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Kidney Transplant

Followup

Further Clinical Care and Medication Changes

Changes in oral anti-rejection medications were made to see if they could better control rejection. Imuran® was replaced with CellCept®. Cyclosporine (Neoral®) was replaced with ProGraf®. Anti-hypertensive medications were changed again.

Sam was seen frequently at the transplant clinic from mid-February to March. He was on three types of anti-rejection therapy: Prograf, CellCept and prednisone. He was on two types of blood pressure medication: Norvasc® and atenolol. Other medications were baby aspirin, Prilosec for his stomach, Prozac® for depression and phosphorus and magnesium supplements. Blood pressure was usually around 120/80, the kidney was non-tender and there was no edema or swelling. Blood tests stayed on a plateau with creatinine of 3.3 and BUN in the 40s. Sam's main complaints were fatigue and shakiness of his hands from the powerful anti-rejection medications he was taking. He was taking an average of 30 medications daily, a difficult challenge. He was able to return to his job as a mechanical draftsman by the middle of February, but his wife had to do most of the chores connected with home and animal feeding due to his fatigue level and side effects from the medications.