Aa
confussed
im on interferon and ribavirin treatment genotype 3 . my boyfriend tested positive for hep c but has no genotype and the doctor told him not to worry about doing treatment my question is when and if im cured am I at risk of being infected by him again
"im on interferon and ribavirin" Did you actually start treatment? Then you should have been informed about
Ribavirin may cause serious birth defects and/or fetal death when used during pregnancy. It should not be used by women who are pregnant or by men whose female partners are pregnant. Women of childbearing potential who either take ribavirin or are sexual partners of men who take ribavirin must:have a negative pregnancy test immediately before therapy with ribavirin is started.avoid becoming pregnant during therapy with ribavirin or within the first 6 months after ribavirin is stopped.At least 2 effective non-hormonal methods of contraception must be used during treatment with ribavirin and for 6 months after treatment with ribavirin is stopped. If you or your sexual partner becomes pregnant while taking ribavirin or within 6 months after ribavirin is stopped, contact your doctor right away.
This will further reduce risk of Sexual transmission to most extremely rare. You should avoid sharing sharp and other personal items that have the potential to come in contact with HCV blood.
The fact that someone is on HCV treatment has no bearing on whether the person they are with has or doesn't have the HCV virus. Proper precautions need to be taken to prevent blood to blood contact either way.
Hopefully you will be SVR 6 months after treatment and you boyfriend will not have a viral load when he gets retested in 6 months..
Feel free to ask any questions about your treatment or problems during it. Until you are able to reply with specific test result info as previously mentioned for your boyfriend, it will be hard to offer opinions.about your boyfriend's HCV status.
Ribavirin may cause serious birth defects and/or fetal death when used during pregnancy. It should not be used by women who are pregnant or by men whose female partners are pregnant. Women of childbearing potential who either take ribavirin or are sexual partners of men who take ribavirin must:have a negative pregnancy test immediately before therapy with ribavirin is started.avoid becoming pregnant during therapy with ribavirin or within the first 6 months after ribavirin is stopped.At least 2 effective non-hormonal methods of contraception must be used during treatment with ribavirin and for 6 months after treatment with ribavirin is stopped. If you or your sexual partner becomes pregnant while taking ribavirin or within 6 months after ribavirin is stopped, contact your doctor right away.
This will further reduce risk of Sexual transmission to most extremely rare. You should avoid sharing sharp and other personal items that have the potential to come in contact with HCV blood.
The fact that someone is on HCV treatment has no bearing on whether the person they are with has or doesn't have the HCV virus. Proper precautions need to be taken to prevent blood to blood contact either way.
Hopefully you will be SVR 6 months after treatment and you boyfriend will not have a viral load when he gets retested in 6 months..
Feel free to ask any questions about your treatment or problems during it. Until you are able to reply with specific test result info as previously mentioned for your boyfriend, it will be hard to offer opinions.about your boyfriend's HCV status.
".....what I don't understand is why would the doctor put me on the treatment if he knows im with someone who has the virus...."
HCV is spread by blood to blood contact. I've known many couples who've had unprotected sex for decades without transmitting the virus. Sexual transmission seems to be the rare exception rather than the rule.
HCV is spread by blood to blood contact. I've known many couples who've had unprotected sex for decades without transmitting the virus. Sexual transmission seems to be the rare exception rather than the rule.
what I don't understand is why would the doctor put me on the treatment if he knows im with someone who has the virus just to get it back again. this is so frustrating to me. cant wait to find out what is really going on
There is a huge difference between being unable to type a virus and "he only has the antibodies".
"somehow he got it from me for sure that we know" If that's true then it's simple -- he has type 3.
There are many reasons that a certain stain may not be able to be typed. The bottom line is what JimmyMose posted -- he needs to get copies of all his test results. He should also start keeping a file of all his test results. I sincerely hope this is all a misunderstanding and he actually cleared the virus on his own, but you or he need to get that paperwork, post it here, and get someone to help you interpret them.
Good luck.
"somehow he got it from me for sure that we know" If that's true then it's simple -- he has type 3.
There are many reasons that a certain stain may not be able to be typed. The bottom line is what JimmyMose posted -- he needs to get copies of all his test results. He should also start keeping a file of all his test results. I sincerely hope this is all a misunderstanding and he actually cleared the virus on his own, but you or he need to get that paperwork, post it here, and get someone to help you interpret them.
Good luck.
office visit
I meant stopping at the office to fill out and sign the form. A doctor visit should not be necessary as an office person usually handles that. If may take a few days or so to get the copies.
I meant stopping at the office to fill out and sign the form. A doctor visit should not be necessary as an office person usually handles that. If may take a few days or so to get the copies.
Your boyfriend has a right to get a copy of any test results. For me i can view or download them 3 days after online. My provider has that setup. Depending on your providers methods he can get them either online(with pre verification) or completing a form either via mail,or office visit.
If you can post the test name, date and test(s) results here it may help members to offer better opinions.
