hep c and tylenol 3

[problemo01]

i am a senior citizen and retired nurse....recently i got a phone call from the provincial laboratory regarding a recent blood test i had....to my shock they told me that i have hepatitis C antibodies in my blood.....i have never been a i.v. drug abuser....not a traveller per se......never had any symptoms but I recently had serious degenerative back issues that caused me to rely on tylenol 3 with codeine for over 3 years.....could the tylenol be a cause of my diagnosis of hep c?....i have gone for a PCR blood test to confirm further....have no symptoms.....am extremely worried as i am stumped at how i ever got a diagnosis like this....and the reason i went for a blood test? after a particularly bad bout of sciatica about 2 months ago i took 6 tylenol 3 in 24 hours and felt ill the next day and had liver pains....so went to the doctor to ask for a lab test....and thats when i got the phone call about the blood results.

[Mmorgan856]

Hello, like you, I walked around ashamed of the stigma associated with hep-c in the early 90's. Most family members ran for the hills, best friends suddenly would not return phone call an fell off the radar of my life.  To add insult to injury, when I attempted to treat w/ interferon, my husband of years just up an walked away, all during treatment.  A recipe for disaster.. Decades later, with the maturity of a person that realized those individuals were either ignorant, or never cared in the first place for me.ive realized it is during the worst times of your life that you will see the true colors of the people who say they care for you.  With that said, this time around I have become pro-active an have let anyone close in my life that yes, I have hep-c an will start treatment with a drug that cost $ 1000.00 a pill, an how blessed I am to have this opportunity.  Well, to my surprise, completely accepted an encouraged to hang in there by most.  I'm at the age that I could care less what people think of me.  I took the power away from those who tried to define me as a person.  Surprising, lots of my friends are asking questions, practically everyone knows someone who has it.  So I'm in the position of becoming an educator of sorts by encouraging everyone to get tested.  I say,  don't keep it a secret, don't give them the power to make you feel somehow inferior.  Just my experience, worked for me.  Besides, when it let my friends know I'm taking a drug with a nickname of RIBA RAGE, I get away with showing my b,,,tt occasionally.  They're more understanding an I'm running with it.... Take care.   Mary

[hepc4jean]

That is devastating news to hear, and you do have my empathy.  It sounds as though you are in a state of shock and disbelief right now.  This will pass.  As one of the other community members said, that how you became exposed isn't the issue now, but learning all you can about HCV.  This process will help you with your ability to cope with this disease. Good luck, and always remember help is there for you.

[pooh55811]

I had Hep C for 36-37 years before I was diagnosed. Many here had Hep C for decades before being diagnosed. So, yes, one can walk around a long time with the virus and not know it. Then suddenly, Boom, one gets diagnosed, often when one is being treated for something else or is donating blood.

Since Baby Boomers make up 3/4 of the Hep C cases, it would not be unusual for both of you to have it. It is unlikely, but possible, that he gave it to you. You also have your own risk factors since you were a nurse and most likely had a lot of exposure to blood.

[problemo01]

today i just found out some information that is bizarre and puzzling....last week after being told that i had the hep C antibodies in my blood and awaiting further tests here.....i heard thru the grapevine that my ex husband had recently been diagnosed with hepatitis C.....i have not been with him for l5 years but when he was a teenager he was an i.v. drug abuser for several years.....but that was over 30 years ago.....is there a chance i got this from him and we both 30 years later....not seeing each other....and him living 2000 miles away both get this diagnosis....just wondered if a person can walk around that long and all of a sudden ....boom....and both of us.

[nan535]

When husband found out in late 2010 that he had Hep C, he also found out he had cirrhosis. The doctors didn't tell us everything all at once. What we learned over the next month was he actually had decompensated cirrhosis. He had esophageal varices, hepatic encephalopathy, portal hypertension,  and edema. We went to see a  hepatologist who told us he would probably need a liver transplant and referred us to a liver transplant center for evaluation. So began our journey into the world of Hep C and transplantation.
Of course we had to tell people we knew because of how serious the situation was.  
  No one has ever made us feel uncomfortable about talking about his disease. I believe the concern for him outweighed any fear they had about the virus. They wanted to know how this happened to him and how they could help.  I think people are just afraid of the unknown and given the right information they will rise up and do the right thing.
That's been our experience, anyway.
Nan
  

[Sarah1949]

I do not tell people in general that I have Hep C. There is definitely a stigma to the disease. Besides, no one needs to know other than dentists and medical people. However, my family knows and they have no problem with a fear of catching it from me.

