Transplant Information

Hello, Everyone, I have some information that I know will benefit everyone! I would like for all of you to contact : www.TransplantExperience.com   Through this program, you'll gain insights and advise for taking control of your health. You'll receive information specific to your stage of the transplant experience-whether you're still on the waiting list, you've just received your transplant, or have had your transplant for years. As a program member you will also receive quarterly newsletters, videos, and booklets of special concern, recipes, ideas, event information, etc.. You will also receive a "Welcome Kit" which includes a video, a booklet, a journal, and a pill box to help organize your medications.  All free! I have this kit and it is very nice. A real plus for a transplant patient. Thanks Everyone!  Kande :o)

[Richard1355]

WOW Thank you I am on my way

Richard & Sherri

[gigi42489]

Thank you so much ,you do understand our(Transplant) patient's feelings very well,for you to start a programme like this,which gives every single detail we need Since,everything is quite new to us,we all have lots of doubts on various things about Tx,so this will be a good site for us.Thanks a lot Kande for your concern,and thats very sweet of you to organise this.

[gigi42489]

There is a problem over ther, in the enrollment form,they are asking for transplant centre,but unfortunately NONE of the hospitals in India where I live is mentioned,if its kept blank,then it would have been easy for me to enter,so the zip code which I give doesn fit in that,so wat do I do ?

[Kande]

Hi sweetheart, I will check into this for you. Send me a message, I miss you sunshine!  ~ Kande  ((HUGS))

[Mare0409]

Information is plentiful  thank thank

Mare = -)

[Kande]

My sweetheart, Thanks for visiting here today! Much love ~Kande  :o)

[JIGZZ]

Transplant experience only for US .. i m from Pakistan .. :s

do you know any other source who provides booklets and video etc for pakistan?

If any please let me know ..

Regards,

--
JIGzZ

[Kande]

At the moment I don't, but I will check into this for you. Just wanted to let you know I'am working on your other information too. I haven't forgot you friend! :o)  ~Kande

[JIGZZ]

Ah .. Thank you so much sweets..

by the way my friends say i m unforgettable jigzz ;) .. nobody can forget the unforgettable :o)
can u? :)

[Kande]

Never darling! Never!  (((HUGS)))  ~Kande  :o)

[Richard1355]

Thank you we got his kit yesterday I think this is wonderfull info.
If you don't mind my asking did you become diabetic after your transplant?
I have alot of questions about this also, does this go away.
Thank you Sherri&Richard

[mikesimon]

Diabetes and hepatic oxidative damage are associated with hepatitis C progression after liver transplantation.
Cotler SJ, Kallwitz E, TenCate V, Bhushan A, Berkes J, Benedetti E, Layden-Almer J, Layden TJ, Valyi-Nagy T, Guzman G.

Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. ***@****

BACKGROUND: Posttransplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is common after liver transplantation and was recently identified as a risk factor for hepatitis C progression. Increased levels of oxidative stress have been identified in diabetes and hepatitis C. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship among PTDM, oxidative damage in liver biopsy specimens, and fibrosis progression posttransplant. METHODS: Subjects consisted of 27 hepatitis C-infected liver transplant recipients who had liver biopsy specimens available from 49 protocol liver biopsies. Paraffin embedded liver tissue sections were stained for 8-hydroxy-2' deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), an indicator of hydroxyl radical mediated tissue damage. The percentage of cells staining for 8-OHdG in a histologic section was categorized as high (>66%) versus low score (< or =66%). Fibrosis index was calculated as fibrosis score (0-4)/ years posttransplant. Time to bridging fibrosis or cirrhosis (F3-4) was compared as a function of PTDM and 8-OHdG score. RESULTS: Considering all 49 biopsies, fibrosis index was higher in cases with PTDM (P<0.001) and high 8-OHdG score (P=0.004). High 8-OHdG score was associated with PTDM (P=0.012). In time to event analyses, time to F3-4 was more rapid in patients with PTDM (P=0.02) and in those with high 8-OHdG scores (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed a relationship between PTDM and hepatitis C fibrosis progression and found that oxidative damage in liver biopsy specimens was associated with PTDM and more rapid development of advanced fibrosis.

