Is weight loss possible post transplant while on immunosuppressants?

[Tallyn]

I am almost 4 months post kidney transplant and I have gained over 15 kg. I have been exercising consistently and eating healthy for over 6 weeks now but my weight won’t budge at all. I have read that immunosuppressants can really mess with one’s metabolism and fat burning, and being 49 and likely menopausal probably doesn’t help. But I have always been in good shape and at my ideal weight of about 63 kg but that seems really unlikely to get back to considering the lack of any weight loss so far.

[HSP1965]

Hi,Ik heb precies hetzelfde!

Woog altijd rond de 63 kilo, 57 jaar en ruim een jaar een niertransplantatie ondergaan.

Sinds ik prednison en prograft slik 10 kilo aangekomen en niks krijgt m'n gewicht nog naar beneden.

Mijn nefroloog zegt doordat ik nu een gezonde nier hé, ook de darmen beter voedingsstoffen opnemen waardoor de toename van gewicht!

We zullen het moeten accepteren!

[Dara3351]

Yes, I just lost 29 lbs watching my diet . My trans was Feb 2019.

[Graham49]

Yes, I weigh less than when I had my transplant. Be really tough on the calories. You might have to forego some favorite foods. Just have them very occasionally.

[SLP2005]

Hi Tallyn,If you switch to whole food plant based diet, SOS free, meaning no animal food and sugar-oil-salt free, you will lose and retain normal weight for the rest of your life. You will never need to count calories. I went vegan 16 years ago and at age of 48 my weight is 116-123 lbs with height 5’3” similar to what I weighed in high school. Exercise alone will NEVER help you lose weight. Going plant-based will help you significantly reduce ALL CAUSE mortality rate. Having taken prednisone for 15 years did not affect my weight because of the way I eat and live. I no longer take prednisone and any other drugs, except of two immunosuppressive meds, Envarsus and Myfortic. Exercise is excellent addition for bones and muscles and necessary. The longest living and the healthiest people on Earth, called Bluezoners, consume meals consisting of legumes, whole grains, tubers (potatoes, carrots, beats, etc), greens, and small amounts of nuts and seeds. They do not go to gyms but they move all day long, walking, gardening, doing multiple daily routines in an old fashion way that makes them move frequently.

PS: I had a kidney and pancreas transplant and now I am a FORMER type 1 diabetic.

Wishing you health and longevity! Blessings!

[Live_Positive in reply to SLP2005]

Very encouraging !!! Thanks SLP

[SLP2005 in reply to Live_Positive]

You are welcome! And do live positive! Many blessings!

[Falkenhayn]

Getting a transplant diminished my appetite, and although my weight averaged in the around 130 lbs. before the transplant, afterwards my weight gradually fell to a very thin 105 lbs., which is what I weigh now, 16 years after the transplant. I have never instituted any special measures to lose weight, but just eaten the same way that has been normal for me all my life and kept me thin all my life (my height is 5'9"). For the last few years I have had a plant based diet to preserve renal function.

[catwoman0005]

are you on prednisolone if so what dose

[Tallyn in reply to catwoman0005]

Yes I am on 7.5 mg now, for the past 6 weeks. I am hoping once my body is used to this dose then the weight will come off because it’s really tiring carrying around an extra 30 pounds.

[Falkenhayn in reply to Tallyn]

I take 5 mg of prednisone a day, and it causes me no weight problems.

[SLP2005]

Same here. I had been on 20 mg for a year after transplant and I lost 25 lbs plus I went vegan that year. The previous person, Falkenhayn, is 100% right. Go plant based to be slim and preserve kidney function. AND reduce risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, cognitive decline, obesity, ….. the list goes on and on.

[Live_Positive in reply to SLP2005]

100% true

[Blue-Quilter]

My transplant was October of 2019. I was overweight, but no longer obese as I had been for many years following the births of my children. I was a Type 2 diabetic largely because of my weight.

I had to go on insulin, taking up to 5 shots a day following the transplant. That really irritated me! I lost about 10# by Christmas simply by following the standard diabetic food plan. I began losing again in March of 2020 as the pandemic hit. I have lost 45# more pounds without dieting or exercising beyond a 3 mile walk a couple times a week. I was taken off Myfortic at Christmas of 2019 due to extremely (almost non-existent) white blood cell counts. Prednisone is 5mg. The tacrolimus dose has been all over the place because I can't get a stable level. It was adjusted on average every two weeks and I had a headache and diarreah for three days following every adjustment. Those side effects killed any appetite I had. I was recently switched to Envarsus, but haven't gotten two good readings in a row yet, and still deal with a poor appetite. I weigh the same now as when I got married at 21 (I'm 65), a weight I never thought I would see again. I'm down to one shot of insulin a day, a minimal dose of the long acting kind, and MAY get to go off that if my A1C stays below 6.

So yes, Tallyn, weight loss following a transplant IS possible, and you don't have to go vegan unless you want to do so.

[Alfredmynewkidney]

I've lost weight and feel great doing the opposite of people in this group. I eat low carb, mod protein and high fat and do intermittent fasting. I follow Jason Fung on you tube. He is a nephrologist. It is what works for me .

[LisaSnow in reply to Alfredmynewkidney]

What does a typical high fat low carb meal for dinner look like?

[Alfredmynewkidney in reply to LisaSnow]

I eat meat and veggies. Tonight I had a chicken breast. And a salad with ranch dressing. The last 2 nights at work. I had rotisserie chicken and pork rinds. No veggies.

[Alfredmynewkidney in reply to Alfredmynewkidney]

I fast for 16 hours a day and eat 2 meals. I do cheat occasionally with my husband's homemade pizza. I follow Dr Jason Fung and Dr Ken Berry.

[LisaSnow in reply to Alfredmynewkidney]

Sounds like healthy protein!

[Damigi28]

Yes, it is possible but very hard. I tried but did not start losing until well over a year post transplant. Look up the side effects of post transplant meds. They all have weight gain as a side effect. Also, prednisone distributes the weight differently. It has totally changed my body shape even though I lost weight. Even my doctor said that I will never lose my stomach. Good luck to you.