method of aquisition

[ram921]

I notice many people being very specific in how they contracted Hepatitis C virus. Like, " contracted through transfusion", or,"needle stick accident-healthcare pro," or whatever. Is those individuals' disease somehow different from, "cross-contaminated tattoo ink", or "used drugs intravenously"? I thought we were all in the same boat.Perhaps a separate forum- "Their own fault", and, "victims of"?

[virgocharm]

i aplaud you

[rita863]

Listen we are one with hep.  I think the only reason it should be mentioned is to educate,and thats if someone asks.  I dont think any less of a ivdu or myself.  I married the ivdu and i probally got from pulling the works from him and poking myself. or i used a tooth brush, or a nail clipper.  or i am in the 1% of sexual transmitted.  either way it doesnt matter.  i am someone who has hep and is treating and needs help to get through.  thats the bottom line.    i dont judge anyone on how they got it.  i just want to educate if i can.

now if i can only quit smoking....

peace
rita

[fretboard]

This forum is great in that most of the ppl on here look at it only one way, and that's that we are all in the same boat no matter how you got it.  Unfortunately in the outside world the stigma is alive and kickin' hard.  They don't only look at people like me who got it thru IV, but included in that is accidental needlesticks and infected thru a contaminated vial, those are still considered routes of IV technically.  On another note, my doctor used the following method in guessing when I got infected.  "many experts estimate the length of exposure to HCV in drug users by subtracting one year from the total number of lifetime years of needle use".  It took me way back to 1968 which I thought was ridiculous.  I had HepA when I was 16 or 17.  In 1972 or 73 I had a pain on my right side, my Mother took me to the emergency room.  This is the time period that I believe I got infected and I was in my acute phase.  I know when I got infected, not the exact day but at least right around the same time.  The doctor at the ER prescribed me Donnatal at the time, said I had a tenderness around my liver area, but assured my Mother that it wasn't my appendix.  I just wanted to clear the air, that I have a very good idea when I was actually infected.  Again, I am now clean and much appreciative that the forum has accepted me as just another forum member.  God Bless

[debnevada]

i think everyone should post everything they feel comfortable posting here.  in the end, we are in the same boat, but hearing the variations in everyones stories teaching everyone something about...um....everyone.....

gawd, that sounded lame, but of course....post tx....i am mentally lame...hee hee

[meakea]

"Those who got it through transfusion never had the 20% chance to clear it on their own."

This is interesting - I hadn't read that before.  I'd tell you why I find it interesting but then I'd have to tell you that I got my Hep C from a transfusion and that might upset the apple cart...so I won't mention it.  :)

[Lady Lauri]

Eureka....Our need to discriminate is human -- it's our ability not to let it prejudice us that is the challenge that's up to each of us to meet..........
Fabulous comment!

Medimommy....good post.

Ram, any...........
Good post. I'll try not to drag this out, there is a method to my madness :)......

Ran away at barely 16, quit school, hitchhiked west. We THINK I got HCV during my drug experimenting  years as a 'street kid'. I was a 'good girl' that tried about every drug out there and was even a virgin when I tried heroin, thru most of that time!  Somehow ......I never got addicted to anything (cept cigs!!) By 20 I knew it was not the life for me, became extremely anti drug and , well, see my profile! I lived in that world, saw a LOT, left many I cared about to leave it behind me, got diploma, raised 3 sons and so on