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Question about Hep C and having kids
Hello All-
Ok heres a very brief summary of my story. I am 20 years old and I have been with my boyfriend for 5 years now. (he's 19) However he has been a drug addict for maybe 4 out of those 5 years we've been together. He started off doing the "simple" drugs and then turned to the more hardcore ones recently. I had NO idea he was doing these more serious drugs. As we decided after this to take some what of a break and he moved out. However when he finally admitted to me he was using, He told me he has always used clean needles. I got tested for everything anyways inlcuding hep c. I am negative. thank God. He has said he is serious this time about becoming sober. He has already been sober for 3 months now. Now here's the thing, he thinks there is a possiblitly of him having Hep C since he used a passed around needle one time when he first got into jail. My question is, if this is the case and he does have it, will it still be ok for us to have kids after he gets treatment for it or can he even get me preg having hep c? Will this have any affect on the health of our child? Again, I DO NOT have hep c and I am very fit and healthy but will his hep c have any affect on his sperm or anything? I am sorry, this is just all new and scary for me. Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated. Please share some of your own experiences on being with someone who has Hep C.
Thank you :)
Ok heres a very brief summary of my story. I am 20 years old and I have been with my boyfriend for 5 years now. (he's 19) However he has been a drug addict for maybe 4 out of those 5 years we've been together. He started off doing the "simple" drugs and then turned to the more hardcore ones recently. I had NO idea he was doing these more serious drugs. As we decided after this to take some what of a break and he moved out. However when he finally admitted to me he was using, He told me he has always used clean needles. I got tested for everything anyways inlcuding hep c. I am negative. thank God. He has said he is serious this time about becoming sober. He has already been sober for 3 months now. Now here's the thing, he thinks there is a possiblitly of him having Hep C since he used a passed around needle one time when he first got into jail. My question is, if this is the case and he does have it, will it still be ok for us to have kids after he gets treatment for it or can he even get me preg having hep c? Will this have any affect on the health of our child? Again, I DO NOT have hep c and I am very fit and healthy but will his hep c have any affect on his sperm or anything? I am sorry, this is just all new and scary for me. Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated. Please share some of your own experiences on being with someone who has Hep C.
Thank you :)
Hello Dennis and Trish,
I actually am back on Medhelp now. And I really appreciate your respones even after all this time. I am very happy to say that alot has changed since this post, over a year ago. My life is different now. I am no longer with my ex. He got worse and worse needless to say. I had to take care of myself for once and leave, as hard as it was. I took awhile from being with anyone and spent some much needed time by myself. It was great and I am so happy withe decision I made. I am now with my current boyfriend and where expecting, I am due in March of 2011! ANyhow thanks again for taking the time to respond. I hope life is treating both of you great as well :)
Britt
I actually am back on Medhelp now. And I really appreciate your respones even after all this time. I am very happy to say that alot has changed since this post, over a year ago. My life is different now. I am no longer with my ex. He got worse and worse needless to say. I had to take care of myself for once and leave, as hard as it was. I took awhile from being with anyone and spent some much needed time by myself. It was great and I am so happy withe decision I made. I am now with my current boyfriend and where expecting, I am due in March of 2011! ANyhow thanks again for taking the time to respond. I hope life is treating both of you great as well :)
Britt
Check the date she posted - I don't think she's going to see your responses so no worries.
You can't catch a disease from him if he doesn't have one. He can get tested for Hep B and Hep C and that would clear things up for you. You can also get vaccinated for Hep B in general so that you wouldn't have that concern anymore - in general. If he hasn't been tested for anything then you're doing the right thing in wearing a condom but seems a shame to be doing that if you don't have to be.
If he did have Hep C it isn't known as an STD - sexually transmitted disease. Many people here are in long term relationships and don't use condoms and their partners have not contracted Hep C as it's a blood transmission disease.
Congratulations to both of you for getting through all this and to him for getting clean, going back to college and getting to the good life. Wish you continued happiness together.