Prospective study of liver transplant recipients with HCV infection: evidence for a causal relationship between HCV and insulin resistance.
Delgado-Borrego A, Liu YS, Jordan SH, Agrawal S, Zhang H, Christofi M, Casson D, Cosimi AB, Chung RT.

Gastrointestinal Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.

An association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and insulin resistance (IR) has been recently reported. However, causality has not been established. The cross-sectional nature of most reported studies and varying degrees of fibrosis have limited definitive conclusions about the independent role of HCV in development of IR. We sought to evaluate whether HCV induces IR by prospectively analyzing a cohort of adult liver transplant (LT) recipients. A total of 34 adults (14 HCV(+) and 20 HCV(-)) who underwent consecutive LT were followed during the first year posttransplantation. IR was estimated using the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA). Univariate and multivariate repeated measures analyses and Cox regression models were used. There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to age, body mass index (BMI), family history of diabetes, alcohol consumption, or laboratory indices. The cohort had no or minimal fibrosis. There was lower prednisone use in the HCV(+) group, and no difference in the use of tacrolimus between the two groups was found. IR was 77% higher in HCV(+) subjects during the first year post-LT when controlling for BMI (P = 0.035). Subjects with high HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) levels reached high HOMA-IR significantly earlier than those with lower HCV RNA (P = 0.03). Following the first month post-LT, HCV(+) subjects were 4 times more likely to become diabetic than HCV(-) controls (P < 0.01). In conclusion, there is significantly higher IR in the HCV(+) group during the first year post-LT. This cannot be explained by differences in BMI, medications used, alcohol consumption, or degree of fibrosis. Higher HCV RNA levels were associated with earlier elevations in HOMA-IR. Collectively, these results provide strong evidence that HCV induces the development of IR.

[mikesimon]

From: http://www.medpagetoday.com/Surgery/Transplantation/tb/4817

"But the new diabetes cases may be transient, as seen by the fact that nearly all of the incident cases were taking steroids and developed diabetes within three months of their transplants, noted Paul J. Thuluvath, M.D., of Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, in an accompanying editorial.

"In a previous study, 24 of 88 patients (27%) were found to have diabetes mellitus at the end of the first postoperative year and were considered as having new-onset diabetes mellitus," Dr. Thuluvath wrote, "but at the second year after liver transplantation, only eight patients (9%) had evidence of diabetes mellitus, which implies the transient nature of diabetes mellitus in many transplant recipients."

[Kande]

Thanks Mike! I haven't had time to answer questions since the quake. I have been sending notes to everyone to let them know I am fine. Doing many private msgs. too. Busy, busy! I so much appreciate you!!!  (((Hugs)))  ~Kande

[Myown]

Hey kande!
How bad was the quake in your area? Did you get any damage to your house or anything - hope not. A friend of mine moved out to California not too long ago and being she is from the East, the earthquake thing was on her mind when her husband told her he wanted to take the job offer. Yet my cousin has been living out there for years and no biggy. She says she never concerns herself or even thinks of earthquakes. I know you are not from California, but when I think of earthquakes, Calif of course is what comes to mind. Supposedly this NY area is on some kind of line too, but I only remember feeling one - very slight years ago. Every area of the country has something - floods or whatever.

Hope you didn't get any damage to your property,,,but most of all thank God you are all right.
MO

[Kande]

Yes sweetheart I'm fine! Glad to hear from you! The quake was a 4.2, the first reports said 4.5. But they were wrong. I didn't have any damage to my home. Some of my neighbors had things fall off of shelves and break. Just minor things, nothing big. The aftershocks were pretty big too, again no damage. At the time I really believed it was the big one, but not yet. One day it will get us! My home has been built according to earthquake codes. It should take it well, or as well as possible. What a way to start the day! Haha! Thanks for checking on me sweetie.  :o)

[Myown]

Glad to hear you didn't have damage. That had to be scary though. It's good that your home was built according to earthquake codes. My husbands friend in Florida - his house really took a beating from a quake. It was really ashame.

