Foods to Avoid After Transplant

[frebusmaxwell]

Are there any restrictions to what you can eat after a transplant, as in foods that interact negatively with the immunosuppressants?

[Denise-80]

Hi Frebusmaxwell - You may get some different responses to this question, but for me the restrictions are limited to pomegranate and grapefruit (due to interactions with meds) and raw and undercooked fish/meats (due to bacteria). I don’t have any other diet restrictions, but I just do my best to eat healthy. Please keep us up to date on your transplant journey.

Best wishes,

D

[BabyTee]

This is a pretty good list: kidney.org/atoz/content/foo...

The following may interact with immunosuppressant meds - grapefruit, pomelo, red wine, purple grape juice. Check to see if there are interactions with the meds you are taking.

Risk of bacteria - honey, runny eggs, undercooked meat (steak must be cooked to medium, but hamburger must be medium well), raw seafood, salad bars, sprouts, buffets

Lunch meat should be heated until hot (bacteria risk).

Also, if you read the drug information they tell you to avoid potassium rich foods. My potassium tends to run low, so this doesn't apply to me as long as my blood tests for potassium are good.

[frebusmaxwell in reply to BabyTee]

Thank you so much! I wonder why grape juice would be on the list?

[Anja71 in reply to frebusmaxwell]

For biochemical reasons. Your immunosuppressants are broken down by a coenzyme that plays a central and important role in the body. For this reason, the list of drugs that can interact is very long. All of them affect this enzyme. So do grapefruit ingredients, they block this enzyme.

[MartyVA in reply to frebusmaxwell]

Grape juice may contain some pomegranate juice. Anything with pomegranate juice should be avoided.

[Ski573 in reply to BabyTee]

Pasteurized honey is fine…. Anything raw should be avoided…. Raw honey, unpasteurized eggs, etc

[Dna4christ]

Hello there. I was only told to stay away from anything grapefruit-related because it will raise the tacrolimus level.

Besides that, I stick to a certain diet myself hoping for longevity of my kidney.

Best wishes!!

[Herkidney]

In addition to grapefruit and pomegranates, I found out recently that blood oranges should also be avoided. I had no idea!!

[BabyTee in reply to Herkidney]

In the UK I noticed they said to avoid seville oranges that are typically used to make marmalade.

[PeterChao]

I was instructed to avoid grapefruit, pomegranate and dragon fruit. Also raw foods like sushi, oysters, salad bars were considered high risk.

[Taconeo]

I eat a lot of sushi , sashimi , raw oysters etc but in places that I know well , that are busy , high turnover & know that their supply is always fresh 😊 what I don’t eat is any deli foods / salads / meats that have been out for any length of time ie subway / supermarket deli etc

[Jepsos in reply to Taconeo]

You may want to check with your transplant team about this. It’s not only the freshness of the seafood, it is the parasites and the fact that a lot of our seafood is considered “cleaner fish” - such as oysters. Their levels of bacteria, parasites and heavy metal contamination is quite high. That is why children, elderly and immune compromised people are told to avoid all raw seafood and to limit seafood intake (even cooked).

[Taconeo in reply to Jepsos]

Possibly depends on where you live in the world also

[forthelonghaul]

Hi,I hope you you are doing well.

I was it was recommended by my post-transplant nurse to stay away from hot food bars, and buffets. The food isn’t worth the possible risk of infection. There are people that don’t have the best hygiene!

Stay safe. Take care.

[kidneyrecipient]

I've been told to avoid pomegranate and grapefruit. Also to avoid sprouts and other foods that might harbor fungi or bacteria. I wash fresh fruits and vegetables really well. Also, to avoid undercooked meat.

[horsie63]

If you were on a plant based or mostly plant based diet before transplant do you continue that or do you now add in some meat options? What I miss mostly is shrimp, potatoes, tomatoes, cantaloupe, all the high potassium foods I avoid right now.

[Ski573 in reply to horsie63]

I am able to eat all of those items work for you. Since it will depend on your potassium levels, salt, etc. since everyone’s case can be different diet restrictions can vary.

[KingofHearts]

A few more items for your list that I have learned. Eat the right foods to keep levels of your potassium, etc within range. Understand proteins. Eat healthy proteins, but protein is protein and too much can "overload" your healthy kidney. Know your protein recommended level and stay with that.

[Ski573]

The best thing to do is talk with your transplant team. Since everyone case is different you may have diet restrictions that vary. But the pomegranate/grate fruit are universal to the immunosuppressants. And anything that may have bscteria( food sitting out I.e. delis, buffets, raw meat, etc). Good luck to you!!!!

[bluekidney]

I was told by me transplant team to stay away from all herbal teas. Green tea, mint, chamomile any type of tea except black tea and it had to be pasteurized so they said stick to Lipton black tea. I however have not seen anybody else mention this and have read around the web. Some other places I found do mention tea limitations but very few places do. I did enjoy a nice tea from time to time before transplant but I will follow my teams orders. Also Seville oranges and all the above mentioned items. My transplant team did allow me to eat sushi 6 weeks after transplant but only from reputable places as mentioned above. I do enjoy sushi but have been apprehensive about having a full roll of the raw version. I’m 13 months post transplant and still stick to cooked sushi.

[LisaSnow]

My view is perhaps a bit more liberal. Other than the items that are known to interact with your medication (e.g. grapefruit if you are in tacrolimus) which must be avoided, eat what you want in modest amount and always buy from the best and cleanest sources. Eat a wide variety of foods and stay hydrated. Also, eat with gratitude.

[frebusmaxwell in reply to LisaSnow]

Thanks, Lisa! That sounds reasonable and very freeing!