Trish
If he did have Hep C it isn't known as an STD - sexually transmitted disease. Many people here are in long term relationships and don't use condoms and their partners have not contracted Hep C as it's a blood transmission disease.
Congratulations to both of you for getting through all this and to him for getting clean, going back to college and getting to the good life. Wish you continued happiness together.
Trish
I'm not feeling good about my response above (or the typos) other than the fertility response per se: I wish you the best! dennis
I skipped through most of the moralizing (not that I disagree with those responses I sampled- I'm sober 26 years) to get to the point which is for me is empirical. I have had Hep C for multiple decades with treatment failures and eventual cirrhosis and had twin girls 1 1/2 years ago. I also have another 15 y.o. daughter so infertility is definitely not a Hep C symptom. As with all such naive speculations I wonder why someone wouldn't first google "Hep C and having children" or something synonymously put with such a "pregnant" question. Sorry if I this sounds judgmental or insensitive. d
hi.
i'm not too happy about what people have posted in either, have some sympathy.
i'm living in ireland and met my boyfriend when he was a heroin addict. i told him i would only consider going out with him if he stopped (i was niave!)
anyway he actually did and two years later we are very happy and he hasnt touched it since. we went through some hard times but we didnt get any help, we just had eachother ,but we didnt know any better at the time. a year after he gave up he had no direction in life and beacame extreemly depressed. he went to councelling and went back to college where he regained his confidence and is now the happiest funniest person i know.
i do believe though that he only got clean because of what an almighty ***** i was to him. no weed, no spirits, no binge drinking, no old friends, no going to his home town alone (he's allowed to go home now just not in the first year)
like you i am still worried about myself catching a disease from him, i have never not worn a condom with him. he said he always used clean needles the odd time he injected (mainly smoked). i'm still scared though!
i'm not too happy about what people have posted in either, have some sympathy.
i'm living in ireland and met my boyfriend when he was a heroin addict. i told him i would only consider going out with him if he stopped (i was niave!)
anyway he actually did and two years later we are very happy and he hasnt touched it since. we went through some hard times but we didnt get any help, we just had eachother ,but we didnt know any better at the time. a year after he gave up he had no direction in life and beacame extreemly depressed. he went to councelling and went back to college where he regained his confidence and is now the happiest funniest person i know.
i do believe though that he only got clean because of what an almighty ***** i was to him. no weed, no spirits, no binge drinking, no old friends, no going to his home town alone (he's allowed to go home now just not in the first year)
like you i am still worried about myself catching a disease from him, i have never not worn a condom with him. he said he always used clean needles the odd time he injected (mainly smoked). i'm still scared though!
First-Mikesimon-
Thank you very much for answering my questions and sharing your own personal experience :) very helpful
Next, damosaab-
I must comend you on your sobriety-this is very inspiring to hear and for someone who loves an addict and always will, hearing this is warming to my heart, as I feel there is hope. I will share this with my BF as hopefully it will be an encouragment that it CAN be done. And thank you for the information, that is extremly good to keep in mind. Take care :)
Now, like I said before I appreciate all of your concerns but I guess I should do some clarifying...I am not saying I want to have children right now, I am asking for future reference.
I must admit I am very disappointed on alot of peoples iggnorance and lack of empathy towards drug addicts-and people who are trying to recover. Drugs do not make you a bad person they make you make BAD DECISIONS. Under all the drugs and alchol is a REAL person with REAL issues. So someone who was/is an addict never has a another chance in life and should be banned from having children and moving on in their life? No I dont think so, everyone of us has our own struggles we battle, and regardless of the battle we are fighting I sure hope people never fail to see the true character of a person fighting.
I do understand I am in a forum..and I respect peoples opinions completly. And I sure do hope everyone respects my opinion as well.
Thank to all for your comments/concerns.
Thank you very much for answering my questions and sharing your own personal experience :) very helpful
Next, damosaab-
I must comend you on your sobriety-this is very inspiring to hear and for someone who loves an addict and always will, hearing this is warming to my heart, as I feel there is hope. I will share this with my BF as hopefully it will be an encouragment that it CAN be done. And thank you for the information, that is extremly good to keep in mind. Take care :)
Now, like I said before I appreciate all of your concerns but I guess I should do some clarifying...I am not saying I want to have children right now, I am asking for future reference.