I wonder how my dog would react. She hears thunder way before it even is anywhere near us. Most dogs do I guess, but she is a big baby. I can always tell when she hears it cause she jumps up on my lap and starts shaking and won't get off me. It is so sad - I try blasting music, but nothing helps. I should really talk to the vet about getting some kind of light sedative or something. I hate to give her drugs, but I may have too. One thing that has me a little concerned is that her last visit her enzymes are elevated!! Of course first thing I thought of was - OMG can dogs get HCV??? I can't find anything on the net that says a definite yes or no. Someone asked a vet on this one site and the vet was looking in the med book and couldn't find anything,,,,,but really, have they ever injected hcv into a dog to see if it would contract it? I hate when they experiment on dogs, but because of so many heppers owning dogs, you would think that studies of cats and dogs should be done? I know that monkeys can get it - but dogs/cats - dunno.

So I asked the vet (didn't tell her I have it) if dogs can get it? She said no....but the more I think about it,,,,I am going to say,,,,"show me the studies babeeeeee."

Guess what she put me dog on??? Milk Thistle!

MO

[Myown]

Guess what she put "ME" dog on???
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
wowie- zowie- powie -mowie!!!! I didn't know that Double dosing interferon causes a person to have an Irish brogue??

MO

[Kande]

Girl, I love ya! You silly thing! You need to visit everyday, I can't stop laughing. Sounds like you are doing great to me! I'm so glad. My dog was crazy during the quake, she was on her belly, crawling everywhere, barking, wouldn't get an inch away from me. I forgot to tell you what I did....ran outside in my silk pjs...yep I did. I didn't even think about it! I'll never live that down!! Now I am known as pj in my neighborhood......hahaha! All I can do is laugh about it, or move?!?! Love you,  ~Kande

[Myown]

Visit everyday? yeahhhhh, thats what ya say now, but everyday with me is a bit too much - ask my husband. j/k.

So your dog did get nervous, I guess mine would too. I hate even to hear a weather report of thunder coming out way. My husband and just give each other the look - the OH NO look when we are both in the same room and hear a report like that. Its sad to see her so upset from the thunder.

So all your neighbors saw ya in your pajama's huh? I guess getting dressed would be the last thing to think of though. My neighbor comes out in less than his pajama's to get his morning paper and no earthquake!  

Well getting tired and it looks quiet round these parts, no party going on here tonight, huh? So I will go to bed. I think I read somewhere that we are supposed to be in bed by 11pm for our liver - that sounds strange to say, but ya know what I mean.

see ya, love you too,
MO

[Kande]

I could handle you everyday! I love the laughs, and there is no party because you were not here. Girly!! I hope you are wrong about being in bed by 11pm!! My liver will be dead soon if that is true! lol Till later party girl....

[Myown]

Thanks Kande, but you can party without me too! And yes you should go to bed before 11pm for liver health. I do remember reading that. Probably find it if ya google it - I'll look later or maybe someone else will find something.

I am all wound up - just came home from a really good service. I am feeling good btw, I don't remember if I answered that in the other post and too lazy to click it back to see what I wrote. I did feel a bit of the dd the next day - major fatigue, but popped out of it in a day and now just breathy but full of energy - no fatigue at all. I don't know whether that is good or bad though cause I breezed thru first tx but relapsed so in a way, its good I am not tired, but then I am not sure if it is good or not,,,,,but I will hope that it is. I have a feeling I definitely am anemic already cause of the breathy thing and I can feel my heart or lungs or something, so I might have to use procrit this round I guess. The last time I didn't feel breathy until I went down to 9.6 and that was later in tx so kinda strange that I should feel it so early. I guess cause of all the predosing.

But I'll find out this week what my hemo is.

