When You Go Home

At the time of discharge from the hospital you will be provided with very specific written instructions regarding your lab orders and follow up appointments. During your first visit after discharge from the hospital you will be seen by the pharmacist, social worker and dietitian. Plan to be at the clinic for several hours, and you may also want to bring a snack. Please bring all of your medicines to your first visit.

Do not lift anything over 10 pounds for the first 6 weeks after transplant, and do not drive for 6 weeks after transplant. These activities will increase your risk for an incisional hernia which would require surgery to correct. Bring your transplant diary to every clinic visit. If you lose your diary or it is filled, you can print additional pages from our website.

On lab draw days, do not take Prograf, Cyclosporine or Rapamune before having blood drawn. (you will not be on all three) The doses of these drugs are adjusted based on how much drug is in your blood.  The blood tests need to be drawn just before the morning dose.

The Transplant Center is open from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. A transplant coordinator is available outside of business hours for urgent problems related to your transplant. You will be provided with information regarding how to reach a transplant coordinator if you need assistance
outside of business hours. Please be aware that the nurse you contact after hours may not be your usual
nurse, and the nurses take call from home after hours. Please only call the nurse on call if your problem
is urgent. Please take care of medication refills, appointment scheduling or cancellations, disability forms,
etc during regular business hours. If you leave a message for the transplant coordinator, he/she is paged
and will call you back. Please make sure you keep your phone line open so the nurse can get in touch with you.

During the early months after your transplant, the transplant team will want to manage your medicines and
oversee your medical care. After the first 90 days, you should make an appointment with your primary care doctor or nephrologist and begin to see them on a regular basis. After the first three months post-transplant you should first
consider calling your primary care doctor or nephrologist with medical problems. The transplant nephrologists and
surgeons are available 24 hours a day to consult with any physician caring for you. They can be contacted through
the hospital operator at (916) 734-2011.