Difficult to Diagnosis

[Bernt]

Hi All - about 2 years ago I was spit (spat?) on by a homeless person who was very high on drugs.  I had a cut on my lip and was concerned at the time that I might catch some disease.  A lot of spit got into my mouth.  Three weeks later I started to develop nausea, fatigue, diarrhea and had pain in my upper right abdomen.  I went to the doctor and they ran some blood tests for hepatitis A, B and C - all came back negative.  Liver function tests were normal.  I continued to have vague nausea for several months and the pain in my upper right side continued.  I have been to a Hepatologist several times over the years - all with negative tests.  Recently, I developed constant cold hands with half the fingers in both hands turning white at the slightest sense of cold temperature.  Also, I've developed very dry throat and eyes and it sounds like I have a cold all the time.  Througout the 2+ years, I've had the same pain in my upper right side.  I was perfectly healthy before the spitting incident 2 years ago. My symptoms are getting progressively worse.  Now my wife and my young daughter have developed the same strange symptoms (except for the pain in the side which hasn't happened to them).  I know many intravenous drug users have hepatitis C.  But my negative tests for so long has baffled me.  

Does this sound like hepatitis?  Is it possible to have HepC without any antibody for so long?  Does anyone know what could possibly be wrong?  I reluctantly chalked it up to stress for a long time, but then my wife and daughter developed the same symptoms so it's added to the mystery.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Bernt

[friole]

Doesn't sound like hepatitis to me either.  Maybe you should check for mold in your house.  I don't know how they do that, but there must be some way to detect mold spores.

[GrandmaA]

I agree with Jim.

I didn't have ANY hep. C symptoms at all for 23 years. When I became a medical assistant they had to do titers before I worked with patients, they said I carried antibodies for hep. C and I already had hep. A. I never had hep B. I got the shots for the latter. I did not get a chronic hep. C until I took 1 1/2 bottles of Kava Kava. People with hep. C can never take it.

[jmjm530]

No, it doesn't sound like hepatitis at all. Hepatitis isn't transmitted by saliva and furthermore you tested negative for it. Sounds like allergies, or in your cases possible an additional gastro ailment like ulcers or GERD (reflux). No doctors here, but you and your family should see one if problems persist. If your GP isn't helpful, you might try a Gastro and an ENT.

-- Jim