Taking Medication After Organ
Transplant Surgery Is Crucial
By: Ellen Scharaga

Taking Medication After Organ Transplant Surgery Is
Crucial
Ellen Scharaga is an operational consultant at Alegria Specialty Pharmacy in New York. At the
firm, Ellen Scharaga facilitates the development and delivery of innovative medications to manage
chronic conditions and support people who have undergone organ transplants.

Taking Medication After Organ Transplant Surgery Is
Crucial
People who’ve had organ transplants have to take medication for the rest of their lives. Specifically,
they take immune system suppressing medication to prevent their bodies from rejecting the
donated organs. The body’s immune system is naturally alert, seeking out foreign organisms for
removal. In the case of donated organs, the immune system deems them foreign objects and
treats them like germs. The result is organ rejection.

Taking Medication After Organ Transplant Surgery Is
Crucial
Immunosuppressing drugs suppress the immune system, enabling patients to live well with a
donated organ. However, because patients have to take several drugs every day, keeping up can
be daunting. Here are some tips to make it easier:

Taking Medication After Organ Transplant Surgery Is
Crucial
1. Using pillboxes with daily or weekly doses that are set up beforehand and storing the medication
in a cool dry place, away from children.

Taking Medication After Organ Transplant Surgery Is
Crucial
2. Scheduling doses so that they coincide with daily activities such as eating, rushing, or going to
bed. If not, an alarm clock or timer is handy to remind patients when to take medication.

Taking Medication After Organ Transplant Surgery Is
Crucial
3. Monitoring medicine levels and making refill orders early.

Taking Medication After Organ Transplant Surgery Is
Crucial
4. Never stop taking medication without the doctor’s approval.