A little help pls

[Michael53058]

Am 33 years old and about to get married but am having a big challenge  with hcv, on July 18th I was doing some work in my car and used a syringe I found around forgoing my mum was on hcv therapy altho i dipped it in a gasoline befor it pricked me and i pressed it hard but the problem is that I was diagnosed of fatty liver after 2 months as i was having pains  at that region and again I lost weight also I have been doing antibody test since the it keeps coming nagative so last month I did I viral load after4 months,  the results I saw was (44) 210-2100 low positive and i courses find any detected or nagative on it even my doctor said he doesn't understand also mygirlfrind is losing wait too and having pains at her liver region so am in the missile of crises please any useful information?  It is going to complete 6 months by January 18th my doctor said if my antibody didn't come out then that am clean....

[flyinlynn]

Hum I don't see my last post

[flyinlynn]

Just to add the normal testing protocol is to have an hep c antibody test and if that comes back positive to have the HCV RNA by PCR test that is the test for the virus itself.

Those numbers you posted in your original post don't look like a viral load test they look like an antibody test result. I haven't had a test for antibodies since 1990 and never saw my result but I guess a lot has changed in antibody testing since then.

I have heard the terms signal cut off ratio but have no familiarity to what that means. I have not needed to research that as I had been infected for 37 years so antibody testing is not an area I have studied.

If you have an antibody test at 6 months past your suspected risk and it is negative you don't need a viral load. If the antibody test at 6 months is positive then you should have a test for the virus done to see if you are currently infected with hep c. If that test comes back not detected you don't have hep c.

If I were you I would work with my doctor to look to a different cause of your fatty liver at least for the time being.

[flyinlynn]

It takes years for symptoms to develop from hep c so I have no idea what could be causing you fatty liver but personally doubt it would be from a 3 month hep c infection. I also doubt at least from the incident you described you would have contracted hep c in that manner.

Continue to work with your doctor to get to the cause of you health issues and get that HCV RNA by PCR test done. Then you will have a much better idea what is really going on and how to best deal with your situation. Right now it is all guessing.

Good luck
Lynn

[Michael53058]

Lynn i have no idea on what to think at this point, the fact is that i had this fatty liver in the range of 3 months after the needle prick, so i will do my final antibody and RNA tests by 18th next month ( that would make it the 6th month) then will see what comes ,and about the fatty liver am already on a diet to reverse that as dietician instructed.
thanks anyway for you informative lines

[flyinlynn]

Some causes of fatty liver:

Certain Medications
Viral hepatitis
Autoimmune or inherited liver disease
Fast weight loss
Malnutrition
Some studies show that too much bacteria in your small intestine and other changes in the intestine may be linked to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

[dontworry_behappy1]

Hepatitis C is a slow progressing disease.  If your mother was treated recently, I doubt you have anything related to this needle prick from one of your mother's Hepatitis C treatment syringes.

Your fiancee isn't likely to catch Hepatitis C from you.  I really wouldn't be surprised that she is testing negative.  Hepatitis C is transmitted by blood.
Blood to Blood.  Hepatitis C is not that easy to get.  

FYI:  Fatty liver has other causes.  And yes… you don't have to be fat either.

I really doubt you are having symptoms from Hepatitis C.  Usually there is none.   As Lynn said.

Best to you

[Michael53058]

Lynn am confused at this time, why would i develop a fatty liver 2 months after , the fact is that i leaned it effects people differently and am not fat am rather a slim person and dont drink alcohol much so am still hoping it all turns good my and my fiancée did another antibody yesterday it was still negative, 5 months after so am waiting for next month to see what comes

thanks for your concern i appreciate  

[flyinlynn]

Most people do not have symptoms of hep c I  had hep c for 37 years and would never have known except I donated blood. Especially if you do have an early infection it is unlikely your right lower quadrant pain would be attributable to Hep C.

Good Luck
Lynn

[Michael53058]

Virt the needle pricked me at her 3rd week of the therapy , and she discontinued it at her 5th week due to side effects, i dont know about her viral load then but she is yet to resume very soon , i will check her last test and see her viral load but i dont think that would make any difference since she had an extra 2 weeks extra after the prick, my own concern now is the symptoms like signs am having , i even did another anybody today it still came negative..... seriously i have never been in such situation before.

[virt111]

You said your mother was treating her HCV. If, by chance her viral load was undetectable (or very low) at the point in which she used the syringe, then your chances of contracting the virus would be minimized. From memory, getting a needle stick only has around a 2 - 10% chance for transmission to begin with. Maybe you can ask her to see what her status was/is.

I don't want to bag on your mother, and it's certainly water under the dam for your situation, but for others who may stumble on this thread, this is a good reason why anyone who's treating HCV with some form of IV method should put their used syringes in a protected bio hazard sharps container.

Best of luck.

[Michael53058]

Thanks Surfside, but i thought there is this cutoff limit or something, am not sure i understand but i heard the viral load rna dosnt run down to zero, in my country there just one place i can do that test, next month will make it the 6th month does it mean a test after then will give the final result? my doctor said that viral load after one month of exposure should be in hundreds if not thousands , really am confused and frustrated over here!

[SurfsideGal]

If you have a viral load, you have hepatitis. Retest viral load at 6 months and forget about the antibody test. If you have a viral load again, you have hepatitis C.