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Hep c paranoia

I've read that hep c can survive for up to four days on a surface. I've even read that if you touch dry blood on say a door handle and then pick your nose, you can contract hep c that way! If it's that easy, wouldn't everyone have it? Please tell me it's harder than that to contract.
when it says that hep c can survive for up to four days, what quantity of blood does that include?  Like a pool of blood or does that include a pin head type amount?
If anyone has any good reliable sites where they have info on these types of questions, i would appreciate that. (I don't mean sites like the CDC where they have basic information)
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683231 tn?1467323017
Hi Sarita

Yes best to post a new question but I haven't really had any sides except for maybe a mild headache or two.

Most people experience minimal side effects but that is an individual experience I guess maybe depending on how sensitive you are to medicine in general.

Nothing much bothers me I am not very sensitive to medications.

Congrats on getting Harvoni
Good luck on treatment
Lynn
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Avatar universal
Hi Upset
You may want to start at the top of the page in the green box it says Post a Question.   You will get many more responses that way
Good Luck
......Kim
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Avatar universal
hello I well start taking my Harvoni meds Tuesday and I signed up for the 5 dollar coupon so my co-pay is only $5.00 I want to thank you for all the information you gave me. Question what are the side effects with this meds


Sarita
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683231 tn?1467323017
I did get a little tough on another person who kept asking repetedly about risk so maybe to monitors saw both posts and decided to take them down dunno.
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Avatar universal
No they didn't send a message, nor was it inappropriate.
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683231 tn?1467323017
Sometimes the site monitors do that if they thing the conversation became inappropriate did they send you a message?
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Avatar universal
@flyinlynn
I don't know if you'll know this but Regarding my other post of the paper cut on price tag, it seems to be gone. Why was it erased????
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1964979 tn?1325538025
I have had Hep C for hover 50 years..

My wife of over 30 of those years as well as my son of 22 of those are both Hep C free..  if it were that easy, they would more than likely be infected.  I have always tried to take precautions, but the opportunity for accidental exposure when you live with someone that is infected is obviously greater than from a random stranger.

Take normal precautions that you practice for any clean living and I am sure that the chance of getting hit by a bus is more likely..  :-)
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Avatar universal
And everyone who responded:)
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Avatar universal
Thx Lynn:)
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683231 tn?1467323017
Hi cigirl

Truly if hep c was that easy to catch a whole lot more people would have it honestly. I don't want to say there are much greater dangers out ther in the world to worry about than hep c on a maybe, what if, price tag idea which is a very very small possibility because then you will worry about the other things.

Worry about all the maybe what if does no help to your enjoyment of life it only takes away from your happiness.

Please try to focus on the good in life and not dwell on illnesses. Even if you did have an illness it does no good to focus on it.

Please seek counseling for you anxiety issues if you can tomorrow will be a much brighter day if you do.

Good luck and best wishes to you
Lynn
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Avatar universal
Yes it's anxiety. It's also that I read that hep c can last for four days on an object. If it was like hiv which becomes uninfectious once exposed to air, I would have an easier time rationalizing.
With respect to cutting myself on the price tag, I was worried if someone would've cut theirself in the price tag before I did and then i cut myself after. Are incidents like this totally unwarranted to be worried about?
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Avatar universal
I understand what you're saying Lynn, but the reason I brought it up was with the hope that we become more vigilant in watching for potential sources of reinfection.

I'm not too worried about door knobs and paper cuts myself, And, certainly don't have the patience you have.
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683231 tn?1467323017
All that is true but for this poster who also posted hep c concerns from a paper cut on a price tag I believe her greatest problem is excessive worry more than catching hep c from a paper cut or imaginary what if scenarios
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Avatar universal
Sarah is correct. The US Department of Health and Human Services follows the Yale guidelines that it can live out side the body on surfaces up to six weeks while the CDC still says 4 days.
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Avatar universal
Actually according to a recent Yale study HCV can live up to six weeks on a surface.
http://publichealth.yale.edu/news/archive/article.aspx?id=6417
http://www.hepmag.com/articles/inanimate_surfaces_2501_24940.shtml

I don't know why this is not more common knowledge. Regardless, I've thought about it a lot because I believe the danger of reinfection is very real. The thing is you would have to touch the surface with HCV on it while bleeding. I seriously doubt that you could pick it up from a door handle with HCV on it unless you were bleeding at the point of contact.

What I think is more realistic, is picking up the virus from places like salons when you get a manicure and your cuticle bleeds from being cut with scissors that may have been used on someone else who had HCV and was cut with the same scissors. I think that is reaching a bit but feel it is a real possibility.
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Avatar universal
I agree with Lynn. Further, the virus can live in dried blood in the environment but conditions have to be perfect. No one knows for sure how long it can live. Technically a microscopic amount of blood can transmit the virus BUT there are no documented cases like what you describe. If it were easy, like Lynn says, many more people would be infected.
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683231 tn?1467323017
Hi
Your questions

If it's that easy, wouldn't everyone have it? That is correct your sources are not . Hep c is transmitted blood to blood not dirty finger to nose.

Please tell me it's harder than that to contract.
Yes it is much more difficult.

I seriously doubt anyone tracks that kind of information you are requesting as it would be an unnessary waste of time you have seen that stats on the CDC site. The information is basic as it is directed to lay persons such as yourself. It is still factual hepatitis c is relatively difficult to contract

People can become infected with the Hepatitis C virus during such activities as

    Sharing needles, syringes, or other equipment to inject drugs
    Needlestick injuries in health care settings
    Being born to a mother who has Hepatitis C

Less commonly, a person can also get Hepatitis C virus infection through

Sharing personal care items that may have come in contact with another person’s blood, such as razors or toothbrushes
Having sexual contact with a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus



I suggest you try the Anxeity community you worry is your greatest barrier to good health

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Anxiety/show/71 .
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