Aa
Scared nurse
I am a healthcare provider who had a needlestick in march of this year. Pt was HCV +. I had a hcv antibody come back reactive yesterday and my world has been upside down since. It was 15 weeks since the needlestick. My s/c ratio is 1.29. I am going back to employer today to have PCR drawn. any advice?? Encouragement?? Feeling very overwhelmed and consumed by this.
Hi Peachy - I am so sorry for your angst. I too found out about this time last year that I had acute HCV and presumably contracted it through the medical profession.
I was terrified since I had no idea what to expect- or do - or even the first steps to take. The wonderful people on this forum guided me though and now I am almost done with the treatments.
Presumably you are acute and so I urge you to find a good GI or Hepatologist and being a nurse I assume you have a network. Treating Acute HCV is a bit different. You may clear on your own. I waited to see if I would do so - almost did, but in the end, I could not eek out that last little bit of the virus. My GI recommended an intense but short (24 weeks) course.
As you get more information. pass it on here and we will help you. I understand how you feel and know there is another side to it - a beginning, middle AND AN END.
Keep you chin up and be in touch here
Anne
I was terrified since I had no idea what to expect- or do - or even the first steps to take. The wonderful people on this forum guided me though and now I am almost done with the treatments.
Presumably you are acute and so I urge you to find a good GI or Hepatologist and being a nurse I assume you have a network. Treating Acute HCV is a bit different. You may clear on your own. I waited to see if I would do so - almost did, but in the end, I could not eek out that last little bit of the virus. My GI recommended an intense but short (24 weeks) course.
As you get more information. pass it on here and we will help you. I understand how you feel and know there is another side to it - a beginning, middle AND AN END.
Keep you chin up and be in touch here
Anne
Fortuntely even if you just got it, hcv is a very slowly progressing disease. In fact most with die with it and not from it. So, even in a worse case scenario you are not in any rush to treat it or worry about end stage liver disease.
I believe the odds for getting it via a needlelstick are very very low. It could be possible you picked it up earlier somewhere but if you just got it and are in the acute stage.....it's easier to beat it then but you certainly dont have to.
I hope it turns out well for you and that while you have the antibodies you do not have the virus. Good luck.
I believe the odds for getting it via a needlelstick are very very low. It could be possible you picked it up earlier somewhere but if you just got it and are in the acute stage.....it's easier to beat it then but you certainly dont have to.
I hope it turns out well for you and that while you have the antibodies you do not have the virus. Good luck.
I just went and had my PCR drawn and of course I am praying for negative but remaining realistic as well. I am not even sure if I could get a negative. Do you remember what your antibody s/c ratio was when you came back reactive?
Thank you sooo much for the post. I have read your reply about 3 times already and I feel like a sponge trying to soak up any info that I can.
How bad are the treatments?? Also, since this was done on the job I am having to go thru the proper channels and follow protocols so based on the PCR results I assume I will be referred to another MD.
I did get to talk to an infectious disease MD on the phone today and he was EXTREMELY positive and said that treatments out today can eradicate the virus. I do know that the source I contracted it from was genotype 1b which I have heard less than favorable things about this type but also have heard that with treatment the chances of life ending liver failure and liver cancer are drastically reduced. Please feel free to correct me! Again, I am desperately seeking info and finding it in abundance on the web while trying to gather info from reputable sources.
Do you remember how long it took or know how long it takes to get the PCR back? And does the reactive antibody mean that I definitely have hcv? I hear that it does then I hear that it shows exposure?? Also, in your case with your treatment, are you free of the virus?? Will your viral load levels be in the undetectable range or will they be zero. Just a lot of questions? I know that the patient I contracted it from ha a viral load (quant) of 79k. She didn't know she had it and was 84, retired nurse.
Thanks again. Yesterday and today have been a rollercoaster and getting your post made it a lot better.
Thank you sooo much for the post. I have read your reply about 3 times already and I feel like a sponge trying to soak up any info that I can.
How bad are the treatments?? Also, since this was done on the job I am having to go thru the proper channels and follow protocols so based on the PCR results I assume I will be referred to another MD.
I did get to talk to an infectious disease MD on the phone today and he was EXTREMELY positive and said that treatments out today can eradicate the virus. I do know that the source I contracted it from was genotype 1b which I have heard less than favorable things about this type but also have heard that with treatment the chances of life ending liver failure and liver cancer are drastically reduced. Please feel free to correct me! Again, I am desperately seeking info and finding it in abundance on the web while trying to gather info from reputable sources.
