Kidney
Missed morning meds
November 20, 2024
in Kidney
My husband got the call that the hospital had a kidney for him after 4 years of waiting on November 12 2024. He got discharged November 15 and yesterday (the 19th) we were officially 1 week post op. We'll i went to go give him his night time meds and noticed, he didn't take his morning dose. Of course, I called the after hours number immediately and am waiting to hear back from them. But he's also been VERY tender especially since the doc pushed on the area on Monday for his first follow up apt. Just looking for anyone who has been in this situation? It's been very nerve racking for me. And I'm so afraid this missed dose is really going to hurt him.
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Good morning. I am 7 months after kidney transplant and missed my medication for the first time about a month after transplant. I understand the anxiety that follows the realization of missing that dose of meds. In total I've missed twice the second time was only half a day until I noticed. But all in all my most recent labs the doctor expressed excitement on my kidney doing so well. I would say yes be worried about medication but it's happened and time can't reverse so try to make plans not to repeat that missed medication. What i do is set alarms on my phone and my wife's phone that way there's less of a chance to miss the sound of it and we both get the message. The anxiety i don't think goes away but with time it's just more managed. I wish you and your husband the best.
I have set additional alarms in my phone as well to try and help and also set alarms on our Google home in our kitchen labeled "take meds". I just know how serious this can be and the waiting to hear back from his team is making me feel so uneasy. He's also been very tender around the surgical site since he's gotten surgery... it's hard to know if it's a sign of rejection or if it's normal because his is only 8 days post op..and that pain has remained consistent from when the doc pushed around it for his first out patient follow up...but his first out patient Labs showed that all of his numbers are improving. His urea nitrate is still high, but had decreased between Friday and Monday. I'm quite the nervous wreck at all times currently.
Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. I'm just so disappointed in myself for not checking sooner and catching the missed dose in time.
Hi! I am 19 years post-transplant. It sounds like you did the right thing by contacting the team right away. Your husband is very lucky to have an amazing care partner.
The team may tell you, you do have about a 3-hour window of the scheduled time. I also want to mention he will probably be very tender for quite sometime. It's still very early. But making a list of ANYTHING and letting the team know on the visits is really important so they can look for trends.
Congratulations to both of you on receiving a new organ. I wrote a blog about managing medications, I attached it below. Maybe it will help. I like the apps more than just the alarms on my phone. Probably because I have so many alarms for other things too, haha. Reach out any time if you have any questions during this journey!
Transplant Patient
There's so much going on in those initial days and weeks post transplant. I know how nerve-racking it can be, and all the emotion are heightened. I'm 4 years out from a liver transplant, and I was told similar to @Jeanmarie in that there's a little bit of a window. Also remembering we're human, not perfect, and oversights happen. Your husband definitely isn't the first person who has had this happen. My team told me as long as it's just one dose, and I'm on it for the rest of them, it's not the end of the world. You did the right thing by letting them know, and I hope you're able to give yourself some grace.
I also echo what was said above about setting multiple alarms/reminders. I keep my pill case out where I can see it, literally where I have to move it to get my coffee in the morning so it's right in my face and really hard to miss.
At the end of the day you did the right thing, you're only human, and there has to be grace for that. Your feelings are valid, and your husband is so lucky to have you as a care partner. Keep us posted on how his recovery goes - it's a long, hard road but thriving on the other side is possible!
Thank you all for the advice and kind words 🥹🙏🏻 I also have a support system for my kiddos but they are young so naturally they want moms attention too and are worried about their dad. It's an adjustment for all of us all the way around. Im definitely open to suggestions to help ensure we don't miss another dose. What apps does everyone use for medication reminders? Right now i have about 6 alarms on my phone. 3 for morning. 3 for night. Starting at 7:45 and ending at 8:15. I also have extra alarms set on our Google home in our kitchen so everyone hears it.
HI my name is stefany i had my kidney transplant in july 12 2024. i am in my 4 month in . i never missed a medicine since. you will be taking alot of pilll for the rest of your life. you will be sore for a while. it took me a week then i started physical therapy at home. then a nurse i came in check my vital sound. i then i walk aroundmy block once and then i started to walk twice, also be peeing alot, did they put in stent in your new kidney. then they took it out. i had my kidney at new york presbyterian well cornell in manhattan . the doctosr and nurses were very nice to me. my dieased donor passed away from seizure he was 43 years old.
I am a liver transplant patient. In the two & half years since my transplant I have forgotten 4 times, but never back to back. I am ok. Don't worry too much. All of us have done it & will do it in the future. We are only human beings.
Hi my name is Stefany I got my kidney on July 12 2024. I am 4 month in . I am taking alot of pills. I hot my kidney transplants in New york-presbyterian well cornell in Manhattan new york. I go every.month to.a clinic on new york-presbyterian david E Koch for blood work and vital . My donor was a 43 years old who passed away from seizures. My kidney is working perfectly .
So the thing is with medications in the early period just after treatment, it's normal for your levels to be fairly up and down until they find a good dosage that your husbands body will tolerate and will be consistent in the future. During this time the immune system will be up and down as a result. Low immune system means less damage to the organ theoretically but also less healing from the incision and from potential illness. A high immune system value will mean that the organ will take a little more damage, again theoretically. It also means that his body will be better at healing itself.
Both are positives and negatives. Balance is really key and will happen with time as long as the organ doesn't go into remission. Forgetting meds once isn't going to cause remission though. It'll just be a bump in the road for your nephrologist to figure out your correct dose. It's not that big an issue as long as it's not a habit.
As for the healing, my incision took about 4 months to heal. Not much pain but everyone is really different in that regard.
I'm so incredibly thankful that I stumbled across this app while doing some research. All of you have really helped calm my nerves. I was a whole mess when I made this post and full of fear. The more I learn, the less scary this all becomes. I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to offer advice, reassure us that we're headed in the right direction, and offered us words of encouragement overall. ❤️ We've felt very alone and lost during this process for years, but becoming part of this website has really helped us feel less alone and scared. Words could never fully express the gratitude I have for all of you 🫶🏻