Live Transplant?

[jules95]

My husband and I wanted to know how bad do I haft to get before they would approve to do a live transplant, from a family member or friend? Are since stage four can they go ahead and be tested and go ahead and do it, before I get worse?

[jules95]

thanks mike so much for your help. Jules

[jules95]

thanks for the imput. I so appreciate anything I can get at this point.

[ceanothus]

Excellent answer from mikesimon. The first thing is to get a proper evaluation and a MELD score. Living donor transplants are much quicker, but they are not risk-free for either person, so the transplant center would not want to do it before your health is endangered enough to outweigh the dangers of the transplant. It's a complicated set of variables to balance. Try to let things unfold more slowly, but with the guidance of a really good hepatologist.

[mikesimon]

I think it might be easier for you if you could manage not to look too far down the road at this point. Once you get evaluated at a transplant clinic and have your MELD score you and your doctor(s) will be able to discuss all of your options.

A short and incomplete answer to your question - if I am reading you right - is that a living donor liver transplant can result in a shorter wait time for transplantation. I think there will be plenty of time to have your potential donors evaluated for suitability.

At this point I would focus mainly on getting an appointment at a transplant center.

Good luck,
Mike