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Introducing Myself
Hello everyone. I am a 30 yr old physician and I found out yesterday about my hep C Ab + status and viral load of 113,597. Working in the hospital, I am exposed to hep C + pt's all of the time. I do have a couple risk factors, and I am not sure when I seroconverted. I had a tattoo placed in November, I do mixed martial arts, and as I alluded to before I am often taking care of patients w/ Hep C- putting in big IV's, breathing tubes etc. I don't have a clear recollection of when the time of exposure was. In November, I was taking care of a dying pt w/ hep C and had blood splashed on my eyes. I filed an exposure claim, and Hep C, B, HIV labs were drawn from the patient and myself. I was subsequently contacted by employee health and it turned out that I was hep C + prior to the exposure. My last negative Hep C Ab test was back in '06, but who knows when the actual transmission occurred. Yesterday was one of the worst days of my life- cried w/ family, and I had to let my sexual partners in the last year know that I had exposed them to the virus. I had my Hep C viral loads drawn yesterday as well as coags, LFT's, and genotype. Today I get the results of my LFT's. As you all know, this will change my whole life forever, from occupation, sports/hobbies, social, sexual, and family life, and I feel hopeless. Thanks for listening...
miracles happen everyday! it is a very slow progressing disease based on life style. Having multiable sexual partners increases the chanceof passing it on! so don't be permiscuis, being in the medical field, I'd think you'd be very educated abt HCV in your on going traing. good Luck, and goes to show this is not just a druggy disease as the stigma goes! Educate! advocate! Pave the way! Good luck with all my blessings
Bill I,m sorry i thought it was you who asked about me about getting info on bocep mutations from Merck.
"As you all know, this will change my whole life forever, from occupation, sports/hobbies, social, sexual, and family life, and I feel hopeless."
Don't lose hope. Hep c can cause changes in your body, and certainly can make big changes to your state of mind, but it doesn't necessarily have to make changes in your life: only YOU control your life as far as occupation, sports, etc., -- not the virus. Other than not being able to donate blood, you should not be subject any other exclusions due to hep c -- unless you restrict yourself.
With hep c, unlike many other diagnoses, going back to trace the source of disease has little utility -- hopefully the information you are gathering now will help you move forward and gain a better perspective. As a physician, surely you've helped to educate, inform, and encourage those who have been handed a difficult diagnosis -- now it's time to do that for yourself as a patient. Unfortunate that you're here for less than happy reasons, but welcome to the forum. ~eureka
Don't lose hope. Hep c can cause changes in your body, and certainly can make big changes to your state of mind, but it doesn't necessarily have to make changes in your life: only YOU control your life as far as occupation, sports, etc., -- not the virus. Other than not being able to donate blood, you should not be subject any other exclusions due to hep c -- unless you restrict yourself.
With hep c, unlike many other diagnoses, going back to trace the source of disease has little utility -- hopefully the information you are gathering now will help you move forward and gain a better perspective. As a physician, surely you've helped to educate, inform, and encourage those who have been handed a difficult diagnosis -- now it's time to do that for yourself as a patient. Unfortunate that you're here for less than happy reasons, but welcome to the forum. ~eureka
Although I am sorry for your dx, this could turn out to be a blessing in disguise for a lot of people because of your being a doctor. Based on my experience since my dx a year ago, I have found that MANY doctors don't have a clue about the FACTS of HCV. My children's pediatrician said some unbelievable things when I asked her to check my kids... to the point of insisting that only IV drug users can get it, and all the other ways of transmission that are listed are just so people don't have to admit the truth about their drug use. Even Dr. OZ stated on TV that it is a STD. Most doctors don't even check to see if you are infected till your liver enzymes are elevated. I had mine checked yearly for 8 years because of another liver condition, and they were never elevated till last year. I have been infected for 25 years. I personally think that everybody should be screened for HCV as part of a routine physical... they'd really be surprised at the number of infected people then.
You are in a position to learn all of the FACTS and then share them with your peers and maybe help to eradicate the overwhelming ignorance that makes our lives harder than they have to be. I heard last summer that worldwide, one in 12 people are infected. It seems to me that it is time for the medical community to catch up with the research.
