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Harm Reduction Anyone Here BEATEN Hepatitis C?

M

Michael_25

Bluelighter
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
Messages
703
Location
Gainesville, Florida
I would like to hear from people who had Hep C and managed to get rid of the disease. I'd like to know how long you've had it for, did you take Interferon, etc. to get rid of it or what?

I'm freaking out because last week Friday I had a needle stick injury from a guy who has Hep C. I need to wait three months to get the results and the wait is just killing me. I can't eat properly, sleep properly... all I think about is having Hep C.
 
According to http://www.aafp.org/afp/2010/0601/p1351.pdf the chance of getting it from a needle stick injury is just 1.8%. With that and the fact that some peoples immune systems will fight it off without help and that treatment will clear it in even more people you probably shouldn't worry too much. Not to say that you shouldn't get tested and everything, just that it's more likely you won't get it/the treatment will work than the other way around.
 
Please don't try to worry too much about it (I know that's easier said than done). You're not even certain that you have Hep C at this point. And if it was just a needle stick (not a shared needle) I know that the transmission risk goes down. I did know a guy who had Hep C. The doctors gave him a terrible prognosis, but he's alive and well years later. Sorry, I don't know if he did anything to try to get rid of it.

On a personal note, I was diagnosed with cancer 5 years ago. Every doctor I saw told me I'd die soon. I was freaked out beyond belief, so I understand your anxiety. Long story short, I consented to lumpectomy but refused chemo and radiation (even though the docs told me I'd die without it). 5 years later, I'm still here, and have no health problems from the cancer. (I have chronic pain, due to something else). So doctors don't know everything.

By the way, I'm pretty sure that Naomi Judd had Hep C and miraculously went into remission, through prayer or something. Pamela Anderson seems to be living well with Hep C. I'd be careful of Interferon; I've heard it's pretty much like chemotherapy and can damage kidneys, etc. Natalie Cole got Hep C from a shared needle and went on to have Interferon treatments. The Interferon ended up sending her into kidney failure, and she needed regular dialysis, PLUS a full kidney transplant in order to stay alive.

I'm not trying to tell anyone what they should or shouldn't do regarding personal medical decisions. I'm just saying to research your options VERY carefully, because doctors think nothing of pumping their patients' veins full of poison. It's really quite sad.

But try not to worry too much...hopefully you don't even have Hep C. And if you do, there are people who have survived it without resorting to Interferon.
 
In the event that you did contract it you would stand a pretty good chance of being able to not suffer any liver damage from it, seeing as it will have been detected at around the earliest time possible. Did you get tested yet? I know it won't show, but its good to have a baseline to go by, to say you knew you were negative at this point and then showed positive.

You could've actually taken a powerful cocktail of anitvirals right after getting stuck to pretty much negate the chances of the virus surviving in your body. But I wouldn't worry to much about that, a needlestick by no means guarantees you are going to get it (as was already noted). As hard as it is, try not to let it consume your every waking thought. If you are unfortunate enough to test positive, then you will have plenty of time to decide how to treat it, whether aggressively in an attempt to rid yourself of it or more passively to just keep it from causing you hard.
 
black53 said:
According to http://www.aafp.org/afp/2010/0601/p1351.pdf the chance of getting it from a needle stick injury is just 1.8%. With that and the fact that some peoples immune systems will fight it off without help and that treatment will clear it in even more people you probably shouldn't worry too much. Not to say that you shouldn't get tested and everything, just that it's more likely you won't get it/the treatment will work than the other way around.
Click to expand...
Yes, I read that needle stick injuries and the chances of getting Hep C from them are quite low. That's SOMEWHAT comforting. Thanks for the input :-)

Eva 33 said:
Please don't try to worry too much about it (I know that's easier said than done). You're not even certain that you have Hep C at this point. And if it was just a needle stick (not a shared needle) I know that the transmission risk goes down. I did know a guy who had Hep C. The doctors gave him a terrible prognosis, but he's alive and well years later. Sorry, I don't know if he did anything to try to get rid of it.

On a personal note, I was diagnosed with cancer 5 years ago. Every doctor I saw told me I'd die soon. I was freaked out beyond belief, so I understand your anxiety. Long story short, I consented to lumpectomy but refused chemo and radiation (even though the docs told me I'd die without it). 5 years later, I'm still here, and have no health problems from the cancer. (I have chronic pain, due to something else). So doctors don't know everything.

By the way, I'm pretty sure that Naomi Judd had Hep C and miraculously went into remission, through prayer or something. Pamela Anderson seems to be living well with Hep C. I'd be careful of Interferon; I've heard it's pretty much like chemotherapy and can damage kidneys, etc. Natalie Cole got Hep C from a shared needle and went on to have Interferon treatments. The Interferon ended up sending her into kidney failure, and she needed regular dialysis, PLUS a full kidney transplant in order to stay alive.

I'm not trying to tell anyone what they should or shouldn't do regarding personal medical decisions. I'm just saying to research your options VERY carefully, because doctors think nothing of pumping their patients' veins full of poison. It's really quite sad.

But try not to worry too much...hopefully you don't even have Hep C. And if you do, there are people who have survived it without resorting to Interferon.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reply :-) I hope you're doing well with dealing with cancer. Your post gave me some reassurance/

RTrain said:
In the event that you did contract it you would stand a pretty good chance of being able to not suffer any liver damage from it, seeing as it will have been detected at around the earliest time possible. Did you get tested yet? I know it won't show, but its good to have a baseline to go by, to say you knew you were negative at this point and then showed positive.

You could've actually taken a powerful cocktail of anitvirals right after getting stuck to pretty much negate the chances of the virus surviving in your body. But I wouldn't worry to much about that, a needlestick by no means guarantees you are going to get it (as was already noted). As hard as it is, try not to let it consume your every waking thought. If you are unfortunate enough to test positive, then you will have plenty of time to decide how to treat it, whether aggressively in an attempt to rid yourself of it or more passively to just keep it from causing you hard.
Click to expand...
I had my baseline blood test done today. All should be good... but then I have to wait another three months to get tested and then get the verdict.
 
I do not mean to sound judgemental but I think it would be very wise to discontinue IV drug use around your friends who have hep. You've already posted about two instances where you thought you might have contracted it. The longer you continue using around these people the greater the risk is that you will eventually contract the disease. Be it another needle prick or sharing the same water on accident, if you continue using needles around these people there is always the chance you may catch it. Hepatitis is very treatable but why not do everything you can to avoid contracting it in the first place?
 
Research Hep C, living with the virus can be very manageable in this day and age. With correct diet (basic eating healthy and regularly) and reducing intake of alcohols and other substances if not removing them at all. I was diagnosed with Hep C a few months ago. It was a very daunting and scary diagnosis considering I just went in to get my quarterly blood test to check well...for any problems. I have never shared a needle in my life and I am guessing I contracted it from using a tourniquet or spoon that had been used by a carrier of the virus. I know about all the harm reduction methods and what not to do etc, but I was high out of my mind and it didn't really "click" in my head not to use a spoon, I wiped the spoon down with an alcohol swap before then running it under boiling water. I guess this wasn't enough...
 
Hi Michael. Don't despair. My ex partner had Hep C he went through the Interferon treatment. I am pleased to tell you the treatment was successful. Now go away and get some sleep. All the best and try smiling a bit more.
 
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