[Sarah1949]

Since the recent Yale study found that the virus can live up to six weeks on surfaces, you could have gotten Hep C from anywhere.
http://publichealth.yale.edu/news/archive/article.aspx?id=6417

As far as the Codeine 3's go, I have taken Codeine a lot over the last couple of years but I take Codeine Sulfate (no Tylenol) due to having cirrhosis. Even without the Tylenol I can still tell when I have been taking too much, and it can be as little as 2 pills a day, because of pain in my liver and so when that happens I quit taking them for awhile. The Codeine may have exacerbated your liver symptoms.

[problemo01]

i have to admit something here....i was a nurse since l973....and in later years when hepatitis C seemed to be everywhere in the hospital setting....most patients that were in the institution were i.v. drug abusers....so the stigma of hepatits C alienated many people....as they were looked down upon.....and even now....that I have contacted and carry the antibodies.....from my doctor to health officials gave me the impression during interviews that perhaps i may have contacted this thru i.v. drug use in the past somewhere....i actually felt embarrassed extremo when i was plied with a million questions from health officials....so i do understand the stigma that cooderbrown is experiencing.....i am a bit of a recluse and have told my family but i walk around as if i have a cloud over my head because i want answers and will never know them.....and dont want to tell too many people i interact with my story.

[cooderbrown]

thanks nan your right, if they cant understand then having me not around is their loss.

[hepc4jean]

You did not get hepatitis from the Tylenol 3.  The liver pains that you felt is not uncommon when there is something compromised with the liver.  You are a retired RN, and I'm guessing that your exposure happened during your working career.  Good luck to you, and there is a lot more help available now than 18 years ago when I was exposed.
          

[nan535]

The reactions you are describing are a result of ignorance and fear. Your family members will take their cue from you. Do not feel embarrassed about having this virus. You are no more "at fault" than my husband. My husband found out he had Hep C in 2010. He got it as a result of blood transfusions he got in 1979 because of bleeding ulcers.  

Use this opportunity to educate your family and friends about the virus.  There are 3 million people in the US alone that have this virus and don't know it.  They themselves may be among them or know someone who may have it and not know it.The sooner they find out and begin treatment the better for them.

I would suggest you write a letter to your family members and let them know the facts about Hepatitis C and that they have nothing to fear. If after doing so, they continue to behave in the manner you described, than frankly they are not worth the effort.

Big hug,
Nan

[cooderbrown]

do you ever feel embarrassed about having hep c, I don't know why I do but I do, I feel people treat you like you have aids or something, they don't want to touch you when you tell them. I worked in a nursing home as a cna I was exposed to many patients with hepc Iam almost sure that's where I was infected. I just want to scream at people and tell them this is not my fault!! and yes you can touch me you cant catch this from me. My nephew wouldn't eat any of my meals at family gatherings my sister told me it was because his father told him not to because I have hepc this really hurts, my sister told a date I had not to be around me because I have hepc, has anyone else experienced this kind of attack. I feel like hiding from the world...

[orphanedhawk]

There are quite a number of people with hep C who don't know how they got it.
Since the virus can wait for years before it causes noticeable damage, the fact that a liver scan showed a healthy liver is not relevant.

You are right that tylenol can cause liver damage~ especially in high doses but that has nothing whatsoever to do with your hep C.

Although it's normal to want to know how you got the virus and when, it really isn't important. Taking good care of your liver is the paramount issue here.
If you have not already quit drinking alcohol, please do so at once. It's the worst thing you can do when you have this virus.

And yes, educating yourself is the best. Keep reading !

[problemo01]

sure glad i found this site.....makes me feel like i am not alone on an island and that there is lots of support out there and caring people that have found themselves in the same predicament....thank you again muchly.

[JimmyMose]

"been reading so much lately " this is the best thing you can do now so you will be able to work with your doctor to get the best outcome.
I wish you the best. Don't worry about the past it's done and can't be changed. Try not to worry about the future especially assumptions that may cause unnecessary worry.    

The most important thing now is to gain knowledge about HCV. Work with a qualified doctor, follow HCV lifestyle recommendations and inform doctor about any possible symptoms that you are aware of.  Have faith that you will get the right treatment in time as recommended to achieve SVR.

From my experience it's easier to say that than to do that and I hvae been able to at least minimise past and future worries. The thoughtful help and advice of many members here has made that easier for me.

Since you are a retired nurse the following may be easier to comprehend than non medical people like myself.. There is so much information in one place about HCV for medical professionals.

NOTE: There are some future planed modules that are not yet availble but most are.  Be sure to notice last updated in specific sections.  

Geared toward medical people but accessible by anyone  
http://hepatitisc.uw.edu/index.php

Here are a few in particular

Course Modules TAB
Take the Online Course
Free to Use
Start learning and review materials anytime without having to register.
Sign In and Save Your Progress
Create an account, sign in, and track your progress as you work.
Free Continuing Education
Sign in and obtain free CME or CNE as you work through the modules.

