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Can SVRs be organ donors? Is it ok to have 'organ donor' on driver's license?
My six month post tx PCR was undetectable. If I'm still undetectable at one year, I'll be SVR.
When and if we achieve SVR, can we be organ donors? I know we can't give blood. Could I donate a kidney; should I have "organ donor" written on my driver's license? Being an organ donor, at least on my driver's license, seems like one possible way to express thanks for SVR.
When and if we achieve SVR, can we be organ donors? I know we can't give blood. Could I donate a kidney; should I have "organ donor" written on my driver's license? Being an organ donor, at least on my driver's license, seems like one possible way to express thanks for SVR.
Many people don't even know they have Hep C so it would be a poor practice to expect the donor or donors family to inform refarding your health conditions. It is not up to the potential donor to notify anyone that they had Hep C or anything else when it comes to organ donating, they might not even know themselves what they do and do not have. If you are in a situation where you are being donated, you wont be telling anyone anything anyway, you are dead. Your family is not responsible to inform of your health condition, they might not even know what you did or didn't have.
The responsibility of defining organ viability falls to the facility that oversees the organ donation. They are the ones who do all the testing and establish the viability of any donation and decide if your organs can be used and determine what conditions you did or did not have.
The responsibility of defining organ viability falls to the facility that oversees the organ donation. They are the ones who do all the testing and establish the viability of any donation and decide if your organs can be used and determine what conditions you did or did not have.
I am doing pretty well, thanks for asking. Hope all is well with you.
After reading these post I checked out a book I have been reading "Living with Hepatitis C - A Survivors Guide" written by Gregory Everson MD and Hedy Weinburg. And in the book they say yes as well, we can donate to other Hep-C patients. I hope thats true.
It kind of sad to think our bodies are so bad nobody wants them! I hope not.
After reading these post I checked out a book I have been reading "Living with Hepatitis C - A Survivors Guide" written by Gregory Everson MD and Hedy Weinburg. And in the book they say yes as well, we can donate to other Hep-C patients. I hope thats true.
It kind of sad to think our bodies are so bad nobody wants them! I hope not.
Super duper on the SVR, Bob!
On this transplant thing, I think it's great that a doctor took time to write you back from that site, but I personally don't like what he said. In fact, I don't like what he said at all because 1) he's wrong, and 2) he mentions this stuff about "in addition" the virus "may" remain...yada yada. Even if that were true, it's a mute point and alarmist reply since he fails to explain the details. If you write him back, maybe you can tell him he should reserve those kinds of "in addition" comments for his colleagues and then go investigate TP's a little further. (I'm sorry - I just have a low tolerance for doctors on-line answering like that.)
On the lighter side, you're probably going to live to be at least 95, and by then - no one is going to want your body parts :)
Congratulations again on the SVR! Enjoy enjoy enjoy!
On this transplant thing, I think it's great that a doctor took time to write you back from that site, but I personally don't like what he said. In fact, I don't like what he said at all because 1) he's wrong, and 2) he mentions this stuff about "in addition" the virus "may" remain...yada yada. Even if that were true, it's a mute point and alarmist reply since he fails to explain the details. If you write him back, maybe you can tell him he should reserve those kinds of "in addition" comments for his colleagues and then go investigate TP's a little further. (I'm sorry - I just have a low tolerance for doctors on-line answering like that.)
On the lighter side, you're probably going to live to be at least 95, and by then - no one is going to want your body parts :)
Congratulations again on the SVR! Enjoy enjoy enjoy!
Well, actually it wasn't all that dramatic like I made it sound. First I found out I had "antibodies to hep c" This was in 92 or 93 or 94, I'm not sure. The test they gave me at the time was not too specific like it is now. Anyhow I went to a GI consult and he didn't think I actually had hepc, just had been exposed to it. (Wish it were that easy) I did nothing.
Then this year in Feb my Dad's only kidney shut down and I wanted to know if I could donate one of mine. I told my dr. about the hepc antibodies and he said there were more sophisticated tests. I did test positive, and then the hep c dr. told me "N-O" to organ donations. But really, once I found out I was positive to hep C I kind of figured I couldn't give my Dad a kidney. He turned 80 in Aug.
My dad is doing great, does home dialysis while he sleeps at night and goes dancing every Friday--thanks for asking.
Bug
Then this year in Feb my Dad's only kidney shut down and I wanted to know if I could donate one of mine. I told my dr. about the hepc antibodies and he said there were more sophisticated tests. I did test positive, and then the hep c dr. told me "N-O" to organ donations. But really, once I found out I was positive to hep C I kind of figured I couldn't give my Dad a kidney. He turned 80 in Aug.
My dad is doing great, does home dialysis while he sleeps at night and goes dancing every Friday--thanks for asking.
Bug
Thanks everyone for the thoughtful replies. I'm still trying to find out more about it. I remember reading that hep c people can donate to hep c people; that seems logical.
It's hard to believe that I'm actually probably SVR. It's a very good feeling. It took me two tries, but I feel very well now - am truly grateful.
Bob
It's hard to believe that I'm actually probably SVR. It's a very good feeling. It took me two tries, but I feel very well now - am truly grateful.
Bob
I asked the doctor at this web site:
http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/doctor/topics/hcv1.html
I got this answer:
No, your organs would not be acceptable for the same reasons that you cannot donate blood. Blood is an aspect of all organs and the two cannot be separated from each other. In addition, it is thought that even after achieving SVR, some level of HCV may remain in the body even though it is not replicating.
Congratulations on your excellent prognosis for an SVR!
http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/doctor/topics/hcv1.html
I got this answer:
No, your organs would not be acceptable for the same reasons that you cannot donate blood. Blood is an aspect of all organs and the two cannot be separated from each other. In addition, it is thought that even after achieving SVR, some level of HCV may remain in the body even though it is not replicating.
Congratulations on your excellent prognosis for an SVR!
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