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1151539 tn?1262151603

How I got this???

I keep hearing that it doesn't matter how I got this, but to me it does. If I can't figure this out then, I can't stop anyone even my own children from ending up with it in the same manner as I did. I hear too many people that have no clue how they contracted it. I am the 4th person in my family! My maternal grandfather died from it, 18 yrs. after a blood transfusion. I have two (paternal) cousins, on the other side of the country, that I have never had contact with in my entire life, who both have it one with no reasonable explanation.
I was diagnosed in March of this year, started treatment in June. I believe knowledge is power and the medical community seems to be stuck on Transfusion, IV drug use, snorting cocaine, tattoos, piercings, and if they can't cover it through those then it's sex! Their are just too many people who have it with nothing in their background.
My specialist tells me "You may never know, a good majority of people don't".
It seems to me as if it's been labeled a virus only IV drug user get and everyone else is lieing about using. I truly do not mean any offense to anyone by saying that, but it is the impression I am getting.
Why should I accept just living with it? I can't even say that I haven't infected anyone because I don't know how I was infected. I need to know how I got this.
23 Responses
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206807 tn?1331936184
All the Veterans know it does not lay dormant.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I think your right,my understanding is that once you contract the virus,the antibodies show up within weeks.
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475300 tn?1312423126
Rocker, I think that we both know that it does not lay "dormant", not detectable with the correct bloodwork.

I think researcher needs to do a little more research.  JMHO

Denise
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Avatar universal
I did not know it lay dormant for years,does this mean no detection of antibodies also?
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1151539 tn?1262151603
Thanks pigeonca,
It's exactly those type of situations that make me wonder too. Thanks for your input!
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Avatar universal
When you talk about beauty treatments, I just remembered getting a facial at a fancy-schmanzy Beverly Hills salon - and how I was horrified to see the facialist pull a pin from the collar of her smock and then proceed to pop pimples.  This was many years ago, and I've never gone for a salon facial since, but it made me wonder...
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1151539 tn?1262151603
Cont...

Acupuncture
Out Patient Injections

Some are of the obvious, but "contact sports" Wow! Never even crossed my mind. Think backyard football on that one.

I really appreciate everyone's comments on this. Please don't anyone feel that I'm not focused on getting better, but tomorrow is my second to last shot. During treatment my Dr. forbids his patients to be on the internet regarding HCV. Told me do it before or after treatment, not during. Said he would get me through anything that came my way and he did.
Now I just want to explore all possibilities, if I "never" find out, so be it, but in the meantime I can sure try!!! :)
Helpful - 0
1151539 tn?1262151603
Big Thanks to everyone, keep the ideas flowing!

"film splicers" now there's a new one, with real possibilities. Not for me as I wouldn't know what one was if I saw it, but it's a great example of another way of possibly contracting this.
And yes those neck trimmers, I keep coming back to. It's not about my driving myself nuts over this, it's my curiosity and not just excepting "you'll never know".
If neck trimmers are a source, then I can go to the state board of cosmetology and get things changed.
Just by posting this question it's very clear that stylists need further training in the spread of Hepatitis through manicures & pedicures, especially us older ones. A license to do "hair" covers manicures, pedicures, waxing, facials, massages, ect... The training in communicable diseases is shabby at best, especially the longer someones had their license.
If mosquitoes are proven to be a source, then I guess there's not much I can do about that one.
Now here's some information I found thanks to the link RockerForLife posted.
Abortions
Some Dermatological Procedures
Contact Sports
Beauty Treatments

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Maybe you are not aware of the fact that HCV can sit dormant for many years. So for you to say you contracted it in the last 4 years may not be correct. I had blood transfusions 30 years ago and wasn't diagnosed with HCV until 5 years ago it never showed up before in any results.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
When I was diagnosed, one of my first thoughts was neck clippers - as I can remember being nicked by those implements several times in my life.  Another possibility was film splicers, which I used during my many years editing movies, and which we all shared.  They were cleaned maybe once or twice a year at best, and just about everybody cut or scratched their forearms on the splicing blades.

But I agree with everyone that since you'll never know, the main thing is to just work on getting cured.  Best of luck to you.
Helpful - 0
1151539 tn?1262151603
jdwithhcv,
4 years ago I switched HMO's and upon my initial visit he ran a battery of tests including Hep C. My Specialist has also confirmed this to be the case.

RockerForLife,
Mosquitoes are what some of my family members have been saying since the beginning. Their argument is that "if they can spread yellow fever, why not Hepatitis". I'm going to go check out the link you sent in a few. By the way, I really enjoy reading your responses to everyone's posts.

Isobella,
As far as the salon environment I am thinking more along the line of neck lining clippers. I know I have been nicked many times throughout the years, as well as occasionally nicked others. It's just one of those things that happen occasionally. I'm not completely sold on it though, but am leaning in that direction.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
How bout this?

