Origin of HCV infection - Canadians in particular

[Trish77]

First off.. I have to apologize for posting so much in such a short period of time.. this site is a godsend and I'm reading archives and trying to do as much research as I can without asking too MANY questions... and all at once...

This one I need to ask.  I have two possible risk factors for my HCV.  One was a blood transfusion in 1984 and the other was prior in the late 70's and admittedly, intravenous drug use.  I always feel a need to add the caveat that I've drastically changed my life around once I hit my twenties but there it is.  

If you are from Canada, there is compensation available for people who received blood transfusions within my time frame.  There didn't used to be but there is now.  

However.  My doc tells me that because of my second possible risk factor, I'd be disqualified from any compensation.

Is it possible to pinpoint the exact time of infection and cause?

Is there anyone from Canada who has had both risk factors and dealt with the compensation issue?

Thanks for any info.

[asle]

Hi. This thread is over 6 years old.
If you have any questions, then best to use little brown oval on top of page.
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[philthom4s]

You asked for a personal lawyer to represent you, well there one is.

[Trish77]

DayLyn, thank you very much for that information.  I went to that link and read the settlement agreement.  It doesn't automatically preclude me because I did IV drugs at one time. It does require me to demonstrate that I have reasonable grounds to believe that I got HCV from the blood transfusion in 1984, which to me is fair to all parties.  I registered with a legal firm from Alberta this week and it happens to be the one cited in the settlement agreement.  Lucky call.  I already have a phone appointment scheduled with a lawyer from that firm and I'll discuss it with him and see how it goes.  Will do my research in the meantime...I do have some reasons to believe this is from the transfusion but don't know if they're grounded in fact.  And so it goes.  Have to say though.. I nearly fell on my a$$ when I saw the compensation amount that would apply to me.  As you say.. the worst that can happen is that they say no..and they may allow my claim so I'll give it a shot.

nygirl7.. I have NO idea what "a great big MO" is.. lmao :)  He figured I knew because of the existing acute Hep B I guess.. but sheesh, I've been seeing him for years and it's never come up before.  He's actually a pretty good doc for family doctor things.. but not for specialist things.  He didn't think it was any big deal...said my liver enzymes were good and that my health was good so no worries..but sent me to the specialist anyway.  Who told me different.  A bit alarming when you think about the implications if that happens to people alot and they DON'T get further treatment. Kinda scary.

A dubious thanks for the welcome to the Combo Club. :) I know what you meant by that. I feel a kinship with heppers in general and those that share the same variables in particular.  So we have a two-headed dragon to slay...from Flguy's comment.. did you slay one of the heads of yours?  Good luck to you and here's hoping for you too.

[DayLyn]

Hi there.  Try reading this page.  http://www.kleinlyons.com/hepc/updates.html.

I did receive compensation in BC.  My suggestion would be to print off the forms, fill them out, have them completed by your doctor, and send them in.  

What's the worst that can happen?  They may say no, or they may allow your claim.......

Daylyn

[FlGuy]

Think the correct phrase would be 'WAS a geno1a and 1b'

[nygirl7]

Knowing how most government things work they will undoubtedly try you and screw you out of the money and say well how do we know you didn't get it with the needles BEFORE you got the tainted blood.

For that amount of money I'd sure try every avenue to get it (WWOWWWWWWWW would that change my life!!!) but I have no faith in any system anymore being "fair" and "honest".  Thanks to treating I've unfortunately seen the dark side now and just am quite jaded.

PS Your doctor sounds like a great big MO telling you like that! I mean holy cow how come he assumed you knew - doesn't he think you might have mentionned it if you had it?


PS I AM A GENO 1a AND 1b TOO - WELCOME TO THE LITTLE COMBO CLUB!  Sad you are here but nice to have another member if that makes any sense :)

[Trish77]

Jakied...I just re-read your comment... in no way was I ever hoping I had HCV so that I could get compensation. Pretty dark days when I got the diagnosis and I really wasn't expecting the news I've been getting recently as I'm healthy as a horse and have no symptoms that are obvious and I really expected to be told to just keep living healthy.  It was a fluke that I found out I have HCV...was being tested for other things and the doc ran one on HCV as well.  When he told me I was positive for HCV, he told me very nonchalantly as if I'd known all along.  I did a "wha-a-a-a???" kind of thing, looked at his report and then did a "wtf???" kind of thing and pointed out to him that it says "reported to Health Unit".  And then HE did a "wtf???" kind of thing. That's why I asked for the second test.  I just couldn't accept that diagnosis. It felt like it had to be a mistake. But there it is.

