General Discussion

riderinthestorm

(23,272 posts)

7. My sister's a double kidney/liver transplant recipient.

Wed Sep 3, 2014, 09:04 PM

Sep 2014

It's not a law. Its medical protocol to ensure the transplant has the best chance of success.

The chemistry is incredibly tricky during optimum conditions.

Alcohol is a huge complication for the body's filtration system. Your friend would also have been knocked off for MJ, licorice, obesity, multiple OTC and/or Rx drugs, noncompliance with the treatment plan before the transplant etc. - any of that within the past six months as well.

The protocol is really strict because its hard enough to get right in the first place and organs are rare and priceless. It's not punitive. Really. The hospital pharmacist AND a dietitian were in on all my sisters medical exams along with the rest of the transplant team because the docs understood how critical the pharmaceutical and dietary input was to success.

All that said, I'm so so sorry for you and your friend.

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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