Film editing in the 70s and 80s may have cause this???

Hi,
Just got diagnosed -- no known transfusions, no injected drugs.  But
throughout the 70s and 80s I worked as a film editor, constantly
scratching myself on film splicers and trim bin hooks.  In those days i
mainly worried about tetanus.  Everybody shared splicers, and they were
cleaned maybe twice a year or so, in that wonderful era when many of my
colleagues abused all sorts of substances.  I have a terrible hunch
that this may be how I acquired the virus.  Scary, huh??  Or it could
have been the doctor, dentist, acupuncturist, hairdresser.  My
hepatologist even wanted information about surgery i had in the 1950s,
so God only knows.  Now I'm waiting to find out the genotype etc.
before deciding on treatment.  This is a club I did not wish to join,
but I guess I'm a full-fledged member.

Pigeonca

[mkeela]

WOW, your in the right place, I just joined today and begin tx on the 3rd. This place is the place to be if your a HepC. I have received so much support, this is like a hand of God. And from what I can see, health saving advice that turned out to be correct and I actually received an apology from my nurse when I called her to ask about it because the information I got on here was supposed to be given to me my last visit and she didn't give it to me!! Glad to meet another "newbie" God bless you and keep your spirits up!

[susan400]

I know that many of us wish we knew when we were infected, or how but, after you are infected, it really doesn't matter all that much as to HOW you were infected.  It doesn't really change your treatment choices, or anything.  What matters now is what condition your liver is in (by biopsy), what your Viral load, Liver function test and Genotype are (by blood tests).  This is what your treatment and your own choices on treatment will be based on.  We're all here to be of any help to you, but we're not doctors, just friends.

Susan

[Pdilly]

I agree with Susan.   I think at first you really pick it apart trying to figure out could it be this or could it be that.  It all boils down to the same thing HepC and you have to treat. You probably will never really know and only suspect where you got it like alot of us here.
Glad you found out so you can do something about it.  Its those that don't find out that could have issues down the line.

This is a great site.  I usually read more than respond.  You can learn so much here.  Also sometimes they really get into teasing one another and it is quite commical.

[iceboy]

It is a shock to us all to get diagnosed. Don

[jmjm530]

Ice: I just felt I had to get rid of this for everyones sake, but I think I was infested with the stigma against this disease. here I go again. I bore myself with my philosophical approach all the time.
------------------------------------------------
I think that happens to many.

Recently someone posted (in paraphrase) that if you don't treat for your sake, treat for the sake of those you might infect.

I respect the poster, but statements like that in my opinion demonstrate that the stigma of hepatitis c is alive and well everywhere, including here. It also reflects a misunderstanding of the disease as well. VERY hard to transmit this disease to anyone, especially if you're aware that you have it.

Hopefully, those learning about Hep C will not rush into treatment because of any societal stigma but will take their time and learn as much as they can about Hep C, and explore all treatment options both by themselves and with their doctors, including taking a watch and wait.

-- Jim

[pigeonca]

Thank you everybody for your kind posts.  What I'm concerned about is whether I should warn people who I worked with back then. Based on what is only a hunch, should I get in touch with my union or anything?  Just as a public service...

Pigeonca

[iceboy]

when you don

[jmjm530]

I think it's possible you got hep c splicing film but unlikely. Anyway, if you feel you should alert those you worked with, I'd do it through a third party like a doctor. There's still a lot of discrimination against people with Hep C and personally I'm very careful of who I tell. Only a few family members and a couple of friends know. Some here have disclosed at work and have been discriminated against. Just something to consider.

-- Jim

[iceboy]

Sorry pigeonca, sometimes my humor comes a cross as rude and arrogant. Im really sweet and gentle.

I just can

[Kalio1]

Welcome to the forum, sorry you have Hep C. Everyone here either has it or has had it. You asked:
"What I'm concerned about is whether I should warn people who I worked with back then. Based on what is only a hunch, should I get in touch with my union or anything?"

Here is a site that lists quite a few "possible transmission" possibilities, there are many. http://www.hcvets.com/data/transmission_methods/transmission.htm

Your situation is ONE spicing is one possibliity but it would be impossible to prove that was the actual transmision point, so the most you can say is maybe you got it there.

[DragonSlayer45]

Ice,

I totally understand where you are coming from about the stigma. There is definitely a stigma associated with this and many other diseases. I still to this day have only told my closest friends and my family that I have hepatitis C. I found out I was infected about 5 years ago. I know that may sound silly to some but here is my reasoning. Before I knew I had it I had known of 2 people who had it at work, both were professionals. One who was infected in the hospital after falling and having surgery to put a plate in his head, and the other I many suspected was from drugs, but it really does not really matter how. Many people felt differently about them and even kind of looked at them differently, myself included. No one ever said anything to them (except some behind their back) but you could feel it, the negativity. People looked at them differently, not to mention it is human nature to have a juicy gossip story to talk about. Not everyone felt this way but the truth of the matter is that many people do look at you differently and even think differently about you after they find out. I know that it is due to their ignorance.

