Registered dietitian Maiya Hogan shares practical tips for grocery shopping, reading nutrition labels, and making heart healthy choices after transplant. A helpful guide for anyone looking to support long-term heart health through everyday habits.

Tips and Tricks:

Healthy eating does not have to be complicated. Small swaps, like choosing lower sodium options and paying attention to labels, can make a big impact. You can also rinse canned food products like beans and vegetables before using them. Even low sodium versions can have extra salt that rinses off quickly under running water.

Making your own dressings is an easy way to control ingredients and avoid extra salt. For ideas, explore this simple dressing guide: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/salad-dressing/

“Improve Your Care Through Medication and Symptom Tracking” is the second webinar in our 2026 educational series. Maiya Hogan, MS, RDN, CD, CNSC, sat down with Dominika Woch, a kidney transplant recipient and Community Manager for KidneyLyfe and TransplantLyfe, to talk about how keeping track of medications and symptoms can make a real difference in your care. The session explores how using a tracking system, like the TransplantLyfe365 app, can help you stay organized, understand your health changes, and feel more confident during appointments. They also share tips on how tracking can support better communication with your care team and help you become a stronger self‑advocate.

“A Practical Guide to Achieving Your Health Goals” kicked off the TransplantLyfe University Webinar Series. Dr. Karin Hehenberger, Lyfebulb Founder and a kidney‑pancreas transplant recipient, was joined by registered dietitian, Maiya Hogan, MS, RDN, CD, CNSC. Together, they explored why setbacks are common, especially in the transplant community, and how reframing them can keep individuals motivated rather than discouraged. The session equipped participants with practical strategies to set achievable goals, stay realistic, and confidently adjust or level up their goals over time.

End-Stage Renal Disease, Medicare Coverage & Long-Term Financial Planning

In Part 2 of our TransplantLyfe webinar series, we take a deep dive into the financial realities facing people with kidney disease—particularly around Medicare eligibility, coverage decisions, and long-term planning after transplant. This 60-minute session features real patient case studies and expert insights to help patients, care partners, and healthcare professionals better understand how to navigate one of the most complex—but critical—aspects of transplant care.

The webinar includes expert commentary from Craig Pressley, LICSW, Social Work Program Leader at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and is moderated by Kevin Schnurr, a kidney transplant recipient and TransplantLyfe Community Manager, and Dr. Karin Hehenberger, a kidney-pancreas transplant recipient and President of Lyfebulb.

The session explores two distinct case journeys: Maria, a preemptive transplant recipient with commercial insurance, and James, a dialysis patient on the transplant waitlist. Their stories illuminate how Medicare enrollment decisions—such as when to initiate Part A and/or B coverage—can dramatically affect financial obligations, insurance coordination, and access to essential medications like lifelong immunosuppressants. The panel explains the 30-month coordination of benefits period, Medicare Part B-ID protections, and how to avoid common pitfalls that can lead to unexpected costs.

In addition, the webinar highlights multiple financial assistance options, including:

  • American Kidney Fund’s Health Insurance Premium Program (HIPP)
  • Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB, QI)
  • The Extra Help Program for Medicare Part D
  • Pharmaceutical assistance tools like NeedyMeds, RxOutreach, and GoodRx

Whether you are preparing for transplant, recovering from surgery, or supporting a loved one, this webinar provides essential education to inform decision-making, reduce financial risk, and improve long-term outcomes.

Learn more at TransplantLyfe.com and join our discussion forum to continue the conversation.

Lyfebulb Founder and kidney-pancreas transplant recipient Dr. Karin Hehenberger and TransplantLyfe Community Manager Kevin Schnurr sit down with Craig Pressley, LICSW, a seasoned transplant social worker at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, to break down the financial realities of kidney transplantation.

Whether you’re pre- or post-transplant, this session offers a clear, accessible overview of:

  • Common transplant-related costs—from evaluations to lifelong medications
  • How Medicare Parts A, B, and D apply to transplant patients Commercial insurance, coordination of benefits, and supplemental coverage
  • Why applying for Medicare matters—even if you have private insurance Tips for finding trustworthy insurance information

This is Episode 1 of our transplant cost and insurance series, designed to equip patients and care partners with tools to better plan for the future.