Diane
You are in a position to learn all of the FACTS and then share them with your peers and maybe help to eradicate the overwhelming ignorance that makes our lives harder than they have to be. I heard last summer that worldwide, one in 12 people are infected. It seems to me that it is time for the medical community to catch up with the research.
Diane
Your story sounds like mine. I am a respiratory therapist and I have had contact with patients with Hep C. My story is I had just extubated a patient and he was mad and spit it my face. I went to employee health and they had to do blood work just as a percaution for HIV. Well they left me a message and sent me a letter to call. The test showed I was reactive to Hep C. I then went to my family doctor for additional blood work and today I found out that I am postive for the virus. I am trying to educate myself as best I can for myself, my children and my boyfriend.
Might it have been that you needed to be 100% healthy to be on the expedition. So there may have been many health issues that would prevent one from participation. Perhaps related to being away from medical care. One probably couldn't participate if they had emphysema either....just a thought.
Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. the initial shock can be overwhelming, but as other's have mentioned it will get easier and the fear will subside.
As Bill mentioned this is a good time for treatment of hcv and your chances for successfully treating the virus have never been better. Of course a full assessment of your condition and especially your genotype are necessary to know how you should proceed with treatment.
Although it may seem like your world is upside down it gets better and life as you know it is far from over. Educate yourself so you know what the difference between real risks and your fears. I have never infected my ex-wife, my current wife or my children or in the past 30 years since I have had this disease. I only found out I had it 12 years ago and I was not being particularly cautious.
Good luck and welcome,
Dave
As Bill mentioned this is a good time for treatment of hcv and your chances for successfully treating the virus have never been better. Of course a full assessment of your condition and especially your genotype are necessary to know how you should proceed with treatment.
Although it may seem like your world is upside down it gets better and life as you know it is far from over. Educate yourself so you know what the difference between real risks and your fears. I have never infected my ex-wife, my current wife or my children or in the past 30 years since I have had this disease. I only found out I had it 12 years ago and I was not being particularly cautious.
Good luck and welcome,
Dave
"I don't know about doctors but some jobs you just don't get to do if you have hepc"
Being a doctor isn't one of them!
Trinity
Being a doctor isn't one of them!
Trinity
You would think that the younger doctors would be up to date on HCV. With how they project this disease becoming an epidemic in the next 5-10 years you would think they would cover it a little more in med school.
It is kind of scary if you think about it
It is kind of scary if you think about it
"A friend of mine was a chef who signed up with a scientific expedition."
For some of us, every time we cook it's a scientific expedition. But that's another story for another thread: Heppers and the meals they wreck.
Sorry about the diagnosis upsidedown. Hang in there, it get's better.
For some of us, every time we cook it's a scientific expedition. But that's another story for another thread: Heppers and the meals they wreck.
Sorry about the diagnosis upsidedown. Hang in there, it get's better.
Dr. Douglas Dieterich still practices gastroenterology and internal medicine in New York, he also had HCV but is now cured.
Surprizes me that younger doctors are not more up on this virus.......... Best to you.
cando
Surprizes me that younger doctors are not more up on this virus.......... Best to you.
cando
A friend of mine was a chef who signed up with a scientific expedition. They did all the routine tests on him and found out he had hepC. He immediately lost his position and was sent home. It was a life changer for him because he had been trying to get on it for years.
I don't know about doctors but some jobs you just don't get to do if you have hepc. It can be a game changer.
dointime
I don't know about doctors but some jobs you just don't get to do if you have hepc. It can be a game changer.
dointime
It might change your life when your on tx. But in the long run I would think nothing will change. It's a shock at first but, you'll deal, get rid of it, and that will be that.
Good luck !
