Contracting Hep c

[mom3333]

My son had a 1 time sexual encounter with a woman with Hep C. What should he do to determine if he was exposed or contracted Hep C

[Harry Potter]

He should get tested to allay his fears...but bear in mind that contracting Hep C through sex is relatively rare; there has to be blood-to-blood contact, not just "bodily fluids" as with HIV.

[GrandmaA]

The doctor said hep. C is only spread sexually by males, not by females and then it's still very rare. He said there's only a 5% chance of getting it after 20 years of monogamous sex. It's much easier to get hep. B.

[Jakied]

Sexual transmission of hep c is rare, especially female to male.  Hep c is not considered a std as Hiv and hbv are.

Ask your son to be tested 3 months after the incident.  I have a feeling he will be neg and then he can move on with life.

[nygirl7]

Get tested and then practice safe sex - there are many worse things to catch than HepC from a sexual encounter.

[Scared640]

Has he gotten tested? What were his results?

[Bill200]

Yeah, get tested.  Wouldn't worry too much though.  It's not normally passed through sexual contact.

[gg444]

i was on pegassist and ribavirin the doc just stopped my treatment. I have been on treatment twice now in the past three years. The first time my red and white blood cells kept dropping. I was sick in and out of the hospital. BUT nothing like I was the second time around. Every side effect from Both medicines I had, Including lossing all my hair.My doc said i can never have this treatment again. And I am o.k. with that, but my question is I heard on the news a new treatment was coming out the first of 2010. Has anyone heard that? I was told you only took the meds for three months and it had a Very high cure rate. They also said it  was worse than the meds out now, So if that is true being that I could'nt take the meds. out now would the doc. even let me try the new one.

[HCA]

There is new medication coming but it is taken with Pegasys and ribavirin-it's a 'third molecule'.
There is too much information to spell it out for you here-if you want to know more search 'Hepatitis C protease inhibitor'

[jacquie75]

I too went through the 48-week treatment twice only to have my virus down to 150 from over 50,000,000 at the start.  Was on a maintenance program, 80 micrograms of peg-interfuron for one year at which time, my insurance would no longer pay for; but still had the virus (Hep C).  I called several local hosptials in Boston, and decided to go to Tufts Medical Center to try a new combination of meds.  My Doctor is hopeful, no guarantees, that this new combination of meds will help me significantly.  Doctor mentioned the medicine as 'Integen".  Not sure of the spelling. sorry...Good luck in your search for a cure.  I also was very sick for both treatments, lost over 40 pounds, which I was happy about, started losing my hair, and kept close to the bathroom when I couldn't keep anything down...Just keep telling yourself, 'the cure is worse than the illness' and maybe that will help.   jacquie75

[Lindaz]

best to get test to put your mind at rest......
All the best
take care
Linda x

[JACQUE62]

I HAVE HEPATITUS (hepatitis)-C.IT WAS CAUSED BY A BLOOD TRANSFUSION FROM MY DAD WHEN HE WAS STATIONED IN KOREA.MY TRANSFUSION WAS AT AGE 4(1966)DIDN'T START SHOWING UP IN MY BLOOD WORK UNTIL 1998.I DIDN'T START ANY MEDS UNTIL APRIL09,THEY WORKED FOR 3.5 MONTHS.I WAS TOLD THE ONLY WAY TO CONTRACT IS BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS,BLOOD TO BLOOD,NOT SEXUALY.BUT I'D STILL HAVE THE BLOOD WORK DONE FOR ALL 3,A,B,AND C. GOOD LUCK TO YOU BOTH,IT PLAYS HELL ON YOUR FAMILY LET ALONE YOUR OWN BODY.ALL MY SIDE EFFECTS STARTED AFTER I STOPPED THE MEDS.