Watch now and don’t forget to subscribe for updates on Episode 2, where we’ll explore real-world patient examples and financial assistance options. Learn more at TransplantLyfe.com and join our discussion forum to continue the conversation.

The field of transplant medicine is undergoing transformative changes that are set to significantly improve the management and outcomes of organ transplantation. These advancements are very important for transplant recipients, offering them the potential for a better quality of life, longer organ survival with better function as well as fewer short and long-term complications.

Transplant Medications

In this field, scientists are working hard to find alternatives to calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs). CNIs are the main drugs used to stop the body from rejecting transplanted organs. However, they can be nephrotoxic (damaging to the kidneys) which not only affects kidney transplant patients but also those who have received heart, lung, or liver transplants. CNIs can cause high blood pressure, kidney problems, memory issues, and new cases of diabetes. Researchers want to find new treatments that are safer and just as effective as CNIs. This is important because it could help people live healthier, longer lives after their transplants.

[ML1] Another medicine available today, belatacept[LB2] , helps stop the immune system from attacking the new organ by blocking the activation of certain immune cells in your body. There are other new drugs in clinical trials that target parts of the immune cells to modify their activity. With any luck in years to come, we may have additional medicines that doctors can prescribe for their patients.

More Organs

While over 46,000 transplants were performed in 2023, there are around 100,000 people on the waitlist. The primary reason someone cannot get a transplant is the limited number of kidneys available. Someone either has to die and donate an organ, or someone needs to voluntarily give a kidney to a recipient. The system needs more organs, and despite great efforts to educate people on the value of kidney donation, we still do not have enough organs. More than 17 people die each day on the waitlist, as they cannot wait any longer. We need more organs. [REF]

Scientists are turning to new sources of organs, such as xenotransplantation, to address this urgent demand. Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of animal organs into humans. It has gained traction in recent years through advances in gene editing. Scientists can change pigs to make their organs more like human organs by adding some human genes and taking away some pig genes that humans react badly to. Pigs are the favored xenograft (organ) donors because their kidneys, heart, lung, and pancreas function similarly to those of humans. Their livers do not. Pigs have big litters, usually six or more, and their pregnancies only last 60-65 days, so many pigs can be born in a short time.

Alongside xenotransplantation, advancements in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine will [LB3] enable the creation of new organs from a recipient’s own cells. This development could not only significantly shorten waiting times but also significantly decrease the risk of rejection.

Other Improvements

Cell therapy, including new methods using stem cells, aims to help the body accept transplants without needing lifelong medication to stop rejection (i.e., tolerance). For patients, this could mean living without the risk of medication side effects like infections and cancer. Cell therapy might also be used in ways that could make the need for a transplant unnecessary.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is improving the organ matching process (i.e., helping people in need match better with new organs), predicting how well the transplant will go, and choosing the best medicines to prevent rejection and side effects. For people who get transplants, this means a better chance of success and care.

Even though these new technologies are exciting, as with any new technology, there are limits, rules, ethical issues, and high costs. But the potential benefits, such as living longer, having fewer health problems, and more available organs, are very important for people who need transplants.

The shift towards these new technologies could redefine the definition of “normal” of post-transplant care, offering recipients a life that is not only longer but also free from the burdens of current immunosuppressive medicines.  Understanding these new developments is essential for transplant patients to make more informed decisions about their health.

In conclusion, the current advancements in the development of transplant medication are set to potentially revolutionize the field, directly impacting recipients by offering them safer and more effective treatment options, a potentially limitless organ supply, and a significantly improved quality of life. These changes highlight why recipients should remain informed, supportive, and proactive about the evolving landscape of transplant medicine.

This article is made possible by the support of ITB-MED LLC. 

Glossary

Artificial Intelligence (AI): Computer systems that can help doctors match organs to recipients, predict transplant outcomes, and customize drug treatments to reduce rejection and side effects.

Belatacept: A drug that helps prevent organ rejection by blocking the activation of T-cells, which are part of the immune system.

Calcineurin Inhibitors (CNIs): A type of medication used to prevent organ rejection, but they can harm the kidneys and cause other side effects like high blood pressure, memory problems, and diabetes.