If you can post the test name, date and test(s) results here it may help members to offer better opinions.
somehow he got it from me for sure that we know, as for his viral load I don't know because he doesn't ask questions that's why im so frustrated with him hes been to the doctor 3 times in the last 6 months and every time he comes back not knowing any results. when he goes for his next test in 6 months I will be going with him. thank you for the information
If your friend has a viral load at all, no matter how low or what genotype, he is infectious.
"doctor told him his viral load is too low to genotype"
OK, I'm seeing thing a little different, so to be very clear, the doc said he did in fact have a viral load, is that correct ?
OK, I'm seeing thing a little different, so to be very clear, the doc said he did in fact have a viral load, is that correct ?
The bottom line is he does not have the active virus so he is not a risk to anyone. As for who infected who, who knows???
Best wishes for achieving SVR with minimal side effects
The only risk of being infected by him again mostly likely would be if he got reinfected. Then it would be very low sexually but direct HCV blood contact to with an open sore or other where it could be commingled with your blood in circulation.
Since you haven't provided more details about you and your boyfriend's specific circumstances. The following scenarios are not all inclusive and include my opinion. Maybe it will be helpful to other reading this.
Scenario 1 You were infected by your boyfriend during his Acute phase time like can-do-man mentioned.
Acute means 'new' or 'for a short time'. This phase lasts for the first six months. When first infected with the virus, most people have no symptoms, or only mild ones. If symptoms do occur, they develop about 7-8 weeks after being exposed to the virus and may include: feeling sick, vomiting and feeling generally unwell. Some people become jaundiced (go 'yellow'). This is due to a build-up of the chemical bilirubin which is made in the liver and spills into the blood in some liver conditions. It is unusual to get severe symptoms.
Following the initial infection:
In about 1 in 5 cases the virus is cleared from the body by the immune system within 2-6 months. If this happens then you will have no long-term effects from the virus. Younger people and women are more likely to clear the virus in this way.
In about 4 in 5 cases, the virus remains active in the liver and bloodstream long-term. This is called chronic infection with hepatitis C.
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/hepatitis-c-leaflet
Scenario 2 If you were not diagnosed with HCV acute phase or didn't experience acute phase symptoms and were never tested positive for HCV before.
If you were only diagnosed with chronic HCV It's possible you got infected anytime in your life or a prior negative HCV test.
If your boyfriend got tested after you because of your HCV.
If he tested positive for HCV antibodies but no viral load then it's possible he was infected anytime between 3 to 6 months before his test or years ago and cleared it.
Also Scenario 2 could apply to someone who had chronic HCV, was treated and achieved SVR
Scenario 3 very rare but possible, the doctor or the lab made an error in testing.
The only risk of being infected by him again mostly likely would be if he got reinfected. Then it would be very low sexually but direct HCV blood contact to with an open sore or other where it could be commingled with your blood in circulation.
Since you haven't provided more details about you and your boyfriend's specific circumstances. The following scenarios are not all inclusive and include my opinion. Maybe it will be helpful to other reading this.
Scenario 1 You were infected by your boyfriend during his Acute phase time like can-do-man mentioned.
Acute means 'new' or 'for a short time'. This phase lasts for the first six months. When first infected with the virus, most people have no symptoms, or only mild ones. If symptoms do occur, they develop about 7-8 weeks after being exposed to the virus and may include: feeling sick, vomiting and feeling generally unwell. Some people become jaundiced (go 'yellow'). This is due to a build-up of the chemical bilirubin which is made in the liver and spills into the blood in some liver conditions. It is unusual to get severe symptoms.
Following the initial infection:
In about 1 in 5 cases the virus is cleared from the body by the immune system within 2-6 months. If this happens then you will have no long-term effects from the virus. Younger people and women are more likely to clear the virus in this way.
In about 4 in 5 cases, the virus remains active in the liver and bloodstream long-term. This is called chronic infection with hepatitis C.
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/hepatitis-c-leaflet
Scenario 2 If you were not diagnosed with HCV acute phase or didn't experience acute phase symptoms and were never tested positive for HCV before.
If you were only diagnosed with chronic HCV It's possible you got infected anytime in your life or a prior negative HCV test.
If your boyfriend got tested after you because of your HCV.
If he tested positive for HCV antibodies but no viral load then it's possible he was infected anytime between 3 to 6 months before his test or years ago and cleared it.
Also Scenario 2 could apply to someone who had chronic HCV, was treated and achieved SVR
Scenario 3 very rare but possible, the doctor or the lab made an error in testing.
he says that the doctor told him his viral load is too low to genotype and his body is fighting it better than the treatment could so still confussed lol
About 20% of people that are exposed to the virus clear it on their own. Their immune system beat it back. Sounds like this is your boyfriends case so he is "cured". Now that doesn't mean he could not be reinfected again. Just this time he got lucky.
If one has no genotype then they don't have the active virus so there is nothing to treat. Hep C is doing nothing to him because he only has the antibodies, and they are harmless.
im confussed about his diagnosis he doesn't ask his doctor questions and is worried what the hep c is doing to him
No your boyfriend cannot infect anyone as he only has the antibodies for Hep C... Good luck on your treatment.
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