I must admit I am very disappointed on alot of peoples iggnorance and lack of empathy towards drug addicts-and people who are trying to recover. Drugs do not make you a bad person they make you make BAD DECISIONS. Under all the drugs and alchol is a REAL person with REAL issues. So someone who was/is an addict never has a another chance in life and should be banned from having children and moving on in their life? No I dont think so, everyone of us has our own struggles we battle, and regardless of the battle we are fighting I sure hope people never fail to see the true character of a person fighting.
I do understand I am in a forum..and I respect peoples opinions completly. And I sure do hope everyone respects my opinion as well.
Thank to all for your comments/concerns.
I'm not sure what advice to give you about having Hep C because you're not even sure your BF has Hep C and why waste energy on what-ifs? If he "thinks" he might have it then for peet's sake he should get tested - period.
just reading ur story and i used to b drug addict got clean 11 years ago just before treatment got tested no hep c ten years later went for std check and had hep c asked doctor and they said i should have tested again after six months the first time i tested..so may be get him checked again after 6 months dont no how good info is just no wat happened to me..
There is so much I want to say to you but you do not want to hear it. What a shame, listening to advice about your situation could save you from wasting years of your life. However, you are 20 years old and people of that age seldom listen to advice, in my experience.
There is an excellent chance that this boy has Hep C from using a shared needle. But his Hep C risk is the least of your worries right now.
jd
There is an excellent chance that this boy has Hep C from using a shared needle. But his Hep C risk is the least of your worries right now.
jd
I had not seen your most recent post before I posted. But, it really doesn't change my answers.
Mike
Mike
I think your question was and quoting from your post:
"Now here's the thing, he thinks there is a possiblitly(sic) of him having Hep C since he used a passed around needle one time when he first got into jail. My question is, if this is the case and he does have it, will it still be ok for us to have kids after he gets treatment for it or can he even get me preg having hep c? Will this have any affect on the health of our child? Again, I DO NOT have hep c and I am very fit and healthy but will his hep c have any affect on his sperm or anything?"
Addressing the above questions: I do not believe that your child's health, in the context of HCV, will be affected by his possible HCV+ status. I believe you would have to be HCV+ for your child to be born with HCV and that risk is small < 6%.
And to your other question: Yes, he would be able to impregnate you if he is Hepatitis C positive - his sperm would still be potent.
The following questions and answers are from:
http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/medicalpubs/HEPc/faq/faqvol1.htm
"What are the risk factors for contracting HCV?
These are the most common routes of transmission of hepatitis C virus:
* intravenous drug use
* transfusion of blood and blood products
* occupational exposure to blood (primarily during contaminated needle stick injuries)
* sexual transmission
* vertical transmission (from mother to child)
My husband has hepatitis C, and I am afraid of contracting it from him. We have been married for 16 years.
There is much good news in the answer. While the risk of becoming infected with hepatitis C through sexual relations is not zero, it is very, very low. It is so low, in fact, that most of us who treat patients with hepatitis C hardly ever see sexual partners who are both infected (unless there is some other shared risk such as illicit intravenous drug use). The situation for hepatitis C is much different than it is for hepatitis B, which is much more likely to be transmitted sexually. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a federal agency whose responsibility is to protect the public from communicable diseases. They advise that when one partner in a stable one-partner relationship has hepatitis C, there is no need for any change in sexual practice at all. The partner should be informed about the presence of hepatitis C. In the event there are multiple sexual partners, the practice of "safe sex" is recommended.
What are the risks of giving HCV to the children, from either the mother or father?
The chance is very slim. Although there are cases of HCV transmission from an infected mother to her newborn infant, these are uncommon (less than 6% of pregnancies in the setting of HCV). Transmission from the parent to child during normal contact has not been reported and is not likely to occur. "
Can I pass this disease to others by kissing or sexual intercourse?
