Hepatitis C and IV drug usage

[Rediscovering]

Hi! I am fairly new to the site and have a couple of questions if someone could be so kind and help me out....

My abf has Hepatitis C. I want to know as much as possible about this disease so that I do not have to feel uncomfortable or "over protect" myself. I have been told that it is transferred only by blood to blood contact. I just want to be as educated as possible - how it's transferred/ chances of contracting, what the symptoms are like, what i can expect his body to go through, treatment options, etc. If anyone has this disease or has information that would be WONDERFUL!!

Also, I've been told many times that there is "no hope" for him because he used syringes. I do not believe this is true by any means - there is always hope as long as there is willingness; however, i'd love to see if anyone has personal experience with anyone they know or themselves have remained sober despite IV drug use.
My heart tells me he can make it - but i'd love to see some cold hard examples too.

Thanks for your help!!!

[cookconfay]

I used IV drugs. . .for many years, all kinds. . .ended up with Heroin as my drug of choice. I also have Hep C. . .tried the interferon treatments a few years back for a few months. . .TOTALLY SUCKED!!! And. . .did me no good. . .side effects were horrible, there are a couple of other things out there now for treatment. I suggest though a more natural approach, changing diet, lifestyle, and some herbs. Milk Thistle is the #1 I think for liver. I take it, I also take lots of others and got suggestions from the lady at my local health food store. Main symptom I can see is fatique, but with my lack of exercise, and sometimes not eating as good as possible, ho-hum. . .could be stress related also. . .who knows. I do know that over the past few years. . . by taking better care of me and the things I do take. . .liver enzymes are not really elevated far outta whack. I was diagnosed in 97. When I found out I was clean for 3 yrs and about 4 months. I did go back to using for 3 months and got clean & sober again in August of 97. I will have 10 years clean & sober August 23, of this year!!!!! Yes, it can be done, No I don't think that he is a "lost cause". My #1 suggestion would be to get to the local health food store and speak to someone who is really knowledgeable about it and what all they would suggest taking for it. Also, drinking is the WORST thing he can do. . .so if he is, he needs to stop, and. . .of course using would be out of the question too

[Buzz Kilowatt]

I think if you take a few minutes to Google you will find a lot of good medical info on the disease. For example:

"THE HEPATITIS C VIRUS (HCV) OFTEN CAUSES LIVER inflammation. In up to 80% of people initially infected with HCV, the disease becomes chronic, potentially leading to long-term liver damage. A small percentage (about 20%) of those who are HCV positive will progress to liver cirrhosis, and approximately 3-5% of those with chronic HCV infection will develop liver cancer. "

"HCV is a blood-borne disease, that is, it is transmitted by blood-to-blood contact. Any activity that lets one person’s blood or body fluids come into contact with another person’s blood or mucous membranes can potentially transmit HCV."

"HCV has rarely been detected in semen and vaginal fluids. Most studies suggest that the virus is not often found in these body fluids, or that it is present in very small amounts and that the virus particles may be noninfectious. Most experts believe that the risk of sexual transmission of HCV is low. Most studies show that only a small percentage of people — usually ranging from 0-3% — contract HCV through unprotected heterosexual intercourse with a long-term,monogamous HCV-positive partner. "

Nonetheless, if I were in your shoes I don't think I would risk unprotected sex, and certainly not during menstruation.

I think you are seeking "anecdotal" stories, i.e. testimonies from individuals. I don't have the disease but 2 of my employees did. One contracted it from a blood transfusion; the other was a syringe-using heroin junkie. The former had a real problem with the disease, and the last I heard, was seeking a transplant. The latter fellow (who is also gay) hasn't had many symptoms or problems, and he has had it for decades. He also quit his heroin habit and never relapsed. Sadly, he is on methadone now for chronic diabetic neuropathy. So that counters the "no hope" theory . . .

I think your BF should do all he can to take care of his liver . . . get good nutrition . . . no drugs or drinking . . . no hepatoxic substances, etc. Some people claim that OTC milk thistle does a lot to detox the liver, but a physician should be consulted -- I don't know if having Hep C is a special case.

Hope that helps. Best of luck.

Buzz

[Rediscovering]

Thank you for your sharing. And CONGRATS! What a feat!! Thank you for validating my hope.

