After the operation
Once the operation is complete, you will be taken to intensive care. When you wake up you will notice that you:
- have a tube in your throat and are attached to a ventilator to help you breathe
- are attached to machines which help your doctors monitor your condition
- have a tube in your nose.
When you start breathing normally the tube in your windpipe will be removed and you will be given oxygen through a face mask. You might have a bit of a sore throat at this point and the nurses will then take you through a few breathing exercises. You will also be given several pain relief injections.
Over the next few days you will continue to be given pain relief. You may be able to control this yourself via a PCA (pain-controlled analgesia or 'Pica') device. You will have routine blood tests and chest X-rays and you will also be given antibiotics.
Leaving the hospital
Your transplant team will take you through what you can expect when you get home. Once you are at home you should be contacted by your transplant coordinator who will see how you are getting on.
Medicines
To prevent your body rejecting a new healthy liver you will need to take a number of medicines, including strong drugs known as immunosuppressants.
Go through each medicine carefully with your healthcare team as some medications react badly with others, as well as certain foods. If you have any questions talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Some of the drugs that you will be given can have side effects, including:
- kidney damage
- high blood pressure
- high cholesterol
- obesity
After about two days you will be moved onto a ward. Over the next few days you will find that you can move about more and will be encouraged to do so.
You can begin to eat between one and five days after the operation, with advice from a dietician.
It is quite common to feel a bit low after the operation. This is normal and is caused by the stress of having a major operation and the drugs you are taking. Other side effects of the drugs include vivid dreams and nightmares, with some people experiencing waking hallucinations.
If you are worried about the side effects of the medicine talk to your GP, the hospital pharmacist or your liver team.
You may be given regular booster vaccinations against disease. If so, these will never be in the form of a live vaccine and will not be started for at least six months after your transplant.
Travelling
If you are planning to travel to another country talk to your doctor. There are two things you must think about:
- It is vital that you do not have a live vaccination as this will react very badly with the drugs (immunosuppressants) you are taking to stop your new liver being rejected.
- Always make sure that you have enough medicines to last you for the entire trip, with a few extra to cover any delays or emergencies.