Going Home

Once you leave the hospital, you will be asked to monitor your body for the following:

Temperature

• Take your temperature two times per day before breakfast and dinner
• Please record the results on your patient record sheet
• Also take your temperature anytime you feel chilled, hot or achy. This may be the first sign of infection/rejection. Please contact the transplant team for any temperature above 100 degrees F.

Blood pressure

High blood pressure is a common problem after transplant. Some of the new medications you will take after transplant may cause an increase in blood pressure. An increase in weight can also be a factor in raising your blood pressure. You will be monitoring and recording your blood pressure at home. These recordings will be reviewed during your visit to the transplant clinic. You may be required to take medication to keep your blood pressure under control.

• You will receive or be asked to purchase a blood pressure machine before you are discharged from the hospital. Your nurse will teach you and your family on use of the blood pressure machine.
• You should check your blood pressure in the morning before breakfast and again in the evening before dinner. Please record the results on your patient record sheet.
• You should notify your transplant team when the systolic pressure (top number) is greater than 180 or less than 100 or when diastolic pressure (bottom number) is greater than 100 or less than 50
• Your blood pressure machine will also give you your pulse. You should notify the transplant team when your pulse is greater than 120 or less than 50.

Weight

• Please weigh yourself every morning after you urinate but before you eat and record the results on your patient record sheet
• You should notify your transplant team for any weight gain of 3 lbs. or more in a 24-hour period

Blood sugar (diabetics only)

• If you were diabetic before transplant or have recently developed diabetes since transplant, you will need to monitor your blood sugar. Obtain your blood sugar before breakfast and before dinner. Record the results on your patient record sheet.
• You should notify the transplant team or your endocrinologist (diabetes doctor) for blood sugars less than 80 or greater than 350