Do you remember how long it took or know how long it takes to get the PCR back? And does the reactive antibody mean that I definitely have hcv? I hear that it does then I hear that it shows exposure?? Also, in your case with your treatment, are you free of the virus?? Will your viral load levels be in the undetectable range or will they be zero. Just a lot of questions? I know that the patient I contracted it from ha a viral load (quant) of 79k. She didn't know she had it and was 84, retired nurse.
Thanks again. Yesterday and today have been a rollercoaster and getting your post made it a lot better.
Hi there...sometimes a weakly reactive positive on an antibodies test can be a false positive,however because you had a known exposure to HCV ,that is unlikely.Thats not to say tho,that you have antibodies and could not have cleared the virus by your own immune system. This happens in about 15 -25% of cases.If that is the case the PRC will come back negative.If the PCR comes back positive then you have active HCV infection.
As far as treatment goes..if you treat during the acute stage the success rate is approx. 90 %,so good news there.
Depending on were you live your PCR results could take a number of days ..,if in the U.S someone else may have a better handle on that as I am in Canada..it takes about 10 days here.
Try not to panic..as you may or may not know,being in health care..HCV is a very slow mover that most often takes many years and most often decades to do any liver damage...and treatments are becoming more and more efficient all the time.
Good luck on the PCR and welcome..
Will
As far as treatment goes..if you treat during the acute stage the success rate is approx. 90 %,so good news there.
Depending on were you live your PCR results could take a number of days ..,if in the U.S someone else may have a better handle on that as I am in Canada..it takes about 10 days here.
Try not to panic..as you may or may not know,being in health care..HCV is a very slow mover that most often takes many years and most often decades to do any liver damage...and treatments are becoming more and more efficient all the time.
Good luck on the PCR and welcome..
Will
The thought is to treat aggressively during the acute stage so your success rate is in the 90 percentile and you treat for a shorter period of time. This is what my GI who is a Tufts GI recommended. I was undetectable at 2 weeks and then again at 8 and 16 and without the addition of the new 3rd drug. I am also geno 1b.
If you do find you are newly infected, it would be good to have the conversation with your doctor about:
a) waiting a little to see if you clear on your own - but have a cut off date so you don't wait too long
b) starting on the just Peginterferon straight away to try to give your immune system a boost and perhaps avoiding future duel treatment with the Ribavirin
c) Treating aggressively if you do find you have to treat
Really, before you find out your final results, it would be a good idea to stay as healthy as possible and do everything possible to give your body a chance to rid itself of the virus. I am an older chick so my chances were not great from the outset but I was able to start treating from a very healthy position.
Above all, relax and do your homework. It is not a death sentence.
If you do find you are newly infected, it would be good to have the conversation with your doctor about:
a) waiting a little to see if you clear on your own - but have a cut off date so you don't wait too long
b) starting on the just Peginterferon straight away to try to give your immune system a boost and perhaps avoiding future duel treatment with the Ribavirin
c) Treating aggressively if you do find you have to treat
Really, before you find out your final results, it would be a good idea to stay as healthy as possible and do everything possible to give your body a chance to rid itself of the virus. I am an older chick so my chances were not great from the outset but I was able to start treating from a very healthy position.
Above all, relax and do your homework. It is not a death sentence.
Gosh, thanks a lot for all of the great info! The day of the needle stick I tested non reactive so I know this is related to the the needle stick so that would make this acute I guess. It's been 16 weeks today. And as far as the needle stick, I was told I had a 3% chance of seroconversion which I guess I did since I developed antibodies. The needle was a pediatric butterfly approx 24/25 guage.
Again, thanks for the encouragement and important info. I am grateful that if I do have it, I know when the exposure occured and can get treatment sooner than later if needed.
What makes someone out of the "acute" phase? I of course would like to get treatment within the time frame/window of the 90% success rate if possible. I know I have a lot of info to receive yet as far as being able to make decisions and this is somewhat hypothetical in some aspects.
Again, thanks for the encouragement and important info. I am grateful that if I do have it, I know when the exposure occured and can get treatment sooner than later if needed.
What makes someone out of the "acute" phase? I of course would like to get treatment within the time frame/window of the 90% success rate if possible. I know I have a lot of info to receive yet as far as being able to make decisions and this is somewhat hypothetical in some aspects.
You would be getting close to the chronic stage now..I believe infection any longer than 6 months is considered chronic. So ...obvoiusly there is nothing to be done until such time you get your PCR results other than staying healthy and complete abstinence from alcohol and if you haven"t spontaneously cleared by indication from the PCR a conversation with a Hepa or a knowledgeable G.I. about when to tx. would seem warranted.
