What to Expect After a Stem Cell Transplant for Acute Myeloid Leukemia

The early side effects of a stem cell transplant are mostly from the high-dose chemotherapy. These should go away as you recover from the transplant. You may also experience a strange taste in your mouth from the preservative used to freeze the stem cells. These are some common side effects:

• Low blood cell counts, as seen on blood test results

• Low blood pressure

• Shortness of breath

• Chest pain or lightness

• Coughing

• Fever or chills

• Hair loss

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Mouth sores

• Loss of appetite

• Diarrhea

• Fatigue

• Weakness

Potential long-term side effects

Side effects may be long lasting or appear years later. These are possible long-term side effects:

• Shortness of breath, often caused by radiation damage to the lungs

• Severe skin rashes with itching, severe diarrhea, fatigue, and muscle aches. These symptoms may indicate graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a condition that occurs if the immune system cells in the donor’s stem cells attack your skin, liver, gastrointestinal tract, mouth, or other organs. This is only seen with allogeneic transplants. 

• Lack of menstrual periods, which may indicate ovary damage and cause infertility

• Weight gain, which may be a sign of thyroid gland damage

• Vision problems caused by damage to the lens of the eye

• Bone damage, called aseptic necrosis, due to the lack of blood supply