It’s important that you know what to look out for and how your team will monitor, screen for and treat them.
If you regularly feel thirsty, tired and pass more urine than usual, it could be a sign of diabetes. The time it takes to recover after a transplant varies. You might need a bone marrow transplant if your bone marrow stops working and does not produce enough healthy blood cells. The initial risk can be reduced through good lifestyle choices, such as a healthy diet and regular exercise. It’s also common for the glands that produce sex hormones (oestrogen and testosterone) to be affected, which could impact your sex life. A special type of X-ray called a DEXA scan shows the density of your bones and whether you are at risk of osteoporosis. It’s possible for iron to build up in your body, especially in your liver, from having lots of blood transfusions. Those cells multiply and help your body make healthy new blood cells. More information on cancer screening is available here. This means you will need to protect yourself against the sun’s UV rays. They can happen if you have chronic GvHD or if you’ve had a lot of infections during or after your treatment. Stem Cell or Bone Marrow Transplant Side Effects Problems soon after transplant. You can find more information and advice in our sex and relationships section. There are two main problems that affect your bones. Reading about these long-term effects can be daunting and a little overwhelming, especially if you are preparing for, or have recently had a stem cell transplant. Avascular necrosis is when bones in the joints break because of poor blood flow. Your platelet count can take a while to get back to normal after a stem cell or bone marrow transplant. It could take a few years for cataracts to develop, so it’s a good idea to get eye tests regularly. Anthony Nolan is a registered charity no 803716/SC038827 and a registered company no 2379280. Your risk will also be increased if you needed long-term steroids before your transplant, or to treat GvHD afterwards. Registered address: Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, Hampstead, NW3 2QG. Chelation therapy:  A drug is added to your blood that is designed to ‘mop up’ excess iron and remove it. Although it’s generally not painful, your bones become weaker and could fracture easily. Taking steroids to control your immune system and reduce the effects of GvHD can also cause certain side effects, especially if they need to be taken for a long time. Changing your diet may be enough to control your symptoms but you might also need to take insulin daily. Medication can help with the pain but most people with avascular necrosis will need surgery. If your medical team thinks you are at risk, they can refer you to a heart specialist. You can also read more in our 7 Steps: The Next Steps booklet. itchy. There are two main causes of bone pain after transplant: Osteoporosis: Older adults, patients with multiple myeloma, and young women who go through early menopause after transplant are at higher risk for osteoporosis. The cells in your mouth, stomach, intestine, hair, and muscles will all regrow.
You should not smoke after your transplant because you’ll be at risk of long-term chest problems and some types of cancer, including mouth and lung cancers. The NHS website has more information on hypothyroidism. If cataracts start to have an impact on your daily life, they can be easily removed with surgery. The health of your heart will be monitored at your yearly check-ups. Being physically active, and taking calcium and vitamin D supplements, can help prevent and treat it. The symptoms can develop slowly, so your doctor will perform a thyroid function test at your check-ups. Transplant problems that may show up later. Next review due: 13/11/21. Fortunately, osteoporosis is often reversible. A bone marrow transplant is a procedure that infuses healthy blood-forming stem cells into your body to replace your damaged or diseased bone marrow. Your stem cell transplant could affect the parts of your body that make hormones, including the thyroid, pancreas and sex glands. The umbilical cord is attached to a baby's abdomen and brings nutrition to a child before he is born. The safety of autologous transplant has improved a great deal thanks to advancements in supportive care to manage the many potential side effects. Osteoporosis (or thinning of the bones) is a common problem for many people as they get older, but it’s more likely to happen after a stem cell transplant.

Some of these side effects are more common than others and some will only affect a small proportion of patients. Your body isn’t very good at removing this iron and it can cause serious health problems if left untreated. A stem cell transplant is a procedure where stem cells are put into your blood.

It might take longer to recover if you have had your … Roughly one third of transplant patients have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) in the years after their transplant.