PSP, the biopsy went well actually.  The worst pain was from the IV and it was tolerable.  The biopsy was even easier than I had hoped.  A wee bit of shoulder pain right after and it got worse and then it disappeared totally.  Worst was that lying on my side made my legs all stiff and achy.  Was a helluva challenge eating chicken noodle soup and drinking coffee from that position but I was determined!! :)  I'm in good spirits and awaiting results which come Thursday morning next week on the 27th.  

[PSP-n-Me]

I forgot you were having your bx - how's it go?

[Trish77]

Three positive blood tests later, I'm sure. Had a hard time accepting the results of the first one, so asked for the second one and it too came back positive.  The third one was done by the Gastro doc who I was sent to because he specializies in Hep C and, well, third time's a charm, right? I've been diagnosed as genotype 1a/1b.  The doc wants me on drug treatment regardless of biopsy because of my high viral load however I asked for a biopsy anyway and had it yesterday.  I get results next week.  

Believe me.. my focus is not on the compensation.  However.  The cost of the drugs and what it will cost me in other ways potentially...I'm going after it if I qualify.  

And trust me.. my focus IS on slaying the dragon.  I have three young adult kids.  My daughters have graduated college and university and my son is nearly halfway through university.  I intend to be there to see him graduate and I intend to be around for my grandchildren.  I could care less if I get compensation in light of all that.  But you can bet I'm going after it if I deserve it.. in light of exactly these same things.  

Take care, Jakied...thanks for your feelings which I actually take to be well wishing. And perhaps some day.. your feelings will turn out correct. :)

[Jakied]

First of all, you are not sure you are Hcv pos, are you?  Get tested.  I have a feeling you will be neg.

Second, no amount of compensation is worth the trouble of trying to beat the hep c dragon!

[Trish77]

Beth, thanks for the input.  I live in Ontario, but had my blood transfusion in Alberta where all my kids were born and the transfusion was in 1984.  There are a couple of factors that make me think this is transfusion related rather than IV drug related ... I guess I'm thinking that they would have tested for HCV when I fell ill and the diagnosis was accurately Hep B at the time.. can you GET both Hep B and HCV all at once??  It will be really hard to prove the actual origin and alot of legwork but I'll follow through on what I can until it no longer makes sense.  Thanks for taking the time to share the info and I'll look into it.

Trish

[PSP-n-Me]

I am not sure what Province you live in but here in Ontario they have identifed and compensated people already - I think the average sum of money per infected person was around 35 grand...

Try your District Health Unit - they keep copies of all those infected via blood transfusions from a certain time frame...But, I am almost sure if you told them you used IV drugs it will cancel out your eligibility, but it's worth checking into - call  the Health Unit
Beth

[Trish77]

I received the transfusion from losing too much blood at my daughter's birth.. no trauma. Just side effect of a joyful occasion.  I think it's slim to none here particularly when I tell you that I contracted Hep B when I was 18 from using needles. It was a mild case (no sickness, only abdominal pain and imperceptible jaundice) and the antibodies I have indicate that my Hep B is non-contagious and makes me immune from catching it again, so the doctor has only vaccinated me against Hep A as part of treatment for my current HCV.  Seems odd that they would pick up the Hep B and not the Hep C at that time, however my family doc tells me that they have to test specifically for Hep C to find it.  So...I don't know.  

Thank you for the information...not likely they will have bothered tracking those things for the reason I got my blood transfusion.  However, I'll consider that information.  I had my blood transfusion in Alberta where my children were born and I note you're from AB.  I'll consider my options and go from there.  Thank you for taking the time to share this with me.

[mremeet]

If you have health records that go back to that timeframe (or can access them at your hospital/doctor etc), you might want to look them over. If you happen to have labwork that recorded your liver enzyme levels, especially repeatedly over a prolonged period of time, that might help establish (but not conclusively prove) whether or not you had a chronic case of hepatitis prior to 1984. For instance if your AST and ALT were normal prior to 1984, and then all of a sudden right after your transfusion and then consistently afterwards (for many years) they were elevated, that might be accepted as proof you were infected via transfusion. And in the event you received a transfusion for some type of trauma (as I did in '83), then with any luck they did extensive labwork on you during that time. And in the event you were recovering in the hospital for a length of time spanning perhaps weeks (again as occurred with me), then the labwork might even reveal the onset of an acute infection, which typically makes liver enzymes (AST and ALT) soar to very high levels.

[FlGuy]

Maybe PSP-N-Me will see your post.  Apparently, the tainted blood from the US several years ago went to identifiable people in Canada.  Might try to google some combination of words/phrases to see if you find anything from Canada public health sources.