(Hep C) possible Exposure

[cliff_friday]

Hello my name is Cliffe on Friday Feb 1st I went to a club in South Beach and I went home with a 25 year old female. We both experiented with drugs that night but shared the same needles. March 15th I started getting sick I had abdominal pain on both left and right side I really didnt think to much about it at this stage. Then in late April I started to get aches and pains through out my joints and my urine became darker. I really still didnt think to much about it then in July I started to feel like I wanted to throw up all the time. So I saw a doctor on July 18th who ordered me a hepatitis panel a b and c. It came back negative but my doctor ordered me a liver enzyme and said it was slightly elevated he also tested my urine and said it came back okay. I went to the department of health and re-took the hepatitis panal on August 7th do you think that 6 months and 1 week should be conclusive if the test comes back negative or can the body take longer to develop antibodies to the hep b and c? (I have tried to find the girl to ask her to get tested yet her number is disconnected etc cant find her)  

[Jakied]

Dark urine is a classic symptom of hep B and C.  Did you have sex with her or only use

drugs?  Hep B is a classic Std, transmitted mainly through sexual activity.

Hep C is NOT considered a Std, transmitted mainly through blood transfusion before

1992 and drug use.  A six month negative for hep B and C puts in the clear so i hope

that is how your test comes out.

[Bill1954]

From the U.S. CDC:

"How soon after exposure to HCV can anti-HCV be detected?
HCV infection can be detected by anti-HCV screening tests (enzyme immunoassay) 4–10 weeks after infection. Anti-HCV can be detected in >97% of persons by 6 months after exposure."

http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HCV/HCVfaq.htm#section3

[dynamo17]

6 months is supposedly conclusive according to the CDC, you should also get tested for HIV as well.