Aa
Some advice for a worried new guy please
Hi,
I searched the forums and found some good info from good people. So I am hoping someone can help me out.
Couple of days ago, I was playing some football. During the game, I got a small (about droplet size) scrape on my leg since I was wearing shorts. Then a guy had a cut on his face/forehead and tackled me. I got some of his blood smeared on my pants but couldnt tell if it was on my cut. I stopped playing and left.
Do you guys think this is a signifcant exposure for Hep C and should I get tested?
I was tested about 1 month ago and came up with weird results. I had a positve anitbody test cut off of 2.34. >8 was considered very positive. Then i had a negative antibody result with a neg quantitative HCV RNA that was only good to 615 IU/ml with a negative/und genotype. I had a RIBA done and that came out negative.
My 2 questions are...1-should i be worried about the football thing? 2- doc said the antibody test was a false positive. should i rest easy? Thanks guys.
I searched the forums and found some good info from good people. So I am hoping someone can help me out.
Couple of days ago, I was playing some football. During the game, I got a small (about droplet size) scrape on my leg since I was wearing shorts. Then a guy had a cut on his face/forehead and tackled me. I got some of his blood smeared on my pants but couldnt tell if it was on my cut. I stopped playing and left.
Do you guys think this is a signifcant exposure for Hep C and should I get tested?
I was tested about 1 month ago and came up with weird results. I had a positve anitbody test cut off of 2.34. >8 was considered very positive. Then i had a negative antibody result with a neg quantitative HCV RNA that was only good to 615 IU/ml with a negative/und genotype. I had a RIBA done and that came out negative.
My 2 questions are...1-should i be worried about the football thing? 2- doc said the antibody test was a false positive. should i rest easy? Thanks guys.
i agree with everyone who has responded to you. If you want to worry about something,
make it something which is possible such as winning the lottery or getting run over by
bus. Hep C is not a worry for you. Your tests are neg. Stop worrying, stop testing.
make it something which is possible such as winning the lottery or getting run over by
bus. Hep C is not a worry for you. Your tests are neg. Stop worrying, stop testing.
First off. thank you to all that have replied. I appreciate every comment and advice.
Its just that i was very traumatized after my first incident. to be honest, i read almost every thread about hep c testing on this forum. it was extremely informative.
I know this is overkill, but can you guys help me with one thing. Please dont flame me.
The football thing I went through seemed like an "exposure" to me. i mean it could be considered have been blood to broken skin? Is it hard or impossible to get hep c this way? Im not too worried about hiv, because its hard to catch and im hep b immunized.
But all the posts seem to point this is a very hard way to catch it. am i misunderstanding something or is my definition of exposure too much? THanks soo much and sorry about being too crazy. any posts would be appreciated!!
Its just that i was very traumatized after my first incident. to be honest, i read almost every thread about hep c testing on this forum. it was extremely informative.
I know this is overkill, but can you guys help me with one thing. Please dont flame me.
The football thing I went through seemed like an "exposure" to me. i mean it could be considered have been blood to broken skin? Is it hard or impossible to get hep c this way? Im not too worried about hiv, because its hard to catch and im hep b immunized.
But all the posts seem to point this is a very hard way to catch it. am i misunderstanding something or is my definition of exposure too much? THanks soo much and sorry about being too crazy. any posts would be appreciated!!
I would worry more about who ended up winning the game. If you still obsess with this after the good answers you received here then a visit to the mental health forums may be in order.
No more elaboration is necessary. Bill is correct. You are negative Enjoy your life.
Test in 6 months if you still have concerns. Becoming paranoid about possible exposure to hepc will negatively impact your psychological well being. There are other infectious diseases besides hepc which you may never know you came in contact with and you seem healthy so stop worrying and have fun. Play ball!!!
Trinity
Test in 6 months if you still have concerns. Becoming paranoid about possible exposure to hepc will negatively impact your psychological well being. There are other infectious diseases besides hepc which you may never know you came in contact with and you seem healthy so stop worrying and have fun. Play ball!!!
Trinity
I was tested as part of a complete physical exam. They tested for everything. I have no history of transfusions or IDU (or any recreational drugs). after that ordeal, i will not lie i have become very paranoid. It was a rough month in my life. But I found this forum and it helped me understand things a bit better. it also taught me some respect,understanding and compassion to patients of the hep c.
anyways,
bill---thanks for the reply. i was worried because they say that it can theoretically be transferred via broken skin. Just trying to understand if this would be considered an "exposure". I have the thought that it needs a way to go "into" your body, through a needle stick or transfusion. But some people dont have that risk factor and my football incident seemed like a way to get it.
can anyone elaborate a bit more? personal experience or what MDs say. Thanks mucho.
anyways,
bill---thanks for the reply. i was worried because they say that it can theoretically be transferred via broken skin. Just trying to understand if this would be considered an "exposure". I have the thought that it needs a way to go "into" your body, through a needle stick or transfusion. But some people dont have that risk factor and my football incident seemed like a way to get it.
can anyone elaborate a bit more? personal experience or what MDs say. Thanks mucho.
Why did you teste 1 month ago?
If it wasn´t because you hade put a needle in your arm or have been in hospital for a blood transfusion, I´m pretty sure you shall not be on this forum but on the OCD forum.
good luck!!
ca
If it wasn´t because you hade put a needle in your arm or have been in hospital for a blood transfusion, I´m pretty sure you shall not be on this forum but on the OCD forum.
good luck!!
ca
A negative RIBA result rules out exposure; and the negative RNA result rules out any existing infection. I would conclude that the antibody test (EIA?) was indeed a false positive; the low EIA s c/o ratio result is consistent with that as well.
1) HCV is a virus that is vectored by blood to blood contact; although the disease could be transmitted by the method you describe on paper, in real life, it doesn’t seem to occur that way.
2) I would heartily agree with the doctor; the antibody test was a false positive.
3) Rest Easy :o)
1) HCV is a virus that is vectored by blood to blood contact; although the disease could be transmitted by the method you describe on paper, in real life, it doesn’t seem to occur that way.
2) I would heartily agree with the doctor; the antibody test was a false positive.
3) Rest Easy :o)
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