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Past drug use
When I was in college (years ago) I occasionally (10 times total, maybe) snorted cocaine. I only did it with the same people every time but I don't know their hepatitis status though they were not injection drug users nor promiscuous. Does my experience warrant testing?
well there is a way to find out! _get tested_, it will clear any doubt, and give you, peace of mind. best wishes and good luck
No way to tell for sure. The easy thing to do would be have you family Dr order a HepCAnti-Body blood draw on the next annual physical. That should be done by baby boomers (and older) at least once, anyway, according to the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease. This is a very inexpensive test.
If the anti-body test comes back negative, everthing is fine and you can just forget about it. The body, once exposed to HepC will always have anti-bodies. But, in approximately 25% of exposures, the body fights off the virus in its own. That is why, someone can be positive for the anti- bodies, but not have the virus.
If it comes back positive for exposure, which is all that positive means, THEN you could get an viral Load test - RNA PCR test, also a blood test, but more expensive. That test tells you if you avtually have HepC. If it comes back negative, fine, see paragraph 2 ( all is okay, no need to worry).
If it comes back positive, you ask to be referred to - or find on your own, depending on how your Ins Program operates - a Hep C specialist - either a hepatologist, gastroenterologist or Infectious Disease Specialist, get seen, and treated.
It probably will not come to that, in youe case, but, it is always tood to have the peace of mind a simple, inexpensive blood test can give. And if, as I said above, you do find you have it treatment is so much simpler (all oral) and shorter 12 or 24 weeks, generally, that it used to be, eith a really high rate od cure on the first try.
Talk to your family Dr and go from there.
Blessings,
Pat
If the anti-body test comes back negative, everthing is fine and you can just forget about it. The body, once exposed to HepC will always have anti-bodies. But, in approximately 25% of exposures, the body fights off the virus in its own. That is why, someone can be positive for the anti- bodies, but not have the virus.
If it comes back positive for exposure, which is all that positive means, THEN you could get an viral Load test - RNA PCR test, also a blood test, but more expensive. That test tells you if you avtually have HepC. If it comes back negative, fine, see paragraph 2 ( all is okay, no need to worry).
If it comes back positive, you ask to be referred to - or find on your own, depending on how your Ins Program operates - a Hep C specialist - either a hepatologist, gastroenterologist or Infectious Disease Specialist, get seen, and treated.
It probably will not come to that, in youe case, but, it is always tood to have the peace of mind a simple, inexpensive blood test can give. And if, as I said above, you do find you have it treatment is so much simpler (all oral) and shorter 12 or 24 weeks, generally, that it used to be, eith a really high rate od cure on the first try.
Talk to your family Dr and go from there.
Blessings,
Pat
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