So thats the story.
MO

[Kande]

That is a very good report. :o)  You go girl!! We just won't let you get sick. No way! I am not having that, remember you are going to party with me girl. haha, You know I love ya! I really do believe you will do well, you have a great attitude and you keep smiling all the way. :o) Keep all of us updated, we want to "be there" for you!!!  (((HUGS)))  ~Kande

[Myown]

Ah, thanks Kande, we all need to feel loved, so thats good. So anyhoo, fell asleep while watching "Lost," - we are trying to catch up and my husband and I are addicted to the show. Neither one of us can believe how good the show is cause when it first came out, the clips that they show on TV didn't really hit either one of us, so there wasn't any interest to watch the show...but now we are watching them all on DVD. Problem is, no matter how much I like a show, I cannot stay awake through any show all the way to the end. If I do, it is rare. I even fell asleep watching "Gone With The Wind!"

So a few of the "Lost" DVD's we had to watch twice cause I fell asleep a little bit before the end.

So, I am not the partier tonight. Ohhhh, if you liked Led Zepplin, there is something on about them, my husband has it on and just told me - gonna go watch it. I feel awake now!  A guitar shreaking will always get my undivided attention and adrenaline pumping!! Bye
Hugs.MO

[Kande]

Ohhh,Now lets just talk Steven Tyler from Aerosmith and you are on girl!! I love that song he wrote when he was in detox "Amazing"!!! Now he knows how to rock!! He is such a great guy! He wrote that song for everyone going through detox, wanted to help as many people as possible. I listen to that song everyday. Well enough about "Mr. Good Lookin" Wouldn't it be great if he would visit our little community? Since he works with Hep.C support groups. Oh stop, I can't help myself. Well I'll see ya later, I'm off to listen to "Amazing." I knew this conversation would get me in trouble. :o) lol  (((HUGS)))

[Myown]

Okay, now I'm on a roll - a Rock and Roll....yes I agree, Aerosmith is great,,,but how bout this one - I bet you don't remember this particular song. Most people think of other songs when they think of "Humble Pie," but my favorite song by them was "I wonder." That song gets to me - the raspy voice and then the awesome guitar, the style of song,,, I just love it.

Listen to it this song though if you find the time - pump up the volume!!
Seeya..
MO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE1y1AUoQrs

[D977]

Yea  Aerosmith is great and humble pie well takes ya back but these guys well they say it all:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMxRjioUh2s&feature=related

[Myown]

No wayyyyyyy Jose! LOL Can't even compare it in my book!

Okay, what about Queen?? I loved Freddy Mercury. Now that was what I call talent!

My favorite song - well its hard to choose a fav with that group, they are all good but this is probably my fav and then I'll post one more and then beddy bye for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JszN7h84TXs

[Myown]

She will live in my heart forever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXGlNwLlk0k

Seeya Dan,
Have a good night,
MO

[D977]

I plead the 5th on all counts,
I like  all  music well most music depends on what mood your in.
Have a good night yourself ....hmmm queen???
He he
D

[D977]

The only song i liked Freddy in was the Movie ,Highlander ,soundtrack.
Ok just had to say that.
D

[Myown]

Uhmm, okay, the lyrics are really good, but I don't like a falsetto sound, but good song though I agree. I think I'll listen to it right now as I sip my morning coffee.

seeya,
MO

[Kande]

Hey you two this is the TP police...stop having so much fun! By police order! See what happens when you stay up all night!!! Of course Prograf adds to the crazys to!! Love to you both. Keep having fun!  Kande's orders.  :o)

[Kande]

We need to start a new thread, be creative...go for it...yes let it fly.....



                                                 HAVE FUN!!!!!


                                                  ((((HUGS))))

[Myown]

Hey Top of the Mornin' Kande! "TP Police," thats funny!

You were up all night? Yuk, thats horrible. I slept well, but I am a very early riser. The morning is the best part of the day as far as I am concerned. Love the mornings..

Maybe you can catch up on some sleep later. Thanks for the "okay" to start a new thread, but if a music thread starts, I will be tied to this computer all day cause music is one of my favorite subjects - see ya later. Love you too!

MO

[nygirl7]

I don't know exactly where the post I made went on here........but if I talk to Steven on the 15th backstage I'll post some pictures for you.

Waiting to see where your chat section is going to be so I don't ruin this forum by posting chit chat on it all day as happened over at the hep forum.

See ya girl!

[Kande]

Yes, I have talked to several people and I think we have had a strong enough response that we do need one. But no harm done here :o) ~Kande