Good luck !
welcome to a very informative site and caring people. i will not minimize the impact of this disease on anyone. at the same time you might find that it will make you a more compassionate physician. you may find that your real friends and close family rally round and that you have an opportunity at your young age to put your physical and mental health in the highest priority and most likely clearing the virus in 24 wks. sorry for your plight but things could be worse. wishing you all the best, take a deep breath and marshall all forces to fight the dragon. if u can, please call attention to the stigma this disease poses that makes it soooo much worse for us. you may be called to do some very special work, who knows? keep us posted, babs
I wouldn't wish anyone to be ill of any nature, but there is treatment for this and as everyone has told you from experience and dealing with this virus first hand, your life does not have to change that much.
I was also thinking as a doctor dealing with this virus may make you a better doctor understanding what the patient goes through and also finding the care and support you need will allow you to see how important all of that is during illness.
The shock of first being diagnosed is understandable,
I wish you all the best care and you are not your disease.
Mary
I was also thinking as a doctor dealing with this virus may make you a better doctor understanding what the patient goes through and also finding the care and support you need will allow you to see how important all of that is during illness.
The shock of first being diagnosed is understandable,
I wish you all the best care and you are not your disease.
Mary
Hey, Welcome, we can all relate to what you are currently going through. I was infected 37 years without a clue. Lived a healthy lifestyle, was in fact totally healthy (or so I thought) and had not been to a Dr. for over 30 years prior to having some gall bladder issues. What a shock it was to find out about the Hvc! Things will come into focas soon enough, you'll see. Your age, duration of infection(little if any liver damage), the new drugs and profession all bode well for your chances to beat this. This forum is THE BOMB!! It saved my life, literally! Avail yourself of the archives as they are full of great info. jerry
" As you all know, this will change my whole life forever"
It certainly doesn"t have to,other than staying away from alcohol and high risk behaviours of transmitting the virus to others.
You mention you are only 30 , and only been infected for a short time so the amount of liver damage at this point is probably nill or very negligible, and as you must know from your profession the future looks very bright for tx.
All the best to you
It certainly doesn"t have to,other than staying away from alcohol and high risk behaviours of transmitting the virus to others.
You mention you are only 30 , and only been infected for a short time so the amount of liver damage at this point is probably nill or very negligible, and as you must know from your profession the future looks very bright for tx.
All the best to you
and I had to let my sexual partners in the last year know that I had exposed them to the virus."
I'm not exactly sure why you felt you had to do this. Since HCV is very, very rarely spread via sex and it is not an STD the chance of getting it that way are just so rare it's not even necessary to tell as if you would if you had say HIV.
This sure shouldn't change very much about your life at all - certainly you should not drink but other than that..........we all go about our lives like anybody else - there is nothing 'wrong' with any of us in the sense we'd have to stay in a closet or something like that.
I think you should really learn a bit about the disease so you can get over the stigma which you have attached to it because it's incorrect.
Good luck.
I'm not exactly sure why you felt you had to do this. Since HCV is very, very rarely spread via sex and it is not an STD the chance of getting it that way are just so rare it's not even necessary to tell as if you would if you had say HIV.
This sure shouldn't change very much about your life at all - certainly you should not drink but other than that..........we all go about our lives like anybody else - there is nothing 'wrong' with any of us in the sense we'd have to stay in a closet or something like that.
I think you should really learn a bit about the disease so you can get over the stigma which you have attached to it because it's incorrect.
Good luck.
"As you all know, this will change my whole life forever, from occupation, sports/hobbies, social, sexual, and family life, and I feel hopeless..."
You will get past this hopeless feeling, you truly will. Please don't let your diagnosis cause you to change yourself...you should be able to continue to do what you do, with a few standard precautions. You are in control of your life NOT the darn HCV. Don't let it control YOU. Take charge of your situation and own it. As cheesy as it may sound, it is true...you need to take ownership of your diagnosis and not let it lead you around.
As Bill1954 said above; his words are very true "Believe it or not, there’s never been a better time to manage HCV; there are many more options pending now than even two or three years ago...."
The hopelessness that you feel is temporary and it's up to you to push it aside and live a full life. You will have access to the newer treatment regimen that should be on the market later this year and that is a huge. You might also look into getting gene testing to predict response to treatment:
http://hcvadvocate.blogspot.com/2011/01/hepatitis-c-in-2011-predictive-marker.html
My best to you!!
