Hoping for 2nd transplant

Hi Arlene, welcome to the forum.

I have wondered if TP recipients can qualify for a new liver if they have Hep C...and here is the answer. This is the first time I've heard of this on this forum.

My partner had his TP 2 years ago (tomorrow to be exact...he got the calla t 5:15 PM two years ago today).

Maybe the hard part this time for you is that you know the drill...no surprises. And you are older, wiser, and tired.

We'd like to hear how this process is going for you, so feel free to use this post thread to document your tale.

And we have another thread, the Caregivers Thread, where the partners are pretty candid about how they are feeling along the way.

This thread was a huge help to me as I struggled to make it to the finish line three years ago...ESLD isn't for sissies or their caregivers. The patients are very ill, as you know, and need to be so ill they get to the top of that darn list!

Mike was so grumpy it was hard to give the quality care I wanted to provide. He made me cry almost every day. And then when he finally would sleep I would cry thinking I'd soon be without him....his good side anyway. I could have left that mean guy anytime!

I'm glad you posted and hope to hear from you often. Having somewhere to turn where every person knows how you are feeling, or how hubby is feeling, really has helped some of us.

Best,
Mama Lama

Welcome to the forum, Arlene. I think you will find the Caregivers Sharing thread a perfect place for support. You might also want to ask your doctor for an antidepressant. It might make all the difference. I've been taking 5 mg of Lexapro for situational depression for about 2 mos., and it seems to help. Also, it doesn't have the side effects of other antidepressants that I've taken in the past; i.e., no dry mouth, weight gain, or feeling removed from everything.

I can tell you I would not have another transplant. But that's just me. I doubt I could even find a caregiver for it, as that was an issue before. I hope your husband has a good evaluation and that you will have the strength to support him. Try to take it a day at a time and one test/consult at a time. Try not to project or play the "What if?" game.

Hugs,
Connie

I'm on a transplant forum, and a few people there have had 2 or more transplants. Some were livers, others were kidneys.

thanks for all your replies, It is great to know people are out there. Today he goes for the cardiologist eval. We are lucky to have friends and adult children who are helping with the support part as far as getting him to UMDNJ liver center. The next hurdle will be a special scan to see if all the veins are clear, they are worried about 1 clot they saw and how far back it goes into one of the veins. that will be a deal breaker. Thanks again for your thoughts and posts. I pray every day, and would appreciate if all who do, could say a prayer for him too.

Arlene, there is medication to dissolve a clot. Please come back and let us know what happens regarding evaluation.

Hugs,
Connie

Arlene, thanks for the update. Glad to hear the cardiology appt. went fine. That's one out of the way. Is Mike (gosh, we have so many Mikes or partners of Mike in here!) taking Lasix/furosemide? That can really mess with kidney function numbers (creatinine and BUN.) If he's taking it, he may need to decrease it in order to bring his numbers down. I was denied an MRI once because my creatinine was too high.

Please do keep us posted.

Hugs,
Connie

I had an MRI without contrast, due to kidney problems at the time.

I hope that helps also Arlene.

thanks for the update... my Mike had the TIPS done.. it was very successful for a period of time.. others here have had it done successfully also.. it stabilized my Mike for a few years..glad to see you back for a bit..

Sandia

HI Jaspersmom,

I hope all goes well for your dad. It definitely is a roller coaster, and I never liked them.

Arlene-

 I hate roller coasters too; scared of heights I don't know about you, but one of the worst things--well, none of it is fun--is when our loved ones are so uncomfortable they can't sleep, which makes them tired and more uncomfortable. Is he able to receive medication for the nausea?

Lactulose is definitely no fun for anybody. My dad hates taking it; he had some problems the first few days on it once we got him home. He still does sometimes. It's messy and no fun; I wait until he goes to the store or to a neighbor's and I clean and disinfect his bathroom and walls. He asked the doctor if he could stop taking it because he hated it so much, but once he heard "Sure you can. But you'll end in a coma and die" he stopped complaining. Are you comfortable with your doctor, the one who is "not a fan of TIPS"? I'm just asking because I always asked for a second opinion, as our hospitals here are terrible. If you have a good doctor though, definitely stick with him/her!

I really hope Mike starts to get some relief soon. I will keep you guys in my prayers.

Post Edited (Jaspersmom) : 5/18/2013 9:05:23 PM (GMT-6)

Lactulose and xifaxan are essential if you want to remain in touch with reality. I spent a lot of time sitting on the toilet, but the alternative of going without it, is worse.

Post Edited By Moderator (hep93) : 5/19/2013 2:19:48 PM (GMT-6)