Cell Therapy: Using cells, like stem cells, to treat diseases and help the body accept a transplanted organ without needing strong immune-suppressing drugs.

Ethical Issues: Concerns about what is right or wrong in medical practices, such as using animal organs in humans.

Gene Editing: Changing the genes of an animal to make their organs more suitable for human transplantation.

Immunosuppressive Regimens: The specific plan and types of drugs used to keep the immune system from rejecting a transplanted organ.

Nephrotoxic: Something that is harmful to the kidneys.

Organ Matching: The process of finding the best donor organ for a recipient based on various factors to increase the chances of a successful transplant.

Post-Transplant Care: The ongoing medical care and treatment that a patient needs after receiving a new organ.

Quality of Life: The general well-being of a person, including their health, comfort, and happiness.

Regenerative Medicine: Using techniques to regrow or repair damaged tissues and organs in the body.

Stem Cells: Special cells that can develop into different types of cells in the body and can be used to repair or replace damaged tissues.

Tissue Engineering: Creating new organs from a patient’s own cells to reduce the risk of rejection and eliminate the need for a donor organ.

Transplant Medications: Drugs that help the body accept a new organ and prevent it from being rejected.

Xenotransplantation: Transplanting organs from animals, like pigs, into humans.

 [LB3]“may” or will?

For transplant patients, the journey doesn’t end with a successful surgery. One of the critical aspects of post-transplant care is the use of types of drugs called “immunosuppressants”. These medications play a critical role in stopping the body’s immune system from rejecting the new organ. Understanding the types, functions, and importance of these medications, as well as the challenges in managing them, is very important for transplant recipients.

Types of Transplant Medications and Their Functions

Immunosuppressants can be broadly classified into several categories, each playing a unique role in ensuring the transplanted organ is not rejected:

  1. Calcineurin Inhibitors (CNIs): These include drugs like cyclosporine and tacrolimus. CNIs inhibit (i.e., slow down or stop) the activity of calcineurin, a protein that activates T-cells of the immune system thereby preventing rejection.
  2. Antiproliferative Agents: Medications such as mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and azathioprine fall into this category. They work by inhibiting the growth of immune cells, further reducing the risk of rejection.
  3. mTOR Inhibitors: Drugs like sirolimus and everolimus inhibit the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a key protein involved in cell growth and proliferation, thus helping control the immune response.
  4. Steroids: Prednisone is a common steroid used to reduce inflammation and suppress (lower the activity of) the immune system. While highly effective, long-term use can lead to significant side effects.

NOTE: these are complicated terms and it may be hard to understand. Keep reading and refer back to the four types of drugs as needed.

Importance of Adherence to Medication Regimens

Adherence, which means consistently taking your medicine as instructed by your doctor, is crucial for transplant patients. Missing a dose of medication or not taking your medication at the correct time can lead to not having enough of the drugs that calm the immune system, which would increase the risk of organ rejection. Conversely, taking too much can be harmful as well. Therefore, it is very important for patients to follow their medication schedule with great care, go to their doctor and laboratory appointments, and share any issues with their healthcare team.

Challenges in Transplant Medication Management

Managing transplant medications can be hard due to many factors, including side effects, complications, and the complexity of the medication regimen.

Side Effects and Complications

Immunosuppressants, while lifesaving, come with a range of side effects. Common issues include:

  • Infections: Suppressing the immune system increases the risk of infections.
  • Kidney Damage: Particularly with CNIs, these drugs can hurt your kidney over time due to scarring.
  • High Blood Pressure and Diabetes: These are common side effects of steroids and CNIs.
  • Gastrointestinal Issues: Such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, often seen with antiproliferative agents.
  • Neurotoxicity: Tremors (or shaking), the most common finding, but also difficulty sleeping, brain fog, headache, dizziness, impaired sense of touch, light sensitivity and mood disturbance
  • Cancer: Skin cancers, lymphomas, and other malignancies, as the immune system’s ability to detect and destroy cancerous cells is diminished.