You will get past this hopeless feeling, you truly will. Please don't let your diagnosis cause you to change yourself...you should be able to continue to do what you do, with a few standard precautions. You are in control of your life NOT the darn HCV. Don't let it control YOU. Take charge of your situation and own it. As cheesy as it may sound, it is true...you need to take ownership of your diagnosis and not let it lead you around.
As Bill1954 said above; his words are very true "Believe it or not, there’s never been a better time to manage HCV; there are many more options pending now than even two or three years ago...."
The hopelessness that you feel is temporary and it's up to you to push it aside and live a full life. You will have access to the newer treatment regimen that should be on the market later this year and that is a huge. You might also look into getting gene testing to predict response to treatment:
http://hcvadvocate.blogspot.com/2011/01/hepatitis-c-in-2011-predictive-marker.html
My best to you!!
I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. It can rattle you to the core at first but most of us get on with our lives and settle back to a fairly normal routine.
As far as your occupation goes, Hepatitis C testing is not done on healthcare workers, but hepatitis B testing is to ensure that we are all vaccinated or have antibodies. Because of the ADA ( Americans with Disabilities Act) no one can prevent you from practicing your profession if you have an infection unless you are giving to your patients. One of the risks for acquiring HCV is from needle sticks as a healthcare worker so many people have the potential to be infected or are infected and employers can't ask about it unless there is an epidemic caused by you.
The risk of sexual transmission of Hepatitis C within heterosexual monogamous couples is extremely low or even null. The risk increases when mucosa is damaged from potentially vigorous sexual techniques such as anal intercourse, fisting and use of certain sex toys.
Contact sports where blood may be exchanged would not be advisable while you are infected but there are plenty of other sports that would give you a thrill without the blood!
You don't have to change how you interact with your family. Just don't share personal items like toothbrushes or nail clippers. I was unaware I had hepc for 40 years and shared all types of personal items with my family and I'm the only one who is infected so the the odds of infecting someone else in that manner is very low.
Buck up man! Just because you're a doctor doesn't mean your life is going to change anymore than anyone else who has this virus. But being a doctor you should know there are newer drugs about to hit the market in a few more months that increase the odds of SVR to 75% as opposed to less than 50% now with the current standard of care. And I'll bet with your connections you'll be able to hook up with a damn fine hepatologist.
Welcome to forum -
Trinity
As far as your occupation goes, Hepatitis C testing is not done on healthcare workers, but hepatitis B testing is to ensure that we are all vaccinated or have antibodies. Because of the ADA ( Americans with Disabilities Act) no one can prevent you from practicing your profession if you have an infection unless you are giving to your patients. One of the risks for acquiring HCV is from needle sticks as a healthcare worker so many people have the potential to be infected or are infected and employers can't ask about it unless there is an epidemic caused by you.
The risk of sexual transmission of Hepatitis C within heterosexual monogamous couples is extremely low or even null. The risk increases when mucosa is damaged from potentially vigorous sexual techniques such as anal intercourse, fisting and use of certain sex toys.
Contact sports where blood may be exchanged would not be advisable while you are infected but there are plenty of other sports that would give you a thrill without the blood!
You don't have to change how you interact with your family. Just don't share personal items like toothbrushes or nail clippers. I was unaware I had hepc for 40 years and shared all types of personal items with my family and I'm the only one who is infected so the the odds of infecting someone else in that manner is very low.
Buck up man! Just because you're a doctor doesn't mean your life is going to change anymore than anyone else who has this virus. But being a doctor you should know there are newer drugs about to hit the market in a few more months that increase the odds of SVR to 75% as opposed to less than 50% now with the current standard of care. And I'll bet with your connections you'll be able to hook up with a damn fine hepatologist.