HCV Medications TAB
Drug Summaries, Clinical Studies, and Slide Decks
All materials are available for download in their original formats as PDF or PowerPoint.

Under slide lectures TAB this one gives a technical fast over view of new meds approved, expected and future initial development concepts
7.1 State of the Art Therapy for HCV

Core Concepts TAB viewable and downloadable pdf  specific topic sections with charts

[problemo01]

thank you so much for your commment.....been reading so much lately on my recent diagnosis so picking at straws here to find a reason this happened....the only other thing is that in the last 8 months i have been to 4 dentists for extensive invasive dental procedures.....i am hoping that they all cleaned their instruments properly but how would one ever no? impossible....so may never find out a reason and just waiting for the pcr results and hoping beyond hope that all will be well....also another liver scan on may 2 so probably wont get all results together till end of may....hard to wait with your mind working overtime....thanks again for responses...very much appreciated

[pooh55811]

Did you have a Hepatitis Panel in 2011? Only a Hepatitis Panel for antibodies would show the antibodies. Other blood tests, including liver enzymes, can be normal even if one has Hepatitis C. Also, a liver scan or an ultrasound will be normal unless one has Cirrhosis. The only reason Cirrhosis shows up on a liver scan or Ultrasound is because Cirrhosis makes the liver nodular and thus changes the contour of the liver. It is the contour changes that show up.

Long time use of large doses of Tylenol may cause liver problems. However, the use of Tylenol not exceeding recommended doses normally will not cause liver problems. Even people with Cirrhosis can usually use up to 2 Grams of Tylenol per day in divided doses.

Regardless, you CANNOT get Hepatitis C from using Tylenol even if you used large amounts. Hepatitis C is a virus. It is passed from person to person via blood. You cannot get Hepatitis C from Tylenol. You can get it only from an infected person and only if you get the infected blood into your blood stream.  

[problemo01]

in late 2011 i had a liver scan....ultrasound....and blood tests which showed nothing.....the only reason i mentioned the tylenol is that i recently read an article that long time use of acetaminophen drugs such as tylenol can produce hepatitis C symptoms.....i never heard of this ever before....and just wondering if this is the culprit

[pooh55811]

Welcome to the forum.

To respond to a few of your questions:

First, you did not get exposed to Hepatitis C from Tylenol No. 3. Tylenol No. 3 had nothing to do with the Hepatitis C antibodies in your blood.

At some point in your life you were exposed to Hepatitis C through blood to blood contact/transmission with Hepatitis C. The antibodies in your blood mean only that you have been exposed to Hepatitis C. They do not tell you if you have Chronic Hepatitis C. 20% to 25% of people are able to fight off the disease, which means they will carry the antibodies for the rest of their lives, but they do not have Chronic Hepatitis C. The other 75% to 80% will go on to develop Chronic Hepatitis C. The way to find out if you have Chronic Hepatitis C is to get another test, the HCV RNA test. This will tell you if you actually have Chronic Hepatitis C. If that test is negative, then you are fine and do not have Chronic Hepatitis C. If that test is positive, then you will need treatment to eradicate Hepatitis C. So the next step is to get the HCV RNA test to determine if you have Chronic Hepatitis C. If the HCV RNA is positive then you need to find a Hepatologist to further test you and to treat you. However, it is quite possible that the HCV RNA will be negative.

http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/hepatitis-c/tab/test/

Hepatitis C is spread by blood to blood contact only. Infected blood would have to have gotten into your blood. 40% of people have no idea how they got Hepatitis C. There are many ways that a person could have contracted Hepatitis C.

**Mother to child transmission at birth
**Occupational exposure (needle stick, sharps stick, open wound and blood got into it, etc.)
**Tattoos
** Blood transfusion
**Injection of blood products (Gamma Globulin, Rhogam, Platelets, etc.)
**Sharing razors, toothbrushes, nail clippers with infected person
**Exposure through improperly sanitized medical equipment (dental instruments, acupuncture, surgical instruments, etc.)
**Dialysis
**Organ transplants

http://www.epidemic.org/thefacts/hepatitisc/transmission/

Best of luck.

[nursehepc]

You would have need to be exposed to blood or blood products with the HCV in order to end up with antibodies. Tylenol 3 contains neither. Is it possible that you were exposed a long time ago and never knew because you were never tested? I was exposed when working as a nurse. I would have never known if I did not routinely check my bloods back then.

That said, wait till you get the results of your PCR blood test as you could have been exposed and your body may have cleared the virus.

If your PCR does come back indicating that you have HCV, you will find that most folks here would recommend you seeing a hepatologist for follow-up. Joanne.