Liver transplant - Let's support each other

@rosamaria good morning and thank you very much for sharing that useful information.

Thank you, Rosemary ! Very helpful.

@khh, Healthy life style - stay active, eat healthy foods, abstain from alcohol, avoid over-the-counter medicines and supplements, stay updated on routine medical prevention, stay up to date on vaccines, are a few that come to mind. Most important is to follow doctors advice develop an open communication with a doctor whom you trust.

You are asking some terrific questions! And you are so right that there are a lot of 'us' out here! We stick together, and we are here for you and for each other.

Here is an Infographic: MELD scores for liver transplants
https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/infographic-meld-scores-for-liver-transplants/
@khh, @beckyy39, @benlam11, @contentandwell, @tjgisewhite, @racing212, @seahorstmayo, @joanaiken, @jeanne5009,
As many of you have been sharing about MELD score in this conversation, I want to share this with you.

This week at Mayo in FL I was told because my blood type is A+ and that isn't as common, generally, you don't get your liver transplant until you have a MELD score of 25 because there are fewer organs available.

My Meld score was in the high 20,s , however I needed a Liver and Kidney transplant. I was transferred with extreme HE (Like in a Coma) from Las Vegas and after being revived at the MAYO and an additional heart test, I received my transplant within 24 hrs. This was after a 2 year journey of misdiagnosis in Las Vegas. Never give up and stay positive - they journey will be worth it.

@khh that is probably a plus, as my B type was. + and - don’t matter. O type can go to anyone but O can only get type O so that blood type is at a disadvantage from what I’ve heard. You can get a type A liver or a type O liver.
JK

I am A+ and I think that’s pretty common. I wouldn’t think that would be a huge deterrent in my case. What is your experience with this?
Karen

There might be some other things they consider, but I’m not really hearing of anything definite. I have read about increased “pulmonary artery pressures” making a difference if you reach certain numbers. All I know is I have “pulmonary hypertension”. I don’t know any numbers. Also, apparently my liver is terrible like yours. They say my “liver density” is way off the charts even for people with severe cirrhosis and I know I bleed everywhere all the time. I’m sure everyone else does too.
I am happy to hear you did receive a liver and I pray you are doing great!

@tjgisewhite As I said, I do know of course that blood type is part of the screening of whom gets an available liver, but I thought from your post that there might be other criteria that transplant centers can be a bit subjective with. My MELD would probably have gone into the 30s within a few weeks of getting a liver, I had taken a serious turn for the worse. I always wonder if even though my MELD did not reflect that, they could make that decision. When my liver was dissected it was approaching being totally non-functional. Something that was said made me wonder if they did have some leeway there.
JK