Post transplant diabetes

[Will3]

Hi, I am just over 3 years post transplant and just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Is there anything that transplant patients have to do differently to regular diabetics ? Is anyone else in the same boat as me ?

[h0b0]

Hi . My partner was about 3 years post xplant when he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Do you take Adoport, as he does & that's the cause. He is on medication & regular checkups with specialist nurse. Also has to watch his diet. I assume this will all be discussed with you. Hope this helps.

[Lam1e]

I am 18 months post transplant and Prednisolone seemed to make me want to eat all the time and just rubbish! I have a sweet tooth like I never had before! So weight gain and lockdown didn’t help! So not diagnosed diabetic but my markers are heading that way! I have a healthy smoothie in the morning, I don’t use a lot of sugar unless I’m baking and I substitute that with xylitol! Just trying to cut down on the rubbish and exercise more🙏👍

[nutrimar]

I'm 8 years post transplant and was diagnosed as a pre diabetic in December 2020. My HBA1C was at 42. In January '21 I decided to cut out the refined & starchy carbs (bread, rice, pasta, potatoes etc) from my diet, and also eat within a 6 hour window. (Intermittent fasting). As a result my HBA1C is now well within normal levels at 38, and I've also lost 10kgs of weight.

This will have to be an ongoing process for me. I suppose that I was blessed enough to last several years post TP without having to worry about diabetes. Now it's going to always be on the horizon, I'm going to have to be careful.

All the best.

M

[heslinjones in reply to nutrimar]

Trying not to be a party pooper BUT i suggest you have a word with a diabetic consultant. I am cirrhotic and insulin controlled type 2 diabetic. My diabetic nurse put me back to the diabetic consultant as my latest few HB1ac results gave readings that said i was not even diabetic now. Very confusing. The diabetic consultant said ;HB1ac tests are invalid if you have liver disorders; Honestly. I was told to forget the HB1ac results and solely rely on finger prick results. Hope this makes sense.

[nutrimar in reply to heslinjones]

Are you post transplant, or are you still suffering liver issues? Seeing as I'm post transplant, and my liver tests are all well within normal ranges, I don't consider myself to have any liver problems.

I know that the medication I'm taking does make it more likely that I get type 2 diabetes, so I'm doing everything I can to take steps to avoid its development.

Also, the nurse that looks after diabetics at the GP surgery is very happy with my progress.

M

[heslinjones in reply to nutrimar]

Point taken. As I said currently cirrhotic. Good luck to you. Possibly someone cirrhotic will see the post and act. I was playing with my insulin dosages to counteract the hb1ac results which could have left me hypoglycaemic. Not a good situation but my nurse never knew the weird stuff the liver can do. As I said good luck.

[nutrimar in reply to heslinjones]

You too. I know what it's like to live with cirrhosis.

[Richard-Allen]

This following explanation is from an email I received from Dr Patricia Lalor,

Dr Lalor, is a senior lecturer, at the Centre for Liver Research and NIHR Biomedical Research Unit, Institute of Biomedical Research, The Medical School, University of Birmingham.

"In a post transplant patient – here the medications used to prevent rejection can alter the way hepatocytes handle sugars and drive overproduction and release of glucose into the blood.

Also patients with diabetic risks before transplant are more likely to experience it after transplant".

I hope this explains things for you.

[Will3]

Thanks for your replies 👍