Guest guest Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 There's always a chance. But IMHO, with a MELD of 10, the best chance for getting a tx sooner rather than later is living donor. Pam (mom to Quantell, 15, dx 1996, tx 2001) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 Unfortunately the odds that your father will receive a cadaveric liver through UNOS with a MELD of 10 are extremely low. If he had a living donor available, transplant centers with living donor programs would be ready to transplant him as soon as the donor is approved. I am concerned that your dad does not seem to be getting treatment for the chills, weight loss and other side effects of liver disease that he is experiencing. Is he taking anything for the itching? Rifampin has given relief to many here. Is he getting adequate nutrition? Check for the levels of ADE & K (fat soluable vitamins). Has he been advised to restrict salt intake? Prescribed diuretics? Do you know if his albumin level is low? Has the cause of the chills been identified and treatment started? If his liver is maintaining a relatively low bilirubin and INR, and creatinine isn't elevated, often getting all the other little problems under control will cause a big improvement in how he feels. Tim R, LTX 1998, recurrence 2002, relisted Feb 2005. > ... My dad was diagnosed with PSC around 1 and a > half years ago. At this point, he is realy sick. He's very tired, weak, > itching, retaining water, shaking, cold and lost a ton of weight. The > doctors agree that he is extremely sick but,his meld score is only 10 > so he is much sicker that his meld score shows. They admit that he > needs a transplant at this point. The've gone to a few centers to be > put on the list. Is there any chance that he could get a liver with > this situation? Thanks > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 >Thanks for your responses. He is taking tons of medicines. He is on diaretics for the water. Not really helping . They think kidneys now not working do well also. He has a no salt diet for a while now and is on medications for all other problems, but, not really helping him. We have considered a living doner but, he refuses to takr from us because, theres a risk for the doner. Can you tell me more about that? Is there any chance that a center would realize howw sick he is and give him a liver? > There's always a chance. > But IMHO, with a MELD of 10, the best chance for getting a tx sooner > rather than later is living donor. > > Pam > (mom to Quantell, 15, dx 1996, tx 2001) > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 The center can appeal to UNOS for a change in your father's MELD, based on otherwise uncounted factors. But that doesn't mean UNOS will agree, or that the change will be enough to push him to the top of the list. Living donor can be a scarey thought. But the science has come a long way in a short time and the risks to the healthy donor are dropping. There are living donors represented here. You could check the archives for some play-by-play reports. Pam (mom to Quantell, 15, dx 1996, tx 2001) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 7, 2006 Report Share Posted February 7, 2006 I am sorry to hear that your father is not responding well to the medical treatments he is on. As others have said it is possible for a transplant center to appeal for additional points when the MELD score does not reflect the severity of a patient's illness. But additional points may not put him near the top of the list. If he refuses to consider a living donor transplant, there may not be much that you can do to help him. Tim R >Thanks for your responses. He is taking tons of medicines. He is on > diaretics for the water. Not really helping . They think kidneys now > not working do well also. He has a no salt diet for a while now and is > on medications for all other problems, but, not really helping him. We > have considered a living doner but, he refuses to takr from us because, > theres a risk for the doner. Can you tell me more about that? Is there > any chance that a center would realize howw sick he is and give him a > liver? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 > >Thanks for your responses. He is taking tons of medicines. He is on > diaretics for the water. Not really helping . They think kidneys now > not working do well also. He has a no salt diet for a while now and is > on medications for all other problems, but, not really helping him. We > have considered a living doner but, he refuses to takr from us because, > theres a risk for the doner. Can you tell me more about that? Is there > any chance that a center would realize howw sick he is and give him a > liver? > > There's always a chance. > > But IMHO, with a MELD of 10, the best chance for getting a tx sooner > > rather than later is living donor. > > > > Pam > > (mom to Quantell, 15, dx 1996, tx 2001) > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Lolli We live in Utica NY and go to Boston to Lahey clinic. Pittsburg has don alot of the people in our tx support group. If you want contact info let me know and I will get it for you. Marti lollip111 wrote: > >Thanks for your responses. He is taking tons of medicines. He is on > diaretics for the water. Not really helping . They think kidneys now > not working do well also. He has a no salt diet for a while now and is > on medications for all other problems, but, not really helping him. We > have considered a living doner but, he refuses to takr from us because, > theres a risk for the doner. Can you tell me more about that? Is there > any chance that a center would realize howw sick he is and give him a > liver?> > There's always a chance.> > But IMHO, with a MELD of 10, the best chance for getting a tx sooner > > rather than later is living donor.> > > > Pam> > (mom to Quantell, 15, dx 1996, tx 2001)> >> > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.