Liver
CMV virus
I had a liver transplant 3 months ago. All going well. I had my blood work done on Friday. Today I got a call from my transplant coordinator and was told I needed to get a CMV DNA, quantitative PCR. Does anyone know anything about this virus
TransplantLyfe Favorite
-
CMV is a serious virus that sometimes can be present in the donated organ - we all get antivirals post transplant to combat it. It can have bad consequences so you went to take the diagnosis seriously
I didn't have CMV, but I did develop EBV post transplant, which are both members of the same family. I was on antivirals post transplant, but still developed the virus. I spent a brief period of time in hospital, and my team adjusted my medication. I tested positive around 6 months post transplant, and am now approaching 2 years post transplant. I have no current issues with my EBV, have been able to re-adjust all my medications (I'm only on tacrolimus now), have no symptoms and my bloodwork all looks great.
It's definitely something to take seriously, but its also not uncommon (from what I've found).
1 - 9 of 9 Other Answers
Thank you. I am still waiting for the second test and I am researching more
Yes, please take this seriously. I had my transplant in 1989, before it was standard protocol to administer antivirals post transplant. My donor kidney was CMV positive but I was not advised and was blissfully ignorant of the virus. I had issues post transplant that “could” have indicated rejection, but not acute symptoms. I had an ultrasound, biopsy and angiogram, which were all inconclusive. Unfortunately over a weekend when all the chief specialists were out of town for a “retreat”, the junior nephrologist decided that I needed to be pulsed with methylprednisolone, 800 mg/ day for 3 days by IV. This seriously depressed my immune system, which allowed the CMV to run rampant about 4 days later. The head nephrologist was livid on return and I never saw the junior doctor ever again. 🤔
I got very, very sick…pneumonia was the most evident symptom, but I also found out years later at an eye exam that I also got retinitis. The pneumonia caused permanent interstitial damage to my lungs and for a while I had a blind spot in my vision of one eye…fortunately it was so small I didn’t notice but it could have been much worse. I was very lucky as HIV/Aids research had sped up research on antivirals at that time and I was able to receive Ganciclovir on an experimental basis. It finally suppressed the CMV enough that I was able to recover.
Please get the test, I can assure you that you don’t want the virus to break out. 🙂
Thank you no I don’t
Transplant Patient
Luckily, so far so good 👍 It's been 7+ years since my heart transplant- no sign so far🤞 I do have blood/lab work done regularly to keep monitoring.
My update.
Saw my team yesterday. Still don’t know About CMV. Did more tests yesterday and waiting on results. Are changing my meds all around. Getting more tests weekly. The surgeon reassured me the liver is doing good.
My living donor was CMV positive (as a lot of people are). At about 6 months post transplant I became ill with severe diarrhea and stomach pain. It was determined I had CMV. I had had the antibodies post transplant like all transplant patients do, but it still broke through. I was given medication to treat it and also given more antibodies. I recovered and haven’t had anymore issues and I and 8 yrs out.
My advice is to do exactly what your Hepatologist suggests because they see this frequently.
I have a kidney transplant for 11 months now.
When I was 5 months post transplant I was diagnosed with CMV and I had a really bad esophagitis. I was sick when I was standing, laying down was fine.
My livers marker went up in the first month but went back to normal after 900mg of Valganciclovir/ day.
I was negativ after 4 months of fighting it. Now I’m taking prophylaxis for it 3 more months
Follow what your doctor recommends.If you still feel sick/ know something is wrong ask for another opinion. Now an infectious disease doctor is seeing me for this. And don’t get discouraged if you don’t get rid of it in the first month.