The only way of transmitting hepatitis C in a kiss would be for two people with actively bleeding areas to kiss and exchange blood that way. You can pass this disease to others by sexual intercourse, although this is uncommon. The CDC does not recommend any change in sexual practice (e.g. barrier protection) for monogamous patients involved in long-term relationships. The more sexual partners one has and the "rougher" the sexual practice, the more the theoretical likelihood of having two open lesions.
Those are the basic facts about HCV and transmission of HCV.
As to whether having a child in your present circumstances is advisable, I would probably advise against it - but, I don't think you were really asking about that.
Mike
"Now here's the thing, he thinks there is a possiblitly(sic) of him having Hep C since he used a passed around needle one time when he first got into jail. My question is, if this is the case and he does have it, will it still be ok for us to have kids after he gets treatment for it or can he even get me preg having hep c? Will this have any affect on the health of our child? Again, I DO NOT have hep c and I am very fit and healthy but will his hep c have any affect on his sperm or anything?"
Addressing the above questions: I do not believe that your child's health, in the context of HCV, will be affected by his possible HCV+ status. I believe you would have to be HCV+ for your child to be born with HCV and that risk is small < 6%.
And to your other question: Yes, he would be able to impregnate you if he is Hepatitis C positive - his sperm would still be potent.
The following questions and answers are from:
http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/medicalpubs/HEPc/faq/faqvol1.htm
"What are the risk factors for contracting HCV?
These are the most common routes of transmission of hepatitis C virus:
* intravenous drug use
* transfusion of blood and blood products
* occupational exposure to blood (primarily during contaminated needle stick injuries)
* sexual transmission
* vertical transmission (from mother to child)
My husband has hepatitis C, and I am afraid of contracting it from him. We have been married for 16 years.
There is much good news in the answer. While the risk of becoming infected with hepatitis C through sexual relations is not zero, it is very, very low. It is so low, in fact, that most of us who treat patients with hepatitis C hardly ever see sexual partners who are both infected (unless there is some other shared risk such as illicit intravenous drug use). The situation for hepatitis C is much different than it is for hepatitis B, which is much more likely to be transmitted sexually. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a federal agency whose responsibility is to protect the public from communicable diseases. They advise that when one partner in a stable one-partner relationship has hepatitis C, there is no need for any change in sexual practice at all. The partner should be informed about the presence of hepatitis C. In the event there are multiple sexual partners, the practice of "safe sex" is recommended.
What are the risks of giving HCV to the children, from either the mother or father?
The chance is very slim. Although there are cases of HCV transmission from an infected mother to her newborn infant, these are uncommon (less than 6% of pregnancies in the setting of HCV). Transmission from the parent to child during normal contact has not been reported and is not likely to occur. "
Can I pass this disease to others by kissing or sexual intercourse?
The only way of transmitting hepatitis C in a kiss would be for two people with actively bleeding areas to kiss and exchange blood that way. You can pass this disease to others by sexual intercourse, although this is uncommon. The CDC does not recommend any change in sexual practice (e.g. barrier protection) for monogamous patients involved in long-term relationships. The more sexual partners one has and the "rougher" the sexual practice, the more the theoretical likelihood of having two open lesions.
Those are the basic facts about HCV and transmission of HCV.
As to whether having a child in your present circumstances is advisable, I would probably advise against it - but, I don't think you were really asking about that.
Mike
I appreciate everyones concerns however I'd really just like some answers on to my questions and not any opinions on my situation. Any supportive or own personal experiences would be nice too :)
Yeah please don't bring kids into this world he could relapse while your pregnant and then run off it's not worth it and it wouldn't be fair to you or the baby. Besides no offense but why in the hell would you want to have kids at 20 years old? You're twenties are the best time of your life don't ruin it by having kids. It's also probably a good idea to break up with this guy for good if he gets back on drugs or goes back to jail one more time no matter how long you've been with him. I used to work at a rehab and people that do heroin or oxy or any type of opiate for a sustained amount of time have only a 1 in a 1000 chance of getting and staying clean.
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