Newsletter: Keeping Up With Your Transplant Medications

The following is the latest newsletter from The Transplant Experience, the educational division of Astellas Pharmaceuticals, makers of several transplant meds. This free email newsletter is designed to educate pre and post transplant patients on the myriad information available (and necessary) for these persons. The info is extremely valuable!


"Keeping Up With Your Transplant Medications"

Even if you are awaiting a transplant, it is important to understand just how critical anti-rejection medications are to transplant health. Yet, for most of the transplant community, taking medications consistently, on time, and exactly as intended for them by their doctors can be a challenge. In fact, over half of kidney transplant recipients fail to properly take their medications as early as one year post-transplant.¹ But by learning now how to address the common challenges of taking transplant medications, you can be proactive in helping to promote a successful transplant journey ahead.

Make it a habit

When was the last time you forgot to brush your teeth or lock the house door on the way out? It’s probably difficult to imagine not remembering these aspects of your daily routine, but at some point in your life, each of these habits had to be learned and remembered. You might adopt a similar approach to managing your medications, by actively integrating your regimen into your daily routine.² As a registered member of Transplant Experience, MyMedSchedule can help you do that, and more.

How can I benefit from MyMedSchedule? MyMedSchedule is a medication reminder tool, available to registered members of Transplant Experience, that enables you to: Arrange for medication reminders to be sent by email or text message Organize your daily medications by strength, dosage, and purpose Print and save medication lists for yourself or members of the family Learn more about how MyMedSchedule can help you on your transplant journey. Visit the MyMedSchedule page under the Support section of www.TransplantExperience.com!

Plan ahead Making sure you have a steady supply of medications on hand is just as important as remembering to take them. You might consider arranging for automatic refills or setting up text and email reminders through MyMedSchedule. Or you can call in your medication refills when you complete other monthly routines, such as paying the bills. Talk to your transplant team Once you receive your transplant, your doctor may require you to take a number of medications to prevent rejection of your new organ. Although you may find this overwhelming, know that you will always have the support of the members of your transplant team. You might consider bringing a complete list of your medications the first time you see your transplant team, so they can assist you in really understanding the purpose of each medication as intended for you by your doctor. In addition, the members of your transplant team are instrumental in helping you understand how certain actions—such as taking your medications incorrectly—have consequences for your health. Their help in evaluating how consistently you've taken your medications and in developing strategies to overcome any problems you've encountered can help you improve your behavior in the future.3 By scheduling regular appointments, you will have a frequent opportunity to ask questions and learn what more you can do to proactively monitor your own health, such as evaluating your blood pressure, monitoring your urine output, and taking note of any fluctuations in your weight.

To help you further keep track of your medications, download the “My Transplant Medication Schedule” from the Helpful Downloads page of the Support section on www.TransplantExperience.com!

Not registered with Transplant Experience? Join today at www.transplantexperience.com