Aa
What do you think my risk is?
Thank you for your reply, To clear things up a bit i'll break it down a bit better for you, I believe my roommate used my toothbrush last night and then I used it this morning. After I used the toothbrush I got scared of getting infected with one of the three infections I mentioned before. So let me ask a straight question.
1. Would using this toothbrush this morning after he used it last night be able to infect me with HBV, HCV or HIV? Not sure if he had blood in his mouth.
Second, after I used the toothbrush I got scared as stated above. I have a few HBV tests I ordered online for home use. I asked him to try the test. (The test works by putting 5 drops of blood on to a test strip and waiting for the results) They give you a small plastic device with the home rapid test to suck up the blood from your finger and transfer it to the test strip. He did not know how to use it to suck up the blood so I did it for him. I sucked up one drop at a time and transfered it to the test 5 times, I was carful not to get any blood on my hands etc. BUT when I was squeezing the last drop of blood on to the test strip it splattered due to a air bubble in the plastic sucker. The blood drop splattered on to the test. So here is my question regarding this information.
2. As the blood drop splattered onto the test, If some of the splatter came in contact with my mouth, eyes or nose would this cause infection of HIV, HCV or HBV? Most of the splatter went on the test card, but the little specks may have entered my mucus membrains. Please give your honest oppinion sir. The sucker basicly "Spit the blood drop out and caused a splatter?
3. Also I took one of the home tests (5 minutes) before I helped him with his. So i pricked my finger to take the test. Would my finger be healed so no virus could enter my blood stream if my finger was pricked 5 minutes earlyer and no blood was coming out?
4. Does it take just a small amount of blood (1 drop) for transmission of HIV, HCV or HBV to ocurr or would it take much more blood than that?
1. Would using this toothbrush this morning after he used it last night be able to infect me with HBV, HCV or HIV? Not sure if he had blood in his mouth.
Second, after I used the toothbrush I got scared as stated above. I have a few HBV tests I ordered online for home use. I asked him to try the test. (The test works by putting 5 drops of blood on to a test strip and waiting for the results) They give you a small plastic device with the home rapid test to suck up the blood from your finger and transfer it to the test strip. He did not know how to use it to suck up the blood so I did it for him. I sucked up one drop at a time and transfered it to the test 5 times, I was carful not to get any blood on my hands etc. BUT when I was squeezing the last drop of blood on to the test strip it splattered due to a air bubble in the plastic sucker. The blood drop splattered on to the test. So here is my question regarding this information.
2. As the blood drop splattered onto the test, If some of the splatter came in contact with my mouth, eyes or nose would this cause infection of HIV, HCV or HBV? Most of the splatter went on the test card, but the little specks may have entered my mucus membrains. Please give your honest oppinion sir. The sucker basicly "Spit the blood drop out and caused a splatter?
3. Also I took one of the home tests (5 minutes) before I helped him with his. So i pricked my finger to take the test. Would my finger be healed so no virus could enter my blood stream if my finger was pricked 5 minutes earlyer and no blood was coming out?
4. Does it take just a small amount of blood (1 drop) for transmission of HIV, HCV or HBV to ocurr or would it take much more blood than that?
Is your roommate ill, or are you just speculating that ne might have one of the conditions that you fear? Did you ask him if he used your toothbrush? And why do you keep a few HBV test kits around?
You seem to have a lot of anxiety. Maybe consider speaking to a professional about that.
You seem to have a lot of anxiety. Maybe consider speaking to a professional about that.
First off your room mate would have to be infected in order for you to catch anything. Since this is the HCV forum I will address that. The only way to transmit HCV is for infected blood to get into an open, bleeding wound on you. There is a chance with the toothbrush, but it is very slight.
Life has enough stress without worrying about unnecessary things. Get both yourself and your room mate tested and quit worrying about it
Diane
Life has enough stress without worrying about unnecessary things. Get both yourself and your room mate tested and quit worrying about it
Diane
What other tests do you have lying around? Don't you have gloves since you have such a tremendous fear of HBV? Alcohol swabs? Something protective?
Why would your roomate use your toothbrush anyway doesnt he have his own?
Why would your roomate use your toothbrush anyway doesnt he have his own?
Why don't you go to your family doctor and explain all this to him. He not only can give you advice regarding exposure but can also recommend a professional who will counsel you regarding your obsession with contracting infectious diseases.
Trinity
Trinity
I don't get the using another person's toothbrush. My 13 year old niece over the summer bounced out of the bathroom saying that she used my toothbrush but rinsed it well. Shortly after that I was diagnosed with acute hcv. Geez - ya just can't do that - it's weird -only my opinion- but it is weird.
Actually... long before I knew I had HCV... if I discovered that somebody used my toothbrush, my first reaction was to boil the thing before I used it again
yeah - I just throw it out. EW - not a germ freak but tooth brushes are off limits. Now I hide it.
