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Does age matter for liver transplant evaluation?

Transplants | Last Active: Nov 26, 2024 | Replies (35)
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@bobweller

Each transplant center has its own age qualifiers. Much is based on your general health from what I have experienced. I have had 2 liver transplants since 2000 because of an unusual genotype of Hep C. It took 16 years waiting for meds to treat the Hep C. My 1st transplant was at 44 and my second was at 61. I have a Heptologist and now a Nephrologist. My kidneys were damaged by Prograf/Tacrolimus immune surpressant. I am about to turn 69 and both doctors said mid to late 70's can still get a transplant.

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Replies to "Each transplant center has its own age qualifiers. Much is based on your general health from..."
ajdo129 | @ajdo129 | Nov 23, 2024

In November 2021, my cancer doctor in Tucson said I had 2 months to live (bile duct cancer) and not to bother calling Mayo because I was too old at age 71 for a liver transplant.
I called Mayo and my primary care doctor's PA had already called Mayo. Mayo set me up with 2 weeks of testing (endurance, psychological as well as every conceivable medical test).
January 3rd, 2022 the board reviewed my case. January 5th I was put on the transplant list as inactive with a level 6. I had 36 rounds of chemo and radiation end of January and into March. We waited the month to "de-radiate" April, I had a laproscopy to see if the cancer had spread.
Aoril 16 I was told there was no spread of cancer, that I was at level 26, and that I would being getting a liver soon. Much to my surprise, I got the call 2 days later to be ready to go to surgery. April 20, 2022 at 2:00 a.m mid surgery, my cousin received a message "old liver out, nee luver in". a

Now I am able to tell you that after almost 3 years post transplant, that it us worth calling Mayo.
Hope this helps,
Barbara
aka ajdo129 (the coded name for my donated liver).

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