5 months post transplant, am I expecting too much?

[Paulwil]

Medically I am doing well, my blood test results are normal. I don't know if I am expecting too much as I feel very tired on most days? My fitness level hasn't really improved over the last 3 months and some days I feel generally unwell. It would be great to have some feedback on other people's experiences

[Dulux]

I'm 7 months post and only in this last month have started back to light exercise and sports. Being honest I don't feel like I have the energy to do too much activity, but I need to do something as my mind is going nuts. I have had GI issues so was losing weight for a few months which certainly hasn't helped me.

What did you do pre transplant exercise wise. Set some smaller goals which are achievable and see how you do. The other week I pushed a little hard and had a couple of hours shut eye in the afternoon, terrified the misses but did me the world of good.

[Paulwil in reply to Dulux]

Thanks for your comments. Pre transplant my only real exercise was walking so I wasn't terribly fit. I still walk now, maybe a couple of miles at weekends, so about the same as before. My goal which is only small is to walk the half a mile to our local shop every evening rather than drive, not a lot I know!

[Dulux in reply to Paulwil]

A goal is a goal, don't knock it. What you need to do is push that goal, so either push the distance or the time, don't go mad. I found walking did get a little boring so I mixed it up with some other things. I wanted to get going and get back to work, at work I'm never at my desk for long and had stairs etc to get up and down so this has helped with me being more mobile in the day. Make sure whatever you do is something you can enjoy. Energy is the thing that I found hasn't bounced back, although I'm sure this has been down to malabsorbing due to GI issues.

[jojokarak]

I am 18 months and I still having a daily nap but just recently had an iron infusion because since transplant been severely anaemic ... What they don't tell you is the medication we are on throws our systems out and one of them is being anaemic they leave it at first because most people's level out which yours hopefully will don't beat yourself it's a huge ordeal your body and mind has been through so it will take time. Do what you feel you can manage x

[Paulwil in reply to jojokarak]

Thanks. The only medication I am now on is tacrolimus, the prednisolone was phased out recently. I know this can have loads of side effects which I try not to read!

[Kristian]

Hi Paul,

Everyone is different. Whilst I was able to do a bit more than you at 5 months, I wont lie, it was bl**dy hard. I set a goal as to what I wanted to be able to do and managed to do it. It was probably a bit more than I should've done, but it was something I just had to do. I was though miles away from being fully fit, despite external appearances. I was still in some pain up until about 7 months post transplant and still got tired pretty quick well after that. Really its only now, some 11 months later that I am almost back to normal. I have though been doing something every day right from the start and now only use the stairs at work instead of the lift. That in itself has probably seen the biggest improvement in fitness, although I was a bit disappointed to find out that you only burn about 0.5 calories per stair. (I was that disappointed I needed a chocolate bar to console myself!)

So don't be disheartened. Its just going to take time. From the looks of things you're doing it right. Its something you need to do at your own pace. Don't worry too much about how others progress in comparison.