Good luck...let us know on the PCR.
Will
ALTHOUGH - there is thought that the acute stage can last over a year or so. They just know so little about the acutes. My GI still considered me acute when I started treating 8 months post probable exposure.
And yes Peachy, it does seem to be largely hypothetical when it comes to Acute HCV. Because so few of us are caught so early, there isn't a whole lot of data. What is clear is that the cure rate is significantly higher if the treatments are started early - usually about 4 months after exposure. I didn't because of a doctor change, but still had great results....so far.
And yes Peachy, it does seem to be largely hypothetical when it comes to Acute HCV. Because so few of us are caught so early, there isn't a whole lot of data. What is clear is that the cure rate is significantly higher if the treatments are started early - usually about 4 months after exposure. I didn't because of a doctor change, but still had great results....so far.
Hi, peach. I'm a retired RN (male) who somehow picked Hep C up in the early '80s. Still don't remember any needle stick (hated filling out Incident Reports!) so I probably was exposed when one of my pts' bled out from esophageal variscies and blood was everywhere. No way to tell.
Now, like most of the other folks here have responded to you, I'm gonna say the same thing,...calm down. Go check the CDC info page on Hep C for good info. I think I remember the self-cure rate for acute infection is something like 55-60%, so there's a good chance it won't go chronic. If it does, as one of the other folks noted, it's a slow-progressing situation. I've had mine for about 29 yrs now and have only in the last year progressed to cirrhosis (technically). There are some knowledgable people on this forum, so you're in good company. Personally, I'm waiting for my Hepa-guy to call about starting one of the new anti-virals regimens.
In response to your question for info on INF/Riba Tx: I non-responded to the INF regimen twice (!). If you do get put on it, all I can tell you is my experiences, others have different reactions. The first 24 hrs I could have sworn I had malaria. The chills were pretty rough. But by 36-48 hrs they were gone. Over the next few months I developed an itching over all the long bones (shins, forearms) but nowhere else. Had to glove my hands at night to keep from scratching. My nose ran like a faucet, and I carried paper towels instead of Kleenex. But other than those things, I actually felt pretty good. Maybe it was knowing that I was doing something to kill the little critters, but every time my doc asked if I was depressed or suicidal, I'd tell him I actually had more energy and was in a better mood than before! Unfortunately, both times, after six months my PCR had gone UP. Oh, well..... We'll see how the new Tx works for me.
So calm down and read up on factual data (verify anything you read!) . BTW, CDC says that they feel that only 3-4% of transmission is sexual and there's a chance that data is too high. My wife still tests negative after 25 yrs. There seems to be some good folks on this forum.
Carry on, trooper. ---Palera
Now, like most of the other folks here have responded to you, I'm gonna say the same thing,...calm down. Go check the CDC info page on Hep C for good info. I think I remember the self-cure rate for acute infection is something like 55-60%, so there's a good chance it won't go chronic. If it does, as one of the other folks noted, it's a slow-progressing situation. I've had mine for about 29 yrs now and have only in the last year progressed to cirrhosis (technically). There are some knowledgable people on this forum, so you're in good company. Personally, I'm waiting for my Hepa-guy to call about starting one of the new anti-virals regimens.
In response to your question for info on INF/Riba Tx: I non-responded to the INF regimen twice (!). If you do get put on it, all I can tell you is my experiences, others have different reactions. The first 24 hrs I could have sworn I had malaria. The chills were pretty rough. But by 36-48 hrs they were gone. Over the next few months I developed an itching over all the long bones (shins, forearms) but nowhere else. Had to glove my hands at night to keep from scratching. My nose ran like a faucet, and I carried paper towels instead of Kleenex. But other than those things, I actually felt pretty good. Maybe it was knowing that I was doing something to kill the little critters, but every time my doc asked if I was depressed or suicidal, I'd tell him I actually had more energy and was in a better mood than before! Unfortunately, both times, after six months my PCR had gone UP. Oh, well..... We'll see how the new Tx works for me.
So calm down and read up on factual data (verify anything you read!) . BTW, CDC says that they feel that only 3-4% of transmission is sexual and there's a chance that data is too high. My wife still tests negative after 25 yrs. There seems to be some good folks on this forum.
