while you are healing. It may take 2 to 4 months for your energy to fully return.
Liver transplant survival statistics
According to a study , people who have a liver transplant have an 89% percent chance of living after one year. The five-year survival rate is 75 percent . Sometimes the transplanted liver can fail, or the original disease may return.
The duration of liver transplant surgery depends on how complex your case is. On average, the surgery can take between 6-12 hours.
It's normal to feel a rollercoaster of emotions
Having a liver transplant is an emotional experience. Some patients find it very stressful and feel guilty and depressed, while others feel overjoyed. Sometimes, the new medicines you'll need to take for the transplant can change your mood.
On average, most people who receive LT live for more than 10 years. Many may live for up to 20 years or more after the transplant. A study says 90% of people with transplant survive for at least 1 year, and 70% of people may live for at least 5 years after transplant.
Risks of a liver transplant
The long-term outlook for a liver transplant is generally good. More than 9 out of every 10 people are still alive after 1 year, around 8 in every 10 people live at least 5 years, and many people live for up to 20 years or more.
Eating lean meats, poultry and fish. Eating whole-grain breads and cereals and other grains. Having enough fiber in your daily diet. Drinking low-fat milk or eating other low-fat dairy products, to help maintain enough calcium.
Foods to avoid after transplant include: Raw seafood like clams, oysters, sushi and ceviche. Raw, rare or undercooked meat, poultry and fish. Raw or undercooked eggs.
If your recovery is going well, after 8 weeks, you will usually be encouraged to start moderate exercise. This could be walking, jogging, swimming or cycling. Most sports and activities are possible but you should avoid heavy contact sports (rugby, martial arts, boxing) as these risk damaging your liver transplant.
It's normal to feel a rollercoaster of emotions
Having a liver transplant is an emotional experience. Some patients find it very stressful and feel guilty and depressed, while others feel overjoyed. Sometimes, the new medicines you'll need to take for the transplant can change your mood.
Chances of survival following OLT are good, with a 5-year survival of 75%. The most common causes of death in liver transplant patients (beyond the early in-hospital transplant period) are infection, rejection, and malignancy.
Rejection is when your body's immune system starts to 'attack' your transplanted liver. It happens when your immune system recognises the liver as coming from a different person and thinks it isn't supposed to be there. Rejection can still occur even if you're taking all of your medicines.