Strategies for Managing Side Effects

Effective strategies to manage side effects include:

  • Regular Monitoring: Transplant recipients need to get frequent blood tests to measure the levels of drugs in their system (and make sure there is not too much or too little of any drug) and to test how well the kidney is functioning.
  • Lifestyle Adjustments: Transplant recipients can change their diet and add or modify their exercise routine to help manage or avoid high blood pressure and diabetes.
  • Preventative Medications: Sometimes doctors will prescribe antibiotics (that fight infections) or antivirals (that fight viruses) to prevent infections (especially during the first few months after the transplant).

Addressing Non-Adherence and Its Implications

Non-adherence (not taking drugs as prescribed by your doctor) to immunosuppressant therapy can lead to severe consequences, including acute organ rejection and failure of the new transplant. Why would someone not take their medicines? Well, it is a pretty complex combination of drugs that need to be taken consistently, there is the possibility of side effects that might not be pleasant, and perhaps some people do not understand how important these medications are.

Some tips to keep on the program as prescribed by your doctor:

  • Educate: Learn as much as you can about your drugs and how important they are. Also learn from other transplant recipients how they are managing to follow their routines successfully. Check out more articles on TransplantLyfe to help stay informed and meet people who are on the same journey.
  • Simplify: Ask your doctor if there are any combination pills or options to reducing the number of daily doses to make it easier for patients to stick to your schedule. Perhaps try a pill box to sort drugs into morning and evening groups. And you can plan your drugs for the week ahead. You can also use an alarm clock or your phone to set reminders.
  • Support: Ask family members, care partners, or support groups to help out. Reminders to do what you are meant to do, as well as a good bit of emotional support, are helpful.

Conclusion

Immunosuppressant medicines are a very critical part of post-transplant care as they are essential for preventing organ rejection. Understanding the different types of medications, their functions, and the importance of taking them correctly are crucial for transplant patients. While challenges exist, there are ways to help manage these issues, ensuring the long-term success of the transplant. Always consult with healthcare providers to ask questions and learn how to match the professionals’ recommendations with your individual needs and circumstances.

This article is made possible by the support of ITB-MED LLC. 

For transplant patients, the journey doesn’t end with a successful surgery. One of the critical aspects of post-transplant care is the use of types of drugs called “immunosuppressants”. These medications play a critical role in stopping the body’s immune system from rejecting the new organ. Understanding the types, functions, and importance of these medications, as well as the challenges in managing them, is very important for transplant recipients.

Types of Transplant Medications and Their Functions

Immunosuppressants can be broadly classified into several categories, each playing a unique role in ensuring the transplanted organ is not rejected:

  1. Calcineurin Inhibitors (CNIs): These include drugs like cyclosporine and tacrolimus. CNIs inhibit (i.e., slow down or stop) the activity of calcineurin, a protein that activates T-cells of the immune system thereby preventing rejection.
  2. Antiproliferative Agents: Medications such as mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and azathioprine fall into this category. They work by inhibiting the growth of immune cells, further reducing the risk of rejection.
  3. mTOR Inhibitors: Drugs like sirolimus and everolimus inhibit the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a key protein involved in cell growth and proliferation, thus helping control the immune response.
  4. Steroids: Prednisone is a common steroid used to reduce inflammation and suppress (lower the activity of) the immune system. While highly effective, long-term use can lead to significant side effects.

NOTE: these are complicated terms and it may be hard to understand. Keep reading and refer back to the four types of drugs as needed.

Importance of Adherence to Medication Regimens

Adherence, which means consistently taking your medicine as instructed by your doctor, is crucial for transplant patients. Missing a dose of medication or not taking your medication at the correct time can lead to not having enough of the drugs that calm the immune system, which would increase the risk of organ rejection. Conversely, taking too much can be harmful as well. Therefore, it is very important for patients to follow their medication schedule with great care, go to their doctor and laboratory appointments, and share any issues with their healthcare team.

Challenges in Transplant Medication Management

Managing transplant medications can be hard due to many factors, including side effects, complications, and the complexity of the medication regimen.