Carry on, trooper. ---Palera
Got my PCR results back this morning and they were NEGATIVE! This is a negative results 15 weeks post exposure following a reactive antibody of 1.29. I can't believe it actually. I am going to follow up Sept 5th which will be 6 months since my March 4th exposure from a needlestick! I can't say enough about all of the fellow forum posters and the unbelievable amout of support I have felt and received in the last few days!
Your comments and encouragement are priceless and made a significant impact on my life and will continue to do so.
Thanks again or te encouragement and knowledge base!
Your comments and encouragement are priceless and made a significant impact on my life and will continue to do so.
Thanks again or te encouragement and knowledge base!
Good news, Peach-ster! I'd neglected to put in some info in my posting that might have also helped to keep you calm. There are various forms of our bod's reaction to exposure. There's antibody (Ab) formation to the surface of the viral coat and is, I believe, abbreviated as AbS. It means the immune system has "seen" a virus particle in the bloodstream. Then there's AbC, or antibody to the Core of the virus. There, the viral DNA goodie inside has been detected by our immune system; that's more worrisome. It's possible to have AbS and never develop AbC. I think I found this information (for a friend in your position) on the CDC website.
Anyway, good news, but keep us all posted on developments.
--- Patrick
Anyway, good news, but keep us all posted on developments.
--- Patrick
Heard I may need a PCR ultraquant. Measures lower level than PCR would. Any info??
your signal of 1.29 is considered a 'weak pos.' With a reading that low, there is a good
chance it is a 'false pos.' Ask your doctor for a 'RIBA' confirmatory test. Riba is very
SPECIFIC for Hcv antibody. the screening tests are very SENSITIVE for antibodies
and may cross react with antibodies other than Hcv to give a 'false pos reading.'
If the Riba is neg, that means you never had Hcv antibody and the screening test
was a false pos. the pcr looks for the actual virus. With that being neg, you do
not have the virus. Hopefully, your riba will be neg and that would mean no prior
exposure. Patients who clear the virus retain the antibodies for a LONG time,
usually the rest of their life.
Anyway, if you need a place to go for the Riba test, call 'request a test.'
Thanks. I am not sure why the md wanted an ultra quantitative. Thus would be a workers comp situation and I guarantee you my hospital won't pat for another teat since Thr qualitative PCR was negative. The md wants to treat as soon as possible since I am at 17 weeks so I guess that's why he wants the ultraquant PCR??? I agree with him just trying to figure out what to do and if I can pay out of pocket because i bet my health insurance wont pay for it with it being a workers comp situation. My go to my priimary care md tomorrow and see what he says.
So just to back track, anibody positive, qualitative PCR negative and currently nothing scheduled until sept 5 when I will have another PCR maybe.
Nurse practitioner friend just said that GI doctor she works for would recommend a ultra quantitative pcr.
That is where i stand now.
Nurse practitioner friend just said that GI doctor she works for would recommend a ultra quantitative pcr.
That is where i stand now.
Do your self a favor and ask for the Riba confirmatory antibody test. Since your
screening test was a 'weak pos' thre is a good chance your Riba will be neg and then
ALL your worries are over.
The md wants to treat as soon as possible since I am at 17 weeks so I guess that's why he wants the ultraquant PCR??? "
If you had a PCR come back negative I can't see why he would want to treat you, it means you do not have the virus. I mean the test they used couldn't have been that old.....
If you had a PCR come back negative I can't see why he would want to treat you, it means you do not have the virus. I mean the test they used couldn't have been that old.....
Hey nygirl7, He was wanting a more specific test I think to detect lower levels of the virus if there were any present so that tx could start sooner than the 6 month time frame.
I understood him to mean that the ultraquant could detect sometimes what the qualitative PCR couldn't. Who knows though? Could have been just an md test preference. I have no worries was just kinda wanting all the forum experts to weigh in!!
Thanks and I am going to enjoy my neg PCR results as some of you suggested!
I understood him to mean that the ultraquant could detect sometimes what the qualitative PCR couldn't. Who knows though? Could have been just an md test preference. I have no worries was just kinda wanting all the forum experts to weigh in!!
Thanks and I am going to enjoy my neg PCR results as some of you suggested!
Something is not adding up here. You have a neg Pcr, correct? That means you
do NOT have Hcv. there is NO reason to begin treatment. a qualitative Pcr is very
sensitive and your post says it was neg. for sure, you do not have Hcv.
IMO, there is a good chance you do not have the antibody to Hcv. that is why I
suggested you ask for the Riba test. Is your doctor confusing hep C antibody
and hep C virus? Something is not adding up here.
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