Dealing With Common Liver Donation Surgery Side Effects

When dealing with common liver donation surgery side effects, such as pain and numbness, you need to allow time for the incision to heal. While these sensations should improve over time, if they do not, talk to your doctor to see if additional treatment is necessary. Dealing with common liver donation surgery side effects may also involve dealing with depression, which is common in people who undergo stressful events, like major surgery.

Dealing With Common Liver Donation Surgery Side Effects: An Overview

Because

liver donation is a major surgery, there are a few side effects that you may experience as you recover. A few examples include gas pains and constipation. These side effects usually get better over time, but if they are long-lasting, you may need additional treatment.

Other side effects include:

Depression
Pain at the incision site
Numbness at the incision site.

Depression

Some people experience depression after liver donation surgery. Signs of depression can include:

Feeling tired even after you have rested
Extreme sadness
Losing interest in things you used to enjoy.

These feelings can happen even in people who haven't had depression before. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you experience any of these things.

It's also common to have brief mood swings or to feel confused, anxious, or sad after this and other surgeries.

You should try to talk about these feelings as much as possible with friends or family and be forgiving of yourself. In fact, it may be your family members or friends who first notice any changes in your behavior.

If it becomes difficult for you to carry on with your everyday activities, call your healthcare providers and they will talk about ways to help you. If necessary, medication may be prescribed.

(Dealing With Common Liver Donation Surgery Side Effects Continued: Page 2)