General Discussion

orleans

(36,893 posts) Wed Sep 3, 2014, 08:47 PM Sep 2014

is the six month no drinking rule a law or hospital's judgment call for liver transplants? [View all]

i know of a 37 yr old who has liver disease.
all this was recently determined
and it turns out because she has cirrhosis and hasn't been alcohol free for six months the hospital won't let 3 people be tested and used as possible donors for her.

instead, she is going into hospice and prognosis given is about a month.

it seems this all happened very suddenly--she wasn't aware that she was so sick.

she is also a child of a vietnam vet who was exposed to agent orange (which someone told me can accelerate the aging process--not sure about this.)

i'm trying to find out if this 6 month rule is a law or just a punishment/judgment call on the part of the hospital.

it just seems unbelievable that they would let this young person die rather than give her a chance because she might drink in the future? or because she hasn't been alcohol free for six months. (she didn't know she was sick six months ago & i've known people who drank far more than her--for years and years!)

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is the six month no drinking rule a law or hospital's judgment call for liver transplants? [View all] orleans Sep 2014 OP

They want the transplant to have the best chance of success I suspect still_one Sep 2014 #1

Sad to have to admit that this is probably the reason... NYC_SKP Sep 2014 #6

regarding "others in line" orleans Sep 2014 #9

In that event, it seems wrong. I did not know one could donate parts of the liver. NYC_SKP Sep 2014 #10

As I understand it, whether or not a living donor can be dflprincess Sep 2014 #39

Medicine is fascinating. NYC_SKP Sep 2014 #40

As I said in my other post, I'm at least a blood type match for my stepfather. moriah Sep 2014 #25

Understand. Horse with no Name Sep 2014 #51

see my post 61. it's not that she was non-compliant n/t orleans Sep 2014 #63

It is considered noncompliance Horse with no Name Sep 2014 #64

thank you. n/t orleans Sep 2014 #67

People die during organ donations. Xithras Sep 2014 #57

Not a call I'd want to have to make Aerows Sep 2014 #45

It is a medical judgment call by the hospital. former9thward Sep 2014 #2

A friend of mine was on dialysis for 7 years, they would not give him a kidney until he lost 150 lbs notadmblnd Sep 2014 #3

I believe it's a rule in transplant programs, not a law. PeaceNikki Sep 2014 #4

Same rule for Heart Transplant clients regarding smoke free. FarPoint Sep 2014 #5

My aunt is in that boat xmas74 Sep 2014 #42

My sister's a double kidney/liver transplant recipient. riderinthestorm Sep 2014 #7

There are so few available livers that they are very careful. djean111 Sep 2014 #8

I suspect its her location, insurance plan and the available transplant centers protocol. riderinthestorm Sep 2014 #12

Thanks. It has been 15 years since he died. I spent the final two weeks in the hospital with him, djean111 Sep 2014 #19

Being a donor is a life threatening operation. Ms. Toad Sep 2014 #74

The organization that maintains the waiting list has rules for allocating the organs. LeftyMom Sep 2014 #11

well, like i said in the above post #9-- orleans Sep 2014 #20

If she's already in hospice she may be too debilitated already for the transplant riderinthestorm Sep 2014 #26

omg--tylenol--stupid tylenol-- orleans Sep 2014 #36

Tylenol is incredibly toxic for kidneys and the liver riderinthestorm Sep 2014 #37

I'm B- too! REP Sep 2014 #48

Don't give up! My sister got hers within four weeks of getting on the list in No Cal riderinthestorm Sep 2014 #52

Rare can mean either really short or really long. Ms. Toad Sep 2014 #75

If/when I'm Stage 4, I will do multiple listings REP Sep 2014 #78

Like I said, live donor transplants are risky to the donor as well as the recipient. LeftyMom Sep 2014 #27

UNOS guidelines are 3-6 months. She can have two centers on her wait list. ScreamingMeemie Sep 2014 #13

This is a directed donation from a living donor; I don't think UNOS guidelines apply REP Sep 2014 #16

It's not a "law" but it's standard REP Sep 2014 #14

Everyone should be an organ donor! Owl Sep 2014 #15

Not everyone is suitable REP Sep 2014 #18

This will obviously be assessed prior to your death. Owl Sep 2014 #22

Eh, even if I get hit by a bus now REP Sep 2014 #24

Yep, if REP or Owl are flattened by a bus all bets are off. Owl Sep 2014 #38

Fortunately, I'm In Pretty Good Shape To Be A Donor ProfessorGAC Sep 2014 #58

This probably makes me a bad liberal Codeine Sep 2014 #21

Sorry, but NO. That is liberalhistorian Sep 2014 #50

i think instead of being an opt-in condition, it should be an opt-out condition La Lioness Priyanka Sep 2014 #53

I agree with opt out kcr Sep 2014 #70

yup and most people will do what the thing is the norm La Lioness Priyanka Sep 2014 #73

My stepfather is finally on the list after having been sober six months. We didn't know if he'd.... moriah Sep 2014 #17

What a terrible position for you REP Sep 2014 #23

Like others said pipi_k Sep 2014 #28

Not 'punishment,' I think, elleng Sep 2014 #29

Nobody wants to do a transplant doomed to fail, or put a healthy donor at risk. hunter Sep 2014 #30

I'd really love to know where in the US they're operating outside UNOS guidelines riderinthestorm Sep 2014 #32

I'd stay in California. hunter Sep 2014 #43

St Vincent's in LA - until they got caught REP Sep 2014 #47

One case more than 10 years ago does not indicate widespread fraud within UNOS riderinthestorm Sep 2014 #49

Not within UNOS - within individual programs that are part of UNOS REP Sep 2014 #79

My husband is dying from cirrosis. Texasgal Sep 2014 #31

I am so sorry. My sister went through an intensive background and insurance check riderinthestorm Sep 2014 #35

If she's not drinking now and has been off the sauce for awhile maybe the medical tourism route is MADem Sep 2014 #33

A) I would suspect that she was told about this before the tests were done. HuckleB Sep 2014 #34

As my sisters primary transplant support person, +1000 to your post riderinthestorm Sep 2014 #44

My aunt has to be six months without tobacco of any sort xmas74 Sep 2014 #41

thank you everyone for your posts. they are all much appreciated. n/t orleans Sep 2014 #46

Were they aware of the no drinking rule? NCTraveler Sep 2014 #54

no one was aware of this "rule" until several days ago orleans Sep 2014 #61

She has an extreme drinking problem to have cirrhosis at 37 taught_me_patience Sep 2014 #55

Not necessarily Horse with no Name Sep 2014 #66

And Don't Use MedCannabis fredamae Sep 2014 #56

It's really discouraging when you call the transplant teams "death panels" riderinthestorm Sep 2014 #59

Show me the fredamae Sep 2014 #62

Sorry but if there's the slightest possibility that cannabis is going to fuck up a transplant riderinthestorm Sep 2014 #65

Then shouldn't these patients fredamae Sep 2014 #68

Are you really saying that post transplant patients take MJ and not their anti-rejection meds? riderinthestorm Sep 2014 #69

Where did I say that? fredamae Sep 2014 #71

You say it here: riderinthestorm Sep 2014 #72

That statement is true fredamae Sep 2014 #77

Sorry, but once you are listed you have been told very clearly what the rules are. Ms. Toad Sep 2014 #76

There is no law regarding this. It is transplant protocol. MohRokTah Sep 2014 #60