Post transplant CMV Mismatch - British Liver Trust

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Post transplant CMV Mismatch

Kimlescam profile image
8 Replies

Hi All

My husband had a liver transplant on 28.11.17 and having looked at his medication and read his discharge note it says he has been prescribed Valganciclovir as he has a high risk CMV mismatch.

Having googled it - sounds serious - has anyone else come across this and I am not sure of the implications. His note says it will be reviewed on 07/03.18.

Thanks

Kim

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Kimlescam
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8 Replies
LAJ123 profile image
LAJ123

Hello Kimlescam,

You are not alone.

Post transplant my viral levels were high and needed treatment with anti - viral medication. The levels quickly returned to 'normal' and since my March 2016 transplant, I’ve had no problems.

Having already googled cytomegalovirus, you will already know that it is very common.

Almost 50% of the UK population will have already been exposed to the virus. The virus remains dormant and is there for life.

Because of this, the likelihood of either the donor or recipient already having the virus is very high. This means its very difficult to avoid in transplantation. However, as its such a well recognised post transplant issue, and there is treatment available, there is little for you to worry about.

Most will never have any problem post transplant. Obviously, the use of anti rejection medication will increase the risk of the virus becoming 're-activated. This is where the use of the prescribed ant-viral medication deals effectively with this problem.

As he is not going to be reviewed until March 2018, this would suggest that at the moment his transplant team are not unduly concerned. Of course you need to be aware of the signs and symptoms of any problem with the virus. I wont list them here, but I will give you a link to the NHS Choices website which gives up to date and reliable information about the virus and what to watch out for and when to seek medical help.

If at any time you are concerned, either with understanding the CMV virus or experiencing symptoms, remember that your transplant coordinator is always there to give information and support.

I hope he is otherwise well after his transplant and continues to regain full fitness and good health.

Jim

nhs.uk/conditions/cytomegal...

And for general information / support / news of liver health - a link to the British Liver Trust.

britishlivertrust.org.uk/

Kimlescam profile image
Kimlescam in reply toLAJ123

Thanks that is really helpful

pear-shaped profile image
pear-shaped

Dear Kim,

My husband had CMV with both transplants. The consultant normally adds extra blood tests on and waits for the count to come down to non detectable.

They do use a drip but this is only if tablets do not work.

I did write some posts on CMV if you want to search it on here.

Sending you lots of hugs.

Yours truly,

Pear

jojokarak profile image
jojokarak

Hiya I had my transplant a year ago and since then have had cmv 3 times it's more of an annoyance than anything and is easily treatable 😀

Kimlescam profile image
Kimlescam

Thanks everyone - much less serious than I feared xx

jojokarak profile image
jojokarak in reply toKimlescam

It is and they give you the tablets first 3 months to reduce your risk of developing cmv I am a strange one because I was taken of them early as they were skewing my bloods up 😁

Tradscot profile image
Tradscot in reply tojojokarak

Hi that's interesting. I was on Valgan for ages and coudn't

get the CMV levels down. My red blood cell count started

to lower drastically to the point I was having blood

transfusions every month or so. Eventually the CMV levels

became undetectable, the Valgan was stopped and blood

returned to normal. It is suspected that the CMV was

difficult to get rid of because of the Hep C I was still infected

with. I said goodbye to the Hep C with a course of

Epclusa last summer.

Medecin profile image
Medecin

Liver transplant Oct 2017, on valgancyclovir for 3 months. Easter 2017, feeling ill and shaky, went to A&E, diagnosed with sepsis caused by cmv. Spent months on antivirals trying to reduce cmv level to zero. Discharged and within 2 weeks had sepsis with EColi as the proximate cause. Suffered kidney damage and had sepsis again in Sept 2018 but no more problems with cmv since July 2018.

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