I know that there were times that my kids probably used mine when they were small but that to me is totally different. Still I wish they never had now but it goes to show how non-efficient method of transmission that is. Shoot with all the major cuts I've gotten over the years that my son bandaged up for me as "man of the house" and things like that.....Pretty soon we'll be getting letters asking about forks in restaurants "dear medhelp I was at a steak house the other night and I think the fork might have cut my cheek do I have hepc".
Hey maybe I'll post that under a pseudonym (spelling?) and then never post again!
Hey maybe I'll post that under a pseudonym (spelling?) and then never post again!
I think I have already seen that one. The fork had dried blood on it, I think... can you imagine using it and then asking if they could have caught HCV? People are really strange some times.
Ha! My sons would sooner give up beer pong than use something of mine - mom germs. It's the food particles lodged between someone's teeth that gets me squeamish - there might be a vegetable remnant !!
Not likely with kids....vegetables?????????? Mine eat them because I force them, but you'd think they were toxic or something by how fast they get them down and then wash them down with their drink.
HA !! The only vegetable my youngest got when he was younger were the peas hi older brother made him shove up his nose.
Truthfully - the youngest came home from preschool one time asking for the "food that people eat" meaning vegetables and specifically bananas. Reverse psychology worked.
You are a good mother ! I think they ARE toxic and still gag them down
Truthfully - the youngest came home from preschool one time asking for the "food that people eat" meaning vegetables and specifically bananas. Reverse psychology worked.
You are a good mother ! I think they ARE toxic and still gag them down
LOL I still have to gag them down too. Except potatoes I dont seem to have any problem with potatoes at all unfortunately!
Damn Diane already saw the dried bloody fork now I gotta think up something more original!
I saw a $20 bill so I picked it up. At first I didn't notice but the longer I stared at it the more I realized it had some dried stuff on it! At first I thought it might be ketchup because I think I saw some ketchup packets laying nearby it but then I looked even closer. I stared long and hard, I even tried to smell it! Well, then I was sure it was blood! It was $20 so I didn't want to give it up so I took it to the store and traded it in to the clerk for two tens. And I swear I think I saw some blood on one of them too! The drug addict that lost the $20 probably went into the store to buy some drug addict type thing and so now I've been exposed twice. Help I think I have HCV! Did I get it from the first $20 when I tried to smell it or from the second ten when I licked it to see if it was indeed ketchup or not? Help!
Damn Diane already saw the dried bloody fork now I gotta think up something more original!
I saw a $20 bill so I picked it up. At first I didn't notice but the longer I stared at it the more I realized it had some dried stuff on it! At first I thought it might be ketchup because I think I saw some ketchup packets laying nearby it but then I looked even closer. I stared long and hard, I even tried to smell it! Well, then I was sure it was blood! It was $20 so I didn't want to give it up so I took it to the store and traded it in to the clerk for two tens. And I swear I think I saw some blood on one of them too! The drug addict that lost the $20 probably went into the store to buy some drug addict type thing and so now I've been exposed twice. Help I think I have HCV! Did I get it from the first $20 when I tried to smell it or from the second ten when I licked it to see if it was indeed ketchup or not? Help!
Well you guys laugh but SOMEHOW I got acute HCV geno 6 - the immaculate conception for sure. It probably wasn't via dollar bills though.
Weird thoughts do go through your head when you truly don't know - AND who licks red stuff off dollar bills - I remember that post. I would be more worried about snot - Oh I thought it was blood but its-snot Ha Ha
Weird thoughts do go through your head when you truly don't know - AND who licks red stuff off dollar bills - I remember that post. I would be more worried about snot - Oh I thought it was blood but its-snot Ha Ha
James,
On TrueBlood they did not like the blood of a man infected with HBV - I dont think they could catch it but they didn't like it at all and wouldn't drink it. I'd imagine if they could get it that they'd all have it but since they dont have livers that function it wouldn't bother them.
wow I'm not wierd or anything am I?
Anne I sure dont understand how you ended up with geno 6 but at least that is not a worry for you any more. Now you won't have to eat vegetables to get your strength up :D
And darn another story someone remembers this is going to take ssome work thinking up something that nobody ever heard of before. Now that door knobs, car tires and snorkles are also off the list it's almost impossible!
On TrueBlood they did not like the blood of a man infected with HBV - I dont think they could catch it but they didn't like it at all and wouldn't drink it. I'd imagine if they could get it that they'd all have it but since they dont have livers that function it wouldn't bother them.
wow I'm not wierd or anything am I?
Anne I sure dont understand how you ended up with geno 6 but at least that is not a worry for you any more. Now you won't have to eat vegetables to get your strength up :D
And darn another story someone remembers this is going to take ssome work thinking up something that nobody ever heard of before. Now that door knobs, car tires and snorkles are also off the list it's almost impossible!
staplers!!! What if I got a staple stuck in my finger and threw it in the rubbish and then you picked it up and stabbed yourself with it?