He is 33 days sober and is a great chef (when soberM), so diet and exercise and natural health solutions sound great for the Hep C. y cat has cancer and interferon is the only treatment, so i've researched the side-effects in humans. Needless to say, my cat is on an organic diet and no interfeuron. He has beat his life expectancy by 3 months so far and is very healthy AND happy and energetic.

Once again, thank you for your input - and i LOVE your signature. I have written it out and placed it on my desk...

I'm perfectly me - but i'm not perfect - and that's quite ok

[northbelle]

He can actually possibly rid his body of the virus if it is a certais strain of the virus. They have some good treatment for SOME typed of hep c...I have it also ..from IV drug use...I have a good friend who is someone I turn to when I have questions about the disease...she has had two pregnancies and nursed both her babies while having hep c and her kids never contraceted it...she has been married for 15 years and her husband is disease free...
If I could take the treatment I would but I need to get stable on a antidepressant first and stay clean awhile. If you are depressed or have any mental disorder the treatment can send you into a bad place so my doc puts every patient on a anti d before they do treatments...here is a good link ..

https://www.hepatitisneighborhood.co....aspx?randStr=

love north

[ccgirl]

I have two friends with it, both from IV drug use. The natural healthy stuff is a great way to go, but don't rule out the interferon treatment either. Both of them did it. The side effects did suck. One of them still has eight shots to go, so they don't know how it's going to turn out for her. The other one; the results weren't as good as they'd hoped, but she's no worse off. I guess I'm saying is to consider all options available.


North; I didn't know. I wish you the best of health. You also Cook.

[2ala2]

I was diagnosed with Hep C. in 1995 from IV drug use. I took 24 (1/week) injections of the Peg-Intron (interferon) in 2003. The side effects of the first 2 injections were awful. After the 8th injection i tested negative and at the 24th i tested negative both by quantitative and qualitative PCR blood tests.
I went on an IV binge from the summer of 2006 till my clean date of Feb 26, 2007and I am very worried I contracted it again. Only one way to find out I guess.
Good luck to you all..

[butterflylover]

I'm 27 and I have Hep C. I've never been an IV drug user but I'll explain my story. My DOC is Lortab. I found out I had Hep C when I was 17 (1997) when I gave blood for the Red Cross. I had never heard of it. They sent me a letter telling me. I was so scared! I mean being so young not knowing what the hell I had. I have piercings but they were done under sterile condions. My mom has it too and they think she transmitted it to me. She got tested after I found out about me having it. After I found out, I told all of my friends. They'd shared razors, lipstick, etc...with me and none of them have it. Neither does my husband. Every doctor that I've talked to says that transmission through sex is super rare.

I've done the Interferon tx where you give yourself a shot once a week and a pill (ribovarin, I think). I freaked the first time but luckily I had my father-in-law on the phone guiding me (he's diabetic). They put me on it for 3 months and after 3 months if my numbers didn't go down they would take me off. Which they did stop tx. My body didn't respond. I had a liver bx back in 2001 (before the Lortabs). It was normal then, so no telling what it will show the next time I have one. If I ever get health insurance. But my liver enzymes were always high and I wasn't taking lortabs then. Those didn't come into my life until 2004.

I pray your bf get/stays sober and gets the treatment. And DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL! That is NOT good. You can't get it from kissing, hugging, toilets, any general contact. My doctor told me you'd literally just have to bleed into a person's open wound to catch it.

My prayers go out to both of you. Just research, research, research.

God Bless

[butterflylover]

I forgot to add my symptoms; Chronic fatigue, nausea, I barely eat due to no appetite, and just feeling like crap a LOT. Also, if I get a scratch or get sick, it takes forever for me to heal or get over a simple cold. And I bruise very easily. It totally lowers your immune system. It just plain SUCKS!

[Rediscovering]

Thank you!! The more info the better. I love him - so i feel as though if i get it i get it. I'll protect myself but i won't distance myself. He is terrified of the guilt he would feel if i contracted. So education education education!!!

[emmer]

I read something last year on the net and it said that you can have hep c for many ,many years and not even know it.
I found that interesting. Advances in medicine are encouraging.

[rozied]

My ex husband was a Compulsive Gambler.. I divorced him 33yrs ago & did not talk to him for 30+yrs. He called me a few mts ago & he told me he went from compulksive gambling to IV drug use. He also told me he will be clean & sober for 5 yrs this Sept so it can be done................one day at a time.