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HCV article and causes
This kind of stuff just annoys the sh!t out of me. This is part of an article on the front page of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper today.
"A key example is the treatment of hepatitis C, which often is contracted through intravenous drug use, tattoos and sexual contact. Until several years ago, there were no effective medications for the liver disease.
About 2,500 Wisconsin inmates - or 14% - have hepatitis C, a rate four times as high as the state's general population. The illness can now be treated with pills and injections, which can cost as much as $14,000 for a 48-week treatment."
Are these the 3 leading causes? Are they so high a proportion of causes that it's insignificant to list other causes such as healthcare workers, contacted at birth, military innoculation lines, blood transfusions etc.?
I've was in miltary innoculation lines in the 70's, got blood i an operation in the 70's, (but also tried drugs as a teen) but I feel this type of article stereotypes the HCV infected persons. This was on the front page and is exactly why I don't share my HCV status except on rare occasions. Great for all of you that do and don't have a problem with this but for me it's a problem for numerous reason. Just wanted to vent and share this.
And I wonder how do they actually know that it's 14% higher rate than the rest of the population. Are they now testing for HCV? Right! Vent Vent....
I also don't mean to make light of the prison populations problems with HCV so hope not to offend anyone there.
LL
"A key example is the treatment of hepatitis C, which often is contracted through intravenous drug use, tattoos and sexual contact. Until several years ago, there were no effective medications for the liver disease.
About 2,500 Wisconsin inmates - or 14% - have hepatitis C, a rate four times as high as the state's general population. The illness can now be treated with pills and injections, which can cost as much as $14,000 for a 48-week treatment."
Are these the 3 leading causes? Are they so high a proportion of causes that it's insignificant to list other causes such as healthcare workers, contacted at birth, military innoculation lines, blood transfusions etc.?
I've was in miltary innoculation lines in the 70's, got blood i an operation in the 70's, (but also tried drugs as a teen) but I feel this type of article stereotypes the HCV infected persons. This was on the front page and is exactly why I don't share my HCV status except on rare occasions. Great for all of you that do and don't have a problem with this but for me it's a problem for numerous reason. Just wanted to vent and share this.
And I wonder how do they actually know that it's 14% higher rate than the rest of the population. Are they now testing for HCV? Right! Vent Vent....
I also don't mean to make light of the prison populations problems with HCV so hope not to offend anyone there.
LL
I would like to know the answer to that also. I guess they assume relapse if within 6 months post tx, but after that, I hope they check the geno...good one.
Here'a a perfect example of spreading hcv. I was in the hospital for my liver biopsy for hcv. Right before time to go home, a nurse with NO GLOVES took out my IV and I bled a bit. She put her bare thumb on it to stop the bleeding & told me, "I know you have HepC, but I'm from the old school & cannot put in or take out IV's with gloves on. She then got gauze & a bandaid to cover me. I was so shocked - I hollered at her to wash her hands.
The good news is, at the time this happened, I was painting another mural for the wife of the Head Administrator of the whole hospital chain (they're large & there's lots) and I reported her to him. Still --- what about all the others around me in that same room???!!!!! I actually had my thyroid Doc tell me that he will not go to a hospital for that very reason.
I've had many surgeries, acupuncture, and pierced my own ears at the age of 15 - those are my possibilities of getting hcv.
HOW can we educate the world?? Does this have to become a screaming epidemic first?? That nurse will remember me if she ends up having tx herself....she certainly doesn't have a job!
Grrrrr!!!!!
The good news is, at the time this happened, I was painting another mural for the wife of the Head Administrator of the whole hospital chain (they're large & there's lots) and I reported her to him. Still --- what about all the others around me in that same room???!!!!! I actually had my thyroid Doc tell me that he will not go to a hospital for that very reason.
I've had many surgeries, acupuncture, and pierced my own ears at the age of 15 - those are my possibilities of getting hcv.
HOW can we educate the world?? Does this have to become a screaming epidemic first?? That nurse will remember me if she ends up having tx herself....she certainly doesn't have a job!
Grrrrr!!!!!
I can hardly believe you posted that on the day I had a similar experience; I go to get my blood drawn at lunch, usual place, a new tech is there, she looks high school age. very friendly, talking a lot, ties the band and inserts the needle, as she does so I realize that there was no alcohol swab used to wipe the area, I glanced to the counter and the towelette packet sits unopened on the counter, she is still talking complimenting my georgous veins, I am freaking out...she pulls out the first tube and inserts the 2nd one, pushing the needle slightly in...no blood in tube...she finds the vein again and removes this tube to insert 3rd...does even worse...now digging for the georgeous vein...finally done, covers site with gauze(don't know if she got it from a sterile pack)...removes her gloves..comes back and retrieves the first gauze placing a new one plus a bandaid...with no gloves...as she applies the gauze I noticed some healing cuts with scab or dry blood on it in her finger...my blood pressure is rising... I have no words...I don't remember in recent years going through something similar. No one ever has problems with my veins...she even thanked me for having good veins(?)..I could have infected her or she could have infected me with something else....I had to call their main office and insist that they monitor her and give her further training...this is Quest lab...Good grief.
I hate that things take me by surprise and I fail to react...but it was too late about the swab...maybe not too late about the missing gloves, though...i wish my wit was quicker than this....GRRRRR also.
I hate that things take me by surprise and I fail to react...but it was too late about the swab...maybe not too late about the missing gloves, though...i wish my wit was quicker than this....GRRRRR also.
As far as sexual contact I guess what I am thinking is do you think this guy even knows that it's not actually the sex but the blood to blod contact that can happen during sex. My understand is it is rare to get HCV through "normal" sexual contact. To me articles like this make it sound like it is easily and most likely contracted this way. LL
is swinging from the trapeze with knives unorthodox, exotic or perverse? i am truly confused. I want to classify my behavior properly...;-}. personally, i like "exotic"
ok...how many times did you peek in on the neighbors to come up with their statistics?
ok...how many times did you peek in on the neighbors to come up with their statistics?
Virtually every article I read on HCV states, or strongly implies, that sexual transmission is a major cause of transmission. But the fact is, it is a very unlikely cause. That just adds to the stigma. It drive me crazy.
Susan
Susan
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