Patient Journey

The BioMatrix Transplant Team supports patients and caregivers throughout the transplant journey.

We understand the life changing importance of receiving a solid organ transplant. Our specially trained clinical team is here to safeguard your precious gift every step of the way.

Preparing for Transplant

Preparing for transplant requires frequent communication and coordination with your medical providers.

Follow these steps to successfully prepare for your solid organ transplant:

Maintain Scheduled Appointments and Complete Necessary Lab Work

Once you and your doctor decide a transplant is right for you, a series of medical tests must be conducted in order to be placed onto the transplant waiting list. Maintaining appointments and completing necessary lab work in a timely fashion will speed your time to transplant.

Ask Questions

Don’t be afraid to ask your transplant team questions. Knowing what to expect reduces uncertainty and allows you to make necessary preparations.

Connect with Other Patients

Connect with others who have successfully received a transplant. Support groups are also a valuable resource. Your transplant coordinator can help locate a group that is right for you.

Prepare Financially

Undergoing a transplant affects every aspect of a person’s life, including finances. There are many resources to help ease the financial burden related to transplantation. Your transplant center has staff specially trained to help identify financial resources.

Utilize Support Services

Awaiting transplant can be a stressful and emotional process for patients and loved ones alike. Many transplant centers have a psychologist or a social worker to help patients and families with any issues that may arise.

Focus on Your Health

Work with your healthcare providers and loved ones to ensure you’re at your best health leading up to transplant. Maintaining adherence to prescribed medications and identifying appropriate diet and exercise routines will help make sure you are in the best shape for surgery and better prepared for a speedy recovery.

Stay Connected

Staying connected with your transplant team is of critical importance. Provide your transplant team a list of telephone numbers where you can be reached at all times. Include phone numbers of friends and family who you might visit. Your transplant team will need to contact you as soon as your new organ is available. If they can’t locate you within one hour, the donor organ will likely go to the next person on the list.

Desensitization

Some patients have immune systems more likely to reject a transplanted organ. Desensitization therapy is used to decrease antibody levels, allowing a transplant to take place.

Desensitization includes utilizing infused or injected medications, plasmapheresis, or a combination of both. Our pharmacy provides desensitization services preparing even the most highly sensitized patients for transplant.

You might be a good candidate for desensitization therapy if:

  • You have been in a paired-donation network and have not received any calls for transplant

  • You have been called in for transplant several times with positive cross-match to donors

  • You have a Living Donor (LD) that is not compatible

  • You have been on the waiting list for the average waiting time for your center and have not been called in for transplant

Post-Transplant

Maintaining your health and the longevity of your transplanted organ is top priority post-transplant.

Your transplant center will create an immunosuppressive regimen to help you avoid organ rejection.

Never stop or change any medication without first discussing it with your transplant physician or nurse coordinator. Your transplant center and specialty pharmacy will work together to provide resources to make maintaining your prescribed therapy easier.

In addition to strict adherence to all prescribed medications, it is important for organ recipients to:

  • Avoid smoking or chewing tobacco

  • Maintain a healthy diet

  • Be physically active 20–30 minutes most days of the week

  • Maintain a healthy body weight

  • Avoid alcohol or use alcohol only in moderation, usually less than 2 drinks per day

  • Wear sunscreen and avoid excessive exposure to the sun

  • Avoid use of illegal drugs

  • Discuss all medications with your doctor, including any herbal or alternative medications you may be taking

Contact your transplant team right away if you experience any of the following symptoms:

  • Fever over 100°F (38°C)

  • Flu-like symptoms such as chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, or body aches and pains

  • Retaining fluids or having sudden weight gain

  • Tiredness

  • Shortness of breath

  • Blue or pale nail beds

  • Change in heart rate

  • Decreased urine output

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE. All information, content, and material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider or as legal advice. Please consult a physician or other health care professional for your specific health care and/or medical needs or concerns and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read here or on our website.