Welcome to forum -
Trinity
Sorry to hear of your news, but, welcome to the forum. Your story touches me because my own story is similar. I am a nurse, and worked for 20+ years in high-risk areas: L&D, ED. I found out through a routine Red Cross blood donation that I was HCV+. In spite of my work, my lifestyle was very "clean," no tattoos or needles, and this letter was such a shock. This was in 1996. At first my family physician told me to ignore the letter, "I'm seeing lots of false positives," she said. Unfortunately it was not a false positive. I also know the time window during which I seroconverted, so I tried to figure out where this came from. The potential exposure that seems most likely now is several periodontal surgery procedures that I underwent in the two years before my dx.
After 12 years of living with the virus, I treated in 2008 and am now SVR. Although I had Geno 1b, one of the harder subtypes to treat, I was fortunate to get into a Telaprevir trial. Even though my VL was 3.6 million, I only had to treat for 24 weeks to clear (Geno 1's usually treat for 48 wks or longer). So, here's a reason to feel more hopeful: the new PI drugs are kicking some HCV butt! It is never good news to receive this dx, but at least you're hearing it now instead of 12 years ago.
After the initial shock, and the information-gathering phase, you will take this in hand and choose when to treat. This forum is a great place for support and information, with many individuals who have gone through the tx gauntlet and will be able to support you through your own experience. Please let me know how I can support you.
Lapis
After 12 years of living with the virus, I treated in 2008 and am now SVR. Although I had Geno 1b, one of the harder subtypes to treat, I was fortunate to get into a Telaprevir trial. Even though my VL was 3.6 million, I only had to treat for 24 weeks to clear (Geno 1's usually treat for 48 wks or longer). So, here's a reason to feel more hopeful: the new PI drugs are kicking some HCV butt! It is never good news to receive this dx, but at least you're hearing it now instead of 12 years ago.
After the initial shock, and the information-gathering phase, you will take this in hand and choose when to treat. This forum is a great place for support and information, with many individuals who have gone through the tx gauntlet and will be able to support you through your own experience. Please let me know how I can support you.
Lapis
Hi there, and welcome to the discussion group.
As you likely know, HCV is rarely transmitted sexually, although in certain instances, especially those that involve trauma/rough sex/rape, it can occur.
Sorry to hear of your diagnosis; do you think there’s any chance the seroconversion occurred in the last six months? Acute HCV responds much more readily to therapy than chronic infection.
It will take 5-10 days for genotype results; these are important to help determine not only duration but also response to treatment meds.
Believe it or not, there’s never been a better time to manage HCV; there are many more options pending now than even two or three years ago. New advances in protease/polymerase inhibitor drugs that will be combined with the current interferon/ribavirin have increased treatment efficacy from roughly 45% to 75% in the harder to manage genotype 1; and may perhaps reduce treatment from 48 weeks to 24 weeks in select patient groups.
Life goes on, albeit with a few precautions. Avoid sharing personal care items that might transmit blood, consider barrier contraceptives, although I don’t believe the CDC suggests these for committed, monogamous relationships.
We’ve had surgeons that underwent therapy in here that continued to practice; admittedly it was tough on them, but possible.
Good luck, and take good care—
-Bill
As you likely know, HCV is rarely transmitted sexually, although in certain instances, especially those that involve trauma/rough sex/rape, it can occur.
Sorry to hear of your diagnosis; do you think there’s any chance the seroconversion occurred in the last six months? Acute HCV responds much more readily to therapy than chronic infection.
It will take 5-10 days for genotype results; these are important to help determine not only duration but also response to treatment meds.
Believe it or not, there’s never been a better time to manage HCV; there are many more options pending now than even two or three years ago. New advances in protease/polymerase inhibitor drugs that will be combined with the current interferon/ribavirin have increased treatment efficacy from roughly 45% to 75% in the harder to manage genotype 1; and may perhaps reduce treatment from 48 weeks to 24 weeks in select patient groups.
Life goes on, albeit with a few precautions. Avoid sharing personal care items that might transmit blood, consider barrier contraceptives, although I don’t believe the CDC suggests these for committed, monogamous relationships.
We’ve had surgeons that underwent therapy in here that continued to practice; admittedly it was tough on them, but possible.
Good luck, and take good care—
-Bill
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