Startling research work by French scientists has shown that a potentially lethal form of hepatitis may be transmitted by mosquitoes. Hepatitis C, which can lead to chronic hepatitis as well as liver failure and liver cancer, is frequently seen in intravenous drug abusers and prostitutes.


http://www.hcvets.com/data/transmission_methods/tics.htm


"Remember, people will judge you by your actions, not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold — but so does a hard-boiled egg."
Helpful - 0
412873 tn?1329174455
Echo above....how do you know you have only had it for 4 years.

And what aspect of working in a hair salon are you thinking is a mode of transmission?

I saw your post on the other side as well and above you way you have always used universal precautions and have not had contact with any random blood.  Are you thinking dirty razors, manicure tools, hair, scissors....???

I think most of us advise refraining from sharing razors and toothbrushes, and I personally wouldn't go in for a mani/pedi until pigs fly, lol!!  But that's just me.  

Good luck on getting to the end of tx.  Makes for a long 6 months...glad to hear you have had a good run of it.....SVR wishes to you.
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Avatar universal
How do you know you contracted HCV in the past 4 years?
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1151539 tn?1262151603
Thanks everyone. I understand the Dentist is logical and I appreciate the help on this. Maybe some have missed the info that I definitely contracted this in the last 4 yrs. that is medical fact. Therefor I can comfortably rule out the childhood Dentist.
Anyone have any other ideas, even remote possibilities. I know there is something out there that will fit.
Thanks & please keep the ideas coming!
Helpful - 0
1117750 tn?1307386569
dentist has to i would say
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163305 tn?1333668571
There are many things in life which we wish we had control over but we don't.
You want to know how you got HCV. But what can you do?You can't roll back time. Sometimes the only thing we can do in life is to accept what is otherwise you cause yourself unnecessary stress.

You say how can we stop the spread of this disease when so many of us fall into a category  the medical community hasn't come up with?
I agree the medical community seems stuck with thier boxes.
But the way to stop the spread of the disease is first to educate the populace with how common it is and to break the sterotype of us being druggies, and down and outters.

Good luck, OH

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
This disease has been around before the dinosaurs,so you may have gotten it from the dentist as a child when there was proberly no mention of any kind of disease back then.Other than that,you got me.I cant se you using some elses tooth brush by thw way you talk.
Helpful - 0
1151539 tn?1262151603
Dentist only as a child, once as an adult but only since HIV were gloves mask ect... are now used & no I don't have bad teeth :) The manicure part, I do my own but I have been a hairstylist for the past 24 yrs. That is an area that really needs explored, if so we can stop the spread in salons in this country.
Helpful - 0
1151539 tn?1262151603
Thanks for your feedback Bill1954 & copyman. I am not "beating myself up" over this, I just need to know. How can the spread of this virus be stopped if there are so many of us that do not fall into any category that the medical community has come up with? I do know a time frame of when I contracted this. It has been within the last 4 years, that has been confirmed medically. I feel it was in 2008 while living & working in WPB, Fl. How & from what I do not know at this point. I have always practiced "Universal Knowledge" & have never came in contact with anyones blood, even accidentally, outside of my own children. Which have all been tested & thank God none have the virus.
Blood to blood. OK we all know this to be fact, but have all methods of blood to blood contact been explored/tested/ruled out? I know I am not the only one that has hepatitis C that never had a blood transfusion, never used drugs, no tattoos or piercings and have had 2 sexual partners my entire life, both have been tested & neither have the virus. I cannot be the only one who has trouble accepting that there is no explanation medically for "how I got this?"
I am on my last 2 wks. of treatment and have been very fortunate. Treatment took everything I had physically, financially, ect... but, I am alive & lost 50 lbs. I look great! Well, that is,once I get all my hair back LOL. I see all the silver linings and figuring out how I or someone else contracted this, that is not explained medically, just may help in the prevention of the spread of this awful disease. As a survivor of this, I owe it to the person who does not have it, but may contract it in the same manner as I did, to figure this out and possibly prevent another human being from having to go through the same.
If anyone has any guesses/speculations on how they may have contracted it, please post. Thank You!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Have you been to the dentist or have a tatto?...or have a manicure?....
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Avatar universal
why beat yourself up over it. use all your energy to get rid of the disease.
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87972 tn?1322661239
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to determine exactly when the virus was contracted. The best we can do is to look at past lifestyles, and make a guesstimate as to when we might have gotten the virus. Most doctors look at things like lifestyle, health and surgery history, etc.

If you don’t exchange blood with your children, the risk is minuscule that you’ll pass it on to them, or anyone else for that matter. Sorry to hear of others in your family that have been touched by this… it’s a b!tch to deal with, especially when we lose folks like you have. I’ve lost a family member to this too.

Best of luck to you,

Bill
Helpful - 0
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