After I found out I was infected I made a conscious decision to not scream it from the highest mountains and drape a flag around myself proclaiming I have hepatitis C!!! For me it is a personal journey. I do not hide it, I just do not advertise it. Prior to witnessing the stigma that these others had, I would have probably told anyone and everyone about it. I know that many say who gives a damn what others think, but I would rather not deal with that aspect of it. Not to mention the fact that if you have kids, other kids will hear about from their parents and kids can sometimes be cruel. I do not want my kids to have to deal with that. It can sometimes be difficult enough growing up. Lord knowsit it can be difficult enough just dealing with the disease. Just my thoughts.

[Morgaina]

When I was diagnosed, I let my union know, my school employees know, all my friends and anyone that ever brought up hepc in a derogatory manner. I was lucky I talked to my union, there was one parent angry at me because I assissted his wife during an abuse incident that went to my senior admin believing he could get me fired. My bosses told me about it but it was no big issue, they just kind of punted him. I made calls to people I knew at 15yrs old and before, people out in BC, Colerado, Florida, Ontario, everywhere. I never found one person infected with HCV that I had ever had contact with. I could have obviously missed someone but just seems so strange! Even with the chance of contracting during my 1980 transfusion, I passed it to no-one ever. In my naive state, I was sure passing it was a major concern, but nothing. Now I know better. A guy I dated tried to guilt me into continuing a relationship I was ending by telling me I had given him hepc, now there's a keeper,eh? Would actually like to talk to him some day to get him to admit he lied! Aint life interesting!

[Forseegood]

Sorry if I'm not spelling your handle right, can't remember how you spelled it....welcome...I can relate a little to your experiences as I work in the movie/television business myself, (for more years than I care to remember)and I was a film major in college and worked a little on moviolas. (Before the onslaught of the dreaded flatbeds, ha ha! but I hear the editor of Munich (for Spielberg) still uses them and he got nominated so there you go!.)

I know a lot of people in this business, editors, whatever, and I never heard of anyone getting hep C this way, so I'm thinking it can't be common *even* if there is any kind of likelihood you got it this way.....

I myself wouldnt be too concerned about informing everyone you ever worked with about this, you might just end up causing wide spread panic among your fellow "older" editors, (and they are easy to rile up!)...(just kiddin)....there's no way you could catch it with these newer flatbeds anyway...

Though of course my experiences are only my expereinces...this is a blood to blood contact disease from everything that I've ever read and heard, and I did extensive research on this, like many others here...

I got it the old fashioned way, stupid drug experimentation as a kid, so that's a whole lot more definitive for me at least...many people got it from hospital procedures, etc....

But I agree with Jim and some others, the "way" you got it seems to matter a whole lot more upon diagnosis, then as Susan stated, after awhile you might feel that it really doesn't matter how you got it, just what youre going to do about it now...

The steps you'll take with all the testing procedures, etc. and doctor consults, etc...once you have a lot more info under your belt, you'll probably be a lot more relaxed about it, I totally freaked out when I was first diagnosed...it's common...

It's unfortunate that so many people think you can get it by touching the same thing, etc...I have heard of stories of people saying that their neighbors walked around behind them wiping things off that they had touched, it's sad, but there's a lot of ignorance out there...people hear the word "infection" and the make assumptions...

Do a lot of reasearch, on this board and others, and consult experts, look at the research out there, there's a lot of it now...be well and let us know how youre faring...good luck to you....maybe someone already posted it but this site is good for research...

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/aboutus2.html#ron

[Forseegood]

just thought I'd add after reading this entire thread....you'd have to slice your hand on a splicer, then someone else would have to have an open wound and contact that same splicer, possible? anything's possible, I could win a new Honda tomorrow, but likely? don't think so...

[pigeonca]

Actually, since the odds of getting this from a splicer are so low, I figured maybe this once I'd win the California lottery, so I bought a ticket.  Lost.  And yes, you are all correct, at this point I know it doesn't matter how I got this.  Regarding drug use, maybe I didn't shoot, but man, did I smoke weed and pop pills in the good ole days.  
Pigeonca

[Forseegood]

if you tell me you went to UCLA film school I'm gonna plotz, cause seems we're close to the same age, ha ha! I just hope we've all assuaged your fears that getting it from a slicer or trim bins isn't very likely (the virus does die after awhile outside, unless...oh, I'll shut up for everyone's sake)...go forth and prosper, let us know how you do in all your tests, etc...be well...

[FlGuy]

As you've read, hcv requires a transfer of blood in some manner.  Film editing seems unlikely, but possible.  Have you edited many 'slasher' films?
If you have read the typical, and untypical, ways to get hcv and you really don't recognize significant risks or exposure to them you always have the option of a re-test to verify.  False positives are possible.  Maybe not as rare as hcv via film editing, but possible.