starting testing and question

[iplaylead]

Hello I have written several times before and it helped me get through the down times I was having I have done every
test imaginable the last one being a pet scan which turned out o.k.I am now after 1 year and a half I am starting the tests for transplant blood test bone density test cardiac graphics pulmonary test ekg chest x-ray transplant evaluation class and mri I had my teeth done I'm told these are the tests for getting on the list is this acurate and I'm also told out of 130,thousand people who need transplants only about 7 or 8 thousand a year get one and you have to be sick enough my meld is 17-18 and many people die while waiting is this true I would also like to ask a qustion I also have hep c my wife did an endoscopy and the doc told me her alt and ast were high both over 100 and they want to do a liver biopsy my wife has never drank nor smoked a day in her life could there be some normal reason her numbers were high she has been tested for hep c and was fine she is chinese so she eats well vege's and rice daily could you please comment on this thankyou

[Thomas D Schiano, MD]

mayo clinic jacksonville of u of miami may be close

[Thomas D Schiano, MD]

Unfortunately there are major differences in donor organ availability throughout the country.  It seems that in the regions of the south and midwest patients are able to get transplanted sooner.  i think it has to do with number of donor organs available per number of patients on the list.  Live donors are options.  Do you live in NY?

[Thomas D Schiano, MD]

a MELD score of 17-18 will not get you a transplant in NY but may in different parts of the country.  I am glad that the work-up is done.  If your wife has HCV and her liver tests are elevated like this, she should definitely have a liver biopsy to stage her disease.

[iplaylead]

No I do not live in NY I live in NC but I would move if I could get transplanted sooner as you may remember I have had alott of trouble with unc it has only been lately that I am getting a feeling of acknowledgement from the people there I have been waiting 15 months and am still not on the list just now doing the testing I am still unsure what to expect or when they will put me on the list so if you know of a place please let me know
thank you

[iplaylead]

Thankyou Dr.I did write back and ask you if you knew of other states that transplant with
a meld score like mine I don't know what happened to it also can you tell me why this score is not high enough I know how sick I feel and how limited I am to activity and I have to take 90 mg of laculose and 3- 200 mg of xifaxin to keep my amonia down is this not alott on top of the other medications and I was told I have sores in my esophagus and I needed to be carefull so I don't bleed also my
primary care doctor tells me I will die without a transplant or die due to complications of the disease I'm a little confused thankyou again