Staying healthy after a pancreas transplant

Healthy eating, regular exercise and not smoking will help with your recovery and give your pancreas the best chance of working long-term

Key points

Healthy eating will help you maintain a good weight and prevent some illnesses
Keeping active will help improve your fitness and prevent blood clots
It’s important not to smoke or become overweight
Talk to your transplant team for further guidance and support

How to look after yourself after a pancreas transplant

The care of you and your transplanted pancreas is on-going, and you need to stay as fit and healthy as you can so that the transplant will work for as long as possible.

Have your blood sugar levels, eyes and feet checked regularly

Even if your transplanted pancreas is working well and you no longer need insulin injections, it is still possible for damage due to past diabetes to cause problems. Your transplant team will advise how often you need to check your blood sugars, and to check your eyes and feet.

Eat and drink the right things

After your transplant, it’s important to eat a sensible, balanced diet to help encourage your transplant to work well. Aim for at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day and plenty of wholegrain foods that are high in fibre. Avoid too much sugar, saturated fats and salt. Avoiding a lot of sugar is particularly important to prevent putting stress on the transplanted pancreas. A diet low in saturated fat will help to keep your cholesterol levels controlled. Many people are able to drink alcohol in moderation after a transplant.

Your transplant team will give you information and advice on foods to avoid or eat in moderation.

Take regular exercise

Keeping active is very important after a transplant. In the first few weeks, you should try to walk a little every day to prevent blood clots. As you recover, you can do more. If your recovery is going well, after 6-8 weeks, you will usually be encouraged to start exercising more. In time, most sports and activities are possible. Heavy contact sports (e.g. rugby, martial arts, boxing) are best avoided.

Aim for a healthy weight

Weight gain is common after a transplant, especially in the first year. This is often a side effect of the medications, but it can also be because your diet is less restrictive. Or because you have a better appetite due to improving health. However, too much weight gain places a strain on your transplanted pancreas, your heart and blood vessels so it’s important to eat healthily and stay active as much as possible.

Being a healthier weight can help to lower your chances of having problems with your recovery. You should lose weight by increasing the amount of exercise you do and taking extra care with your diet. Speak to your transplant team for more advice on losing weight.

Wear sunscreen and be careful in the sun

Cancers, especially skin cancers, are more common in patients who have had a pancreas transplant. Avoid staying out in the sun for long periods, and wear factor 50 sunblock, long-sleeved shirts and a hat if you are in the sun. If you are invited for cancer screening tests (for example a mammogram, a cervical smear or bowel cancer screening) it’s strongly recommended that you attend.

Keep your bones strong

Again, exercise is important, but you may need bone scans to find out if there is any thinning of your bones. You may be advised about changes to your lifestyle or even given medication if there’s a problem.

Give up smoking

Smoking increases the risk of strokes, heart and lung problems. Giving up cigarettes will help prevent problems during the transplant surgery and maintain your health after your transplant.

Go to NHS Stop Smoking Services