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Testing for Hepatitis C.
Awhile ago I was at work and someone touched my counter with blood and smeared a little bit on the counter. I didn't necessarily use the proper procedures and realized after I wiped off the blood, I had a small cut (with skin still attached) on my finger. None of my blood was coming from it and the cut was caused by dry skin due to the winter.
I freaked out and went to the doctor. He and a nurse both said the chances of me getting a blood disease are slim to none but to grant my anxiety a break, he gave a blood test a day before it was considered a month since the situation happened. It came back negative. The doctor said there wasn't a reason to test anymore.
I tested for HIV and it came back negative after 3 months. So I was clear of the anxiety from the HIV fears. Nothing bad there considered that HIV barely lasts out of the body but the websites were always saying "Oh HCV lasts for DAYS" and so on...
A few weeks ago, I was on the internet and saw that people were saying that the results wouldn't be accurate unless it was 6 months since the exposure. I went to the doctor with again another worry... he tested me with the knowledge that since it was over 4 months since it happened and said that the test would be correct and there wasn't a need to test again.
Am I crazy? I'm taking anxiety meds from all this worrying about really I'm so tired of having this in the back of my head. Should I test again at the 6 month mark or just let it go?
I freaked out and went to the doctor. He and a nurse both said the chances of me getting a blood disease are slim to none but to grant my anxiety a break, he gave a blood test a day before it was considered a month since the situation happened. It came back negative. The doctor said there wasn't a reason to test anymore.
I tested for HIV and it came back negative after 3 months. So I was clear of the anxiety from the HIV fears. Nothing bad there considered that HIV barely lasts out of the body but the websites were always saying "Oh HCV lasts for DAYS" and so on...
A few weeks ago, I was on the internet and saw that people were saying that the results wouldn't be accurate unless it was 6 months since the exposure. I went to the doctor with again another worry... he tested me with the knowledge that since it was over 4 months since it happened and said that the test would be correct and there wasn't a need to test again.
Am I crazy? I'm taking anxiety meds from all this worrying about really I'm so tired of having this in the back of my head. Should I test again at the 6 month mark or just let it go?
Most people will have the antibodies by 4 months, but what you describe about your exposure sounds like you have noting to worry about anyhow. You said you had a cut but that it wasn't bleeding... which means it had clotted. That forms a barrier to your bloodstream, and unless you soaked your hand in a bowl of blood for a while, and maybe pulled on your cut, no other blood could get in. I think you are safe.
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