low meld score and liver transplant

Currently waiting for a living donor transplant. Tying up all tests. My kidneys are very strong and I was very healthy until 15 months ago. Had my first ascities experience. Currently have progressed to a consistant 10 to 14 day  paraenthisis. Extreme fatigue ,sleep reversal,loss of musle mass, weight loss, ostroprosis, mild encephalology, and so on. Kidneys remain strong keeping meld score supressed (12). What is your opinion of transplanting at this stage? I am a 55 year old male (hep c caused liver disease). My life has been  changed in many ways, mostly to a sedatary existance. Am i wrong to think I could my life back with a liver transplant. Am i trading one set of problems for another? How long can a hep-c carrier expect to get out of a transplanted liver, assuming they stayed healthy?

[Thomas D Schiano, MD]

if your MELD is only 12 would a TIPS procedure be an option for your ascites rather than a transplant?  I would definitely try and treat your HCV prior to undergoing a transplant.  a live donor option is the ideal scenario to treat the HCV aggressively.  remember that the 1 year life expectancy is better for people not undergoing a transplant when compared to those undergoing liver transplantation when the MELD score is 15 or less.