Friday, March 20, 2009

Results

My kidney transplant coordinator called this morning. The results show Prograf toxicity. This is better news than rejection of course. Prograf is the anti-rejection medication that I have been on since my lung transplant in 2001. They think that it is part of the reason my native kidneys failed in the first place. It's definitely hard on the kidneys! So, now that they see it is affecting my new kidney, they are going to first start by lowering my dose.

Prograf is monitored according to its level in your blood stream. They usually keep my level around 7-9. With a kidney transplant, you can keep it much lower than that, but with lungs, it gets trickier, because they are much more likely to reject than a kidney. Since I did receive relative's organs, and am a little less likely to reject than someone who received organs from a non-relative, my lung transplant pulmonologist has agreed that my Prograf level can be kept at around 5 or 6, but he doesn't want it any lower than that. If for some reason that doesn't help my kidney function, then they will have to think about switching my Prograf to another anti-rejection medication. I see my lung doc next Thursday, so they will do labs then and look at my kidney function and my Prograf level.

For all you Twilighters out there, I'm sure you know the movie comes out at 12:01 tonight. Casey and several of her friends are having a Twilight party tonight (yeah, another one) and going to the store at midnight. We had it pre-ordered from Amazon and it will be here Monday. I didn't go to the theater to see it because of my hearing loss, so I am very eager to see it at home with closed captioning. :)

Jason is feeling better, but still having a lot of dizziness when he stands. He's getting rehydrated though.

Thanks again for ALL of your many thoughts and prayers. You guys are the best!! I hope all of you have a wonderful, sunshiny weekend!!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Certainly glad it was not rejection! It sounds like coordinating all the meds and such after transplant is a sticky situation. Hope they are able to get your levels to a point where your kidney is better able to handle it!

*Tracy* said...

glad your back home! hope they can get everything straightened out for you! glad jason is feelin better! hugs

OceanDesert said...

Oh good!! Now hopefully they can get that Prograf level adjusted! It's such a tricky balance... Mine kept being high and they now seem to have it on the 'high' end of normal... but I sometimes get concerned about my kidneys if it's kept at that level, ya know?

Was wondering, when did you first start having kidney issues? How long after your lung tx?

Hope the hubby starts feeling better soon!

Hope said...

Thank God it wasn't rejection! I hope they can find a dose that works! I don't know how, but we got the movie in the mail today. I had preordered from Amazon. I'm pretty sure that wasn't supposed to come today, but I'm happy it did!;)

Have a great weekend!!

kristinkfitness said...

That sounds like good news and I'll pray for the level to be adjusted soon!!!

I haven't seen Twilight yet either but I loved the books and I'm so excited to see it!! Yall have fun!!

Aspiemom said...

I'm glad it's not rejection!

Rebecca (Ramblings by Reba) said...

Well, it sounds like good news, all in all... Glad to hear it.

Unknown said...

Prayers for more continued good news! Prayers for Jason!!
Yes, the hospital wipes are the best!
Twilight ~ what can you say? Hope you enjoy it. My daughter is going to camp out in front of Target, she has to have the 3 disk one, don't know what it is, but she is excited!
Feel better!
Stay well!

Heidi said...

Christy, I know you've listed you meds before, but how much prograf are you on? Is that the only one you are on? Just curious!

Christy said...

Heidi,
I'm now on 0.5 mg Prograf every 12 hours. I was on 0.5 in the a.m. and 1 mg at night and that kept my level at about 7 to 9. Since I'm on VFend, it raises the level of Prograf in my blood. that's why I'm on such a low dose.

Hope,
Amazon is supposed to get the movie/dvd to you on the day of the release. I guess yours got there a day early. Some moron :) at Amazon decided to ship ours out Thursday via UPS instead of postal service, so it won't get her until Monday, although technically, we should have received it today.

Anonymous said...

Thank goodness it is not rejection! I hope they get you were you need to be. What would they switch you to? I wasn't sure what else is out there. I remember Cyclosporin back in the day but I am curious to see. Hopefully it will level out on its own. Tell Dr. P hello for me if you see him Thursday. You enjoy the rest of the weekend. Love you!

Amy said...

Hope it helps!!!!!!!!!!!! Glad its not rejection phew!!!!!

Aubrey said...

I'm SO glad it is not rejection. Thank goodness!

The Twilight party sounds like fun. You will have to let me know what you think of it. Me? I didn't like it so much. The books were WAY better!

Somer Love said...

Well no rejection that is good news but sounds like the whole figuring out the Prograf is going to be a pain...

I never knew you had hearing loss? Do you wear hearing aids? do you think it was from Tobi?

I hope you had a good weekend and I hope Jason feels better soon!