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Posted 11/9/2011 12:35 PM (GMT 0)
Hi
My doctor suggests that I may need a liver transplant in near future so I should start thinking of it. I'm a Hep-C patient on pegIFN+Ribavirin therapy.

According to the current test reports, My Child Pugh score is 8 (which takes me to Class B) and my MELD score is 12.

I've no symptoms of Edema, Ascites, Varices or Hepatic encephalopathy till date.

Please suggest do I still need to think about the transplant option or my doctor is guiding me in a wrong direction.

Thanks
Kamal Kalra
Posted 11/9/2011 10:32 PM (GMT 0)
On this topic we have more exprience.

Mike's MELD was 24 when we first went to the Hepatologist! He was still drinking and doing a lot of damage to a liver already dealing with Hep C.

He had EVERY symptom. GEtting sober and taking all the meds for various symptoms, his MELD came down to the mid teens for several months. But he was very very ill. His liver was badly decompensated.

When they found an HCC tumor on his liver, that moved his MELD score quickly back to 22 and he had a transplant about 6 months after he got really really ill.

Some her report they or their spouse was bubbling along like you around 10 or 12 and then some crisis set in and they needed a liver fast. I hope some of them post soon.

GEtting the evaluation done and keeping up with your tests and sobriety and key to being ready if/when you are desperate for a new liver.

AT what MELD does your center generally do the transplants.

you asked on a different post about the treatment. Maybe they are hoping you will clear the Hep C virus before a transplant so that you will be WELL from the start!

Good Luck
Carol
Posted 11/10/2011 1:06 AM (GMT 0)
Hi

My husband received a liver transplant in February 2011.  He has Hep C - was a non-responder in the early 90s.  We were told at that time he'd eventually need a transplant.  We happily went on our way and really didn't think much about it until about 3 years ago.  He began to have fatique; his Gastroentrologist referred him to the transplant team at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta.  Last summer he became very symptomatic: esophogeal bleed and ascites.  MELD 8    He was diagnosed with liver cancer last summer and his MELD went from 8 to 22; by December I wasn't sure he would make it.  Finally we received the call and my husband is doing GREAT!!!!!!  Here's a link to our blog http://ronslivertransplant.blogspot.com/  I hope I've answered some questions - if your doctors are saying transplant - my advice - be proactive - you need to be your best advocate through this journey.

Pam and Ron

Posted 11/11/2011 2:34 AM (GMT 0)
My husband had transplant at 39 meld ....he fell super sick really fast ...he was at 15 meld in July .....to 39 in Sept ..he literally had a few or maybe a day left of life ...his gift of life came just in time . Some people can stay low for a while and others have trauma and it shoots up ...wish u the best in your journey and through the liver work up process .....
Posted 11/11/2011 7:31 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks to all for your replies.

Carol, here in India, no centralized program is run by government or the hospitals. In case a person has an urgency and can bring a donor with him, his surgery will be scheduled in a fortnight depending on his health.

Cadaver livers are rare as very few person donate the organs.

My recent labs I done yesterday makes my MELD to 10. and Child score to 6 (putting me in class A from class B).
Posted 11/11/2011 11:02 PM (GMT 0)
So they do all transplants from living donors?

Wow.

How does that work?  Craigs list?  "O pos looking for liver from healthy sainted donor?"

Do you PAY a donor?  Get a relative to help out?  It is MAJOR serious surgery. And risky for the donor.

Many centers in US don't do living donor transplants, though some do.

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