Side Effects and Complications

Immunosuppressants, while lifesaving, come with a range of side effects. Common issues include:

  • Infections: Suppressing the immune system increases the risk of infections.
  • Kidney Damage: Particularly with CNIs, these drugs can hurt your kidney over time due to scarring.
  • High Blood Pressure and Diabetes: These are common side effects of steroids and CNIs.
  • Gastrointestinal Issues: Such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, often seen with antiproliferative agents.
  • Neurotoxicity: Tremors (or shaking), the most common finding, but also difficulty sleeping, brain fog, headache, dizziness, impaired sense of touch, light sensitivity and mood disturbance
  • Cancer: Skin cancers, lymphomas, and other malignancies, as the immune system’s ability to detect and destroy cancerous cells is diminished.

Strategies for Managing Side Effects

Effective strategies to manage side effects include:

  • Regular Monitoring: Transplant recipients need to get frequent blood tests to measure the levels of drugs in their system (and make sure there is not too much or too little of any drug) and to test how well the kidney is functioning.
  • Lifestyle Adjustments: Transplant recipients can change their diet and add or modify their exercise routine to help manage or avoid high blood pressure and diabetes.
  • Preventative Medications: Sometimes doctors will prescribe antibiotics (that fight infections) or antivirals (that fight viruses) to prevent infections (especially during the first few months after the transplant).

Addressing Non-Adherence and Its Implications

Non-adherence (not taking drugs as prescribed by your doctor) to immunosuppressant therapy can lead to severe consequences, including acute organ rejection and failure of the new transplant. Why would someone not take their medicines? Well, it is a pretty complex combination of drugs that need to be taken consistently, there is the possibility of side effects that might not be pleasant, and perhaps some people do not understand how important these medications are.

Some tips to keep on the program as prescribed by your doctor:

  • Educate: Learn as much as you can about your drugs and how important they are. Also learn from other transplant recipients how they are managing to follow their routines successfully. Check out more articles on TransplantLyfe to help stay informed and meet people who are on the same journey.
  • Simplify: Ask your doctor if there are any combination pills or options to reducing the number of daily doses to make it easier for patients to stick to your schedule. Perhaps try a pill box to sort drugs into morning and evening groups. And you can plan your drugs for the week ahead. You can also use an alarm clock or your phone to set reminders.
  • Support: Ask family members, care partners, or support groups to help out. Reminders to do what you are meant to do, as well as a good bit of emotional support, are helpful.

Conclusion

Immunosuppressant medicines are a very critical part of post-transplant care as they are essential for preventing organ rejection. Understanding the different types of medications, their functions, and the importance of taking them correctly are crucial for transplant patients. While challenges exist, there are ways to help manage these issues, ensuring the long-term success of the transplant. Always consult with healthcare providers to ask questions and learn how to match the professionals’ recommendations with your individual needs and circumstances.

This article is made possible by the support of ITB-MED LLC. 

Glossary

Acute Rejection: A type of rejection that occurs within days to months after a transplant. It is common but usually treatable if caught early.

Biopsy: A medical test involving the removal of a small piece of tissue to examine it for signs of disease or rejection.

Chronic Rejection: A type of rejection that happens over a long time, causing gradual damage to the transplanted organ.

Gene Editing (CRISPR): A technique used in research to alter genes to help the immune system accept transplanted organs.

Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLAs): Proteins on the surface of cells that are unique to each person and help the immune system recognize which cells belong in the body and which do not.

Hyperacute Rejection: A type of rejection that happens very quickly, within minutes to hours after a transplant, due to immediate blood clotting in the transplanted organ.

Immune System: A complex network of cells, chemicals, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against harmful invaders.

Immunology: The study of the immune system, which protects the body from harmful things like viruses, bacteria, and even transplanted organs.

Immunosuppressive Drugs: Medications that reduce the activity of the immune system to prevent it from attacking the transplanted organ.

Long-Term Immunosuppression: Ongoing treatment with immunosuppressive drugs to prevent rejection of a transplanted organ.

Monitoring: Regular check-ups and tests with healthcare providers to detect and treat any signs of rejection early.

Rejection: When the immune system attacks a transplanted organ or tissue, thinking it is harmful.

Tolerance: A state in which the immune system accepts the transplanted organ as part of the body and does not attack it, reducing the need for long-term immunosuppressive drugs.