I HOPE I don' that to worry and HCV or no HCV I couldn't do the vegetable thing. My idea of a fruit allowance was the cherry at the bottom of a Manhattan ! Margaritas have vit C and Tab has calcium.
I HOPE I don' that to worry and HCV or no HCV I couldn't do the vegetable thing. My idea of a fruit allowance was the cherry at the bottom of a Manhattan ! Margaritas have vit C and Tab has calcium.
Yeah - I thought it was ketchup but it's not - it's snot
Oh I have to get a life - or a man
Oh I have to get a life - or a man
Annie it sounds like we would get along just fabulous I feel the exact same way!
Probably we can't though cause we're just too snotty!
Probably cause we dont eat enough vegetables (although if ketchup is considered a vegetable then we're covered - we can send ours to Diane's kids instead at least she can make them eat them! :)
Actually I shouldn't lie my daughter LOVES vegetables but my son thinks chicken nuggets are an entire essential food group. go figure like mother like son I guess!
Probably we can't though cause we're just too snotty!
Probably cause we dont eat enough vegetables (although if ketchup is considered a vegetable then we're covered - we can send ours to Diane's kids instead at least she can make them eat them! :)
Actually I shouldn't lie my daughter LOVES vegetables but my son thinks chicken nuggets are an entire essential food group. go figure like mother like son I guess!
There was a reputable study a few years back that if you ate well - vegetables, fruits - you know - the pyramid crap, not smoke, (which I never have anyway) you would live 5 years longer than those who don't take care of themselves. Hell, I will forfeit the 5 years. You can't do this that or the other thing and now with HCV I can't even have my occasional St Emilion with lamb chops. HA! Glad I am clearing because that is kind of a family rule - St Emilion with lamb. Truthfully I have always stayed in the little box but like the idea of rebellion - a wannabe.
Well tomato sauce is a vegetable - can you make a dip for your son for the nuggets? How old are your kids? I guess as long as he doesn't have scurvy or rickets all is well and I figure the meat we eat was fed on grass or grain so we must be able to derive some nutrients that way eh?
AND - are you really standing next to Steve Tyler? Before he was famous he played at our high school dance way back in the early 70's - small town high school. We are all huge fans and my sons go see them anytime they are around. They just played at Fenway with J Geils. The kids said it was a good show but not great. They played a mediocre set.
Well tomato sauce is a vegetable - can you make a dip for your son for the nuggets? How old are your kids? I guess as long as he doesn't have scurvy or rickets all is well and I figure the meat we eat was fed on grass or grain so we must be able to derive some nutrients that way eh?
AND - are you really standing next to Steve Tyler? Before he was famous he played at our high school dance way back in the early 70's - small town high school. We are all huge fans and my sons go see them anytime they are around. They just played at Fenway with J Geils. The kids said it was a good show but not great. They played a mediocre set.
I have to admit I find all the comments and remarks funny. The questions sometimes irritate me, but you guys entertain me. I cant help but wonder who has thought this up, are they trying to entertain us, or do they truely have other illinesses.... But the tooth brush I am sure is how I got hep C, because although I did have sex with my husband (uck) every 6 or 7 months, and yes he did beat me badly(but I was the only one bleading therefore no blood to blood there) He always showered first, and he carelessly and w/no reguard to me used my toothbrush a million times (I was irritaited, grossed out , but a girl has gotta brush, and I did not think it would kill me since we had had sex I had been tested for other STD's all my life), but we both did have bleeding gums, and usually i was in shower while he used my t.brush and when I got out I brushed. I did'nt know he had a diease, but he knew he had Hep c. I found out on a police report... Right now I start Tx next week. hum. one of my lower teeth is too loose (I should stop playing with it) Im hoping it wont fall out or fall out with Tx. I plan on removing a few teeth and getting a partial. But today I cant afford it. I start a job next week too. I dont want to start toothless.
Sorry to hear of your struggles. Ot sounds like you are on the road to recovery though and I wish you the best. As for the humor, I spent over 25 years in Al Anon and our meetings were a mixture of hysterical laughter and tears. People were going through the worst of things but somehow would eek out a smile. I believe it is through the laughter we grow and make progress - or at least not get consumed by the difficulties facing us. For me, as the years pass, I gain perspective and no loner feel the pain of what was once unbearable.
I hope you will always laugh and that your treatment will go well.
Best, Anne
I hope you will always laugh and that your treatment will go well.
Best, Anne
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Hepatitis C Community
Learn about this treatable virus.
Getting tested for this viral infection.
3 key steps to getting on treatment.
4 steps to getting on therapy.
What you need to know about Hep C drugs.
How the drugs might affect you.
These tips may up your chances of a cure.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
