hepatitis please help very worried

[llol]

Hey guys hope your well,
Last night I went to a gay sauna, and i have previously heard that this sauna has a lot of HIV+ people.

When i was leaving the steam room i hit the back of my foot by the edge of the door. The edge of the door or the bottom part of the door is sharp and broken so it hit my foot from the back and the cut was deep I bled a lot.

When i went to the shower to wash it i found some blood on the floor so i asked a guy there what this blood was from he said some guy just now like about 1 minute ago he hit his leg by the edge of the broken door of the steam room and he bled, and this same situation happened to me right after him.

Basically me and this guy both got cut by this broken edge of the door of the steam room, could his left over blood on the edge of the door had went into my body when i hit my leg since there was bearly a minute or so between us, hence could i get HIV or hepatitis? please help me someone. for the past 24 hours i got no sleep and no food im very scared..

Someone told me i cant get hiv like that can someone please confirm.. and what about hepatitis?? thanks a lot

[Carlhcv]

Yes, there are new drugs for Hep C and people here are curing like crazy. Also, most of us are baby boomers and have had hep C for decades. I would be more concerned about the HIV possibility. You really need to try to keep your mind off of it. I would get the instant HIV test at a health dept clinic after two months. Almost all infections will show up by then. Get another test after 6 months to be absolutely certain. Get an HCV anti-body test after 3 months and maybe again after 6 months, again to be absolutely certain. Meanwhile you must try to calm down. You have to play the waiting game now. We are all here for you but it might be best for you to try to go on with life as usual until you get tested. I will say again that I think you will be OK and that if not, HIV can be controlled and HCV can be cured. Most people with HIV are taking the maintenance drugs and have very low viral loads. That is a good thing for you! Hang in there buddy. I think you will be fine.

[brian53222]

Please double check my calculations I gave above. Detection with and GEN 4 test may be much faster. I apologize.
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/hivtestingalgorithmrecommendation-final.pdf

[brian53222]

I"m not an expert, but I had HEP C, and was treated with one of the new pill cures. I have a sensitive system to pills, but it was actually a cake walk from what I was told the old cures used to be. Just fatigued a little.
You might consider asking around to see if someone knows the person who was cut and just ask him if he was ever tested for any of the diseases.
If you have good health insurance, you can wait 45 days and ask you doctor for a gold standard generation 4 HIV test. It may just be a generation 4 HIV test. It is fairly accurate at 30 days if you can not wait and  need some peace of mind from worry. Im' not a doctor so do your own research. I had two of them. Immediately when i was told I had HEP C, and another one a little over 90 days later and was told I am 100% HIV negative.

[llol]

Thanks a lot for your help..

Could you please tell me whats the likelihood that i got hep c ? you think there is a big chance ?

thanks

[llol]

Thanks for your help.

Is their a cure for hepatitis C ?? do you get completely cured ?

[Carlhcv]

Thanks! I'm doing good. I feel confident that I have been cured! I have to wait 10 more weeks though. I hope you are well.

[patra_]

Good info. BTW,  How are you progressing, now that tx is finished?  P

[Carlhcv]

I would also document everything and go back and see if the sauna is still broken. If so take pictures. It's possible they could be held liable for any medical expenses.

[patra_]

No info on the HIV, you would need to ask on the HIV Community.  For that, got to the top of this, to the blue band above the Tree of Helping Hands and select Communities.  When the Box drops down, select HIV, listed under The Hs.

As to the Hep C, It could be possible, but the likihood is not too great.  I suggest you:  1.  Put it out of your mind for six months
                       2.  After 6 Months, go get a Hep C Antibodies test - a blood
                            test drawn from your arm like most other blood tests.
IF that comes back positive then,
                       3.  Have your Dr order a HCV RNA PCR test - a viral load
                             test which will definiticely tell you of you have hepc ( also
                             a simple blood test).

I suggest it in that time frame and order as antibody tests are not always accurate until at least 3 months after exposure, but are cheap and easily done.  If you did it earlier, you might need to repeat it later, so best to just wait.  Also, IF you have antibodies, your body can fight the virus off on its own, in that first 6 months or so, but you will ALWAYS be positive for antibodies after that.  That is why the HCV RNA PCR Test if the Antibody test is positive.  The HCV RNA PCR Test can be positive as early as 3 weeks, BUT, as I said above: 1. Your body might handle the problem itself  in that first 6 months or so, and,  2.  It is an expensive test to have to repeat 6 plus months later, if it was positive so early on.

Doing it in the time frame and order above deals with with of those issues.

Now, to your anxiety, this is a very very slow developing disease.  I have or had (final blood draw was 12 days ago, will get results on the 8th, but I feel well - a good sign) for over 40 years.  So back to my original advice, take a deep breath, blow it out, and relax.  Then in 6 months or so, have the antibody test.  If it is negative you are okay - no hepc.  IF it is not, proceed to the HCV RNA PCR Test.  IF THAT is positive, then see a hepatologist, gastroenterogolist, or Infectious Disease Specialist who has lots of Hep C experience/ knowledge and go forward from there.  The treatments for this are short and simple compared to older treatments, with few or no side effects, and there are several available - which one you get will depend upon which genotype you have, IF you are found to have hepc.

Good luck and serenity,

Pat

[Carlhcv]

Well you need to calm down a bit because there is nothing you can do now to change what happened. HIV is no longer a death sentence and HCV can now be cured. Drugs are available through programs for those who can't afford them. Now I will say that in my opinion it is highly unlikely that you contracted HIV or HCV but the risk is real. You need to wait a couple months and get tested. Usually you can get a free HIV test at a health dept. clinic. Any doctor can order the HCV antibody test and it is not expensive. You have to keep your mind off it and wait. I'm betting that you are OK.