Key points
- The recovery process can bring up a lot of feelings. Try to manage your expectations during recovery, and be kind to yourself.
- Talking with a psychologist can help you feel better. You don’t have to wait til you’re really low. Think of it as preventative medicine.
- Sticking to a healthy routine, doing activities you enjoy, and leaning on friends and family can all help you cope with negative emotions.
- Let your GP or the transplant team know if you’re feeling really low so they can connect you with the right support.
Be kind to yourself
After you return home, you may be feeling a lot of tough emotions. For example, you may feel relief that you made it through the surgery, but also frustration that you’re not recovering faster. These feelings are all a normal response. Your body and mind, perhaps even your relationships, have been put to the test. Try to manage your expectations and be compassionate with yourself.
What we’ve heard from former patients
- The whole experience of transplant is 'an emotional rollercoaster'.
- They feel ashamed if they’re not happy all the time.
- They think they should feel physically better than they do.
- They think they should be more active.
Try not to put added pressure on yourself. Just follow the advice from the transplant team, and let them know if you have concerns. If you or your care partner feel that you’ve had significant changes in mood that aren’t improving, talk to the team about what psychological support might be available to you.
Seeing a psychologist
Meeting with a psychologist can give you the space to talk through what you’re feeling. You have been through a lot and have lots to manage in your recovery. You don’t have to suffer on your own. There is sometimes a misconception that you should only see a psychologist if you’re feeling really low, but think of it like preventative medicine.
You can talk about anything that’s on your mind. Some common topics patients bring up include:
- their identity after transplant
- interacting with people after transplant
- managing expectations about their recovery process
- creating and sticking to their health routines
- how to cope with setbacks
When to seek help
Almost 4 in 10 patients experience some kind of mood or anxiety symptoms in the first 2 years after transplant. The early warning signs of mental health problems include:
- lack of sleep or appetite
- no longer enjoying the things you used to
- a desire to isolate from friends or family
- a feeling of constant worry
- finding it hard to stay motivated or engage in daily activities
- finding it hard to complete your daily exercises or the rehabilitation programme provided by the hospital
If you experience any of these symptoms, talk to the transplant team and your GP so they can get you the support you need. If you are already attending a psychiatry service, contact them and ask for a review.