HCV Testing (Info and Support Thread)

[Jabberwocky]

If you are currently or have ever enjoyed (or not enjoyed) injection drug use, and now you are also serious about taking care of yourself and your health:

Go get tested for HCV!

There are new treatments out there that are not nearly as debilitating as Interferon, not to mention a wealth of other new highly effective resources that have sprung up in the US and internationally to fight communicable disease over the last 20 or 30 odd years.

Here is the Center for Disease Control's flier on HCV

If you have any local resources for fighting communicable diseases like HIV and HCV, regardless of transmission, please share them here!

I know you folks down under have a strong harm reduction program going, so I'd especially like to hear from the folks of Melbourne [mention]SixBuckets[/mention]

 

[RDP89]

Shouldnt it be geared toward I.V. users in general and not opioid users in general? I mean I know theres probably a higher rate of I.V. use among usrs of that particular class of drugs, but shouldnt that distinction be made?

 

[Jabberwocky]

Thank you for the feedback RDP

 

[Tranced]

Shouldnt it be geared toward I.V. users in general and not opioid users in general? I mean I know theres probably a higher rate of I.V. use among usrs of that particular class of drugs, but shouldnt that distinction be made?

It's probably worth noting that you could, I'd imagine, expect higher rates when interacting with (i.e.particularly doing drugs/sharing notes/having sex) other opiate users who might inject, or who may themselves associate with other people who do.

I've noticed a fair number of people on here stating that they have been diagnosed with HCV but never injected, and seem quite surprised that they contracted it.

 

[Jabberwocky]

It is commonly transferred through things like crack pipes. Plus there are other ways to pick up the virus, like sex. Communicating it via sexual intercourse doesn't seem to be as sure fire a thing as by sharing or using unsanitary needles, cottons or cookers, but it is certainly possible.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I got tested for hiv and hcv a while ago, both negative. I got tested for hiv again a few years ago, and was still negative. Very relieved. Should get tested for hcv again.

Shouldnt it be geared toward I.V. users in general and not opioid users in general? I mean I know theres probably a higher rate of I.V. use among usrs of that particular class of drugs, but shouldnt that distinction be made?

This is true.