Transplant worries -

[Guest guest]

> Hi Tim, I am new to this group and was wondering about your

> transplant. I see that you are now having problems with the bile

> ducts, my husband was diagnosed with PSC in 2003 and is now debating

> on a transplant. His worry is will his new liver be rejected, and

> what if the is UC will harm the new liver. ...

,

I was 33 when evidence of liver problems appeared, 42 when I was

diagnosed with PSC and 51 when I had a liver transplant. Recurrent PSC

was diagnosed 4 years later and 9 1/2 years after my first transplant

led to another last June. There were complications (hepatic artery

thrombosis) that led to another in July. Since then I have been doing

very well.

Fears of rejection and other complications are natural to have before

and after transplantation, I certainly did! I believe they are vastly

overblown, primarily because the transplant team has a difficult time

communicating how effective they are at controlling rejection and how

many options they have to do it. When they try to keep it simple it is

hard to believe it is effective as they say and when it is explained

in detail I just get lost. Suffice it to say I have had rejection

episodes and do believe others could have been handled easily.

Recurrent PSC is another concern. There is evidence that it happens

more frequently in males with intact colons. Both strikes against me.

There are some doctors that recommend prophylactic colectomy either

before or with transplant surgery, but the majority do not advise

this. Recurrent PSC seems to be as unpredictable and uncontrollable as

the original and I try to be philosophical about it and handle it the

same way.

Do not fear a transplant when one becomes necessary and available.

Tim R, tx #3 7/7/07