Transplant Unit

If you are told that your transplant kidney is working properly and that your blood results are normal, you should eat a normal healthy diet.

This would include plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and protein, but you should avoid eating excessive amounts of fatty or sugary foods.

Follow the advice of the ward dietician below :

One of the benefits of a successful renal transplant is that you can enjoy a more varied diet. Usually your potassium restriction is lifted enabling you to eat foods you previously had to limit, eg chocolate, crisps, chips and nuts etc. However, beware! It is a common problem for post transplant patients to rapidly gain weight. For most dialysis patients some weight gain will do no harm but it is sensible to monitor your weight weekly. Weight gain is the result of steroids, an improvement in appetite and the lifting of dietary restrictions. A healthy diet which is low in fat and sugar and high in fibre will help to prevent excessive weight gain and to help keep you fit and healthy. It is a diet that is recommended for everybody (unless they are following dietary restrictions).

The lifting of your potassium restriction also means that you can eat a greater variety of fruits and vegetables. Oranges, grapes, peaches, jacket potatoes, spinach and baked beans are a good source of vitamins and minerals, are high in fibre and low in calories and fat. Other high fibre foods include whole-grain breakfast cereals, Weetabix, branflakes, Shredded Wheat, wholemeal or granary bread. High fibre foods add bulk to your diet, are filling and help to prevent constipation. Try to include these foods in your diet every day.

A healthy diet allows you to eat anything in moderation. However, some foods should not be eaten too often or in large quantities if you want to prevent weight gain. Currently the British diet contains too much fat. There are two main types of fat : polyunsaturated, eg sunflower margarine, corn oil, and saturated fat, eg butter, fat on meat and fat in cheese etc. Both types of fat are equally high in calories but polyunsaturated fat is better for your heart. Try to cut down the total amount of fat that you eat and choose polyunsaturated rather than saturated fats.

Switch over to low fat sunflower margarines and avoid frying food; grill, bake, or steam instead where possible. Try low fat dairy products, eg semi-skimmed milk, low fat cheeses and low fat yogurts.

Sugar and sugary foods contain calories but little goodness. If you are gaining weight, try low calorie drinks and sugar free squashes and have fruit or yogurts for desserts rather than cakes or biscuits.

As a dialysis patient you have probably cut down on salt in your diet. As salt may contribute to high blood pressure it is sensible to continue to use a little in cooking but avoid adding salt to food at the table.

You can now enjoy a much greater variety of foods. A healthy diet does not mean that you should not enjoy the occasional treat. However, treats should be included as part of a balanced diet which contains starchy foods, fruits, vegetables, dairy products and meat or meat alternatives.

There is plenty of information on healthy eating in supermarkets, health promotion centres, libraries, GP surgeries etc and many recipe books are available so enjoy your food.

Your dietician

Whilst you are in hospital you will be seen by the dietician. She will be able to advise you on your specific dietary requirements. Some people lose a large amount of weight before their transplant and it may be necessary for them to supplement their diet with fortified drinks etc. You will be advised if these are recommended for you. Following your transplant there are minimal restrictions to your diet. A healthy diet which is low in fat and sugar and high in fibre will help excessive weight gain and help you keep fit and healthy. The dietician will help you develop an eating plan that provides a balanced diet to meet your needs. The number of calories you will need will be based on whether you need to gain, maintain, or lose weight and on your level of activity.

Alcohol

It is alright to drink alcohol in moderation after your transplant.

Grapefruit

It is best to avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice (it interferes with the level of cyclosporin or tacrolimus in your blood).

Listeria

It is important that during the first three months after a transplant you avoid eating foods that may contain ‘listeria’. This is a bacteria that can cause problems when you are taking higher doses of anti-rejection drugs.

Listeria is acquired from food and usually presents with no symptoms or, at most, very mild symptoms like flu with a temperature. Headache, diarrhoea or a sore throat can also occur and a more serious infection can arise if the listeria spreads in the body.

Foods that may contain listeria include the following:

• unpasteurised cheese
• pate
• live yoghurt
• foods containing raw eggs eg. mayonnaise

Further information

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact your dietitian.

Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Tel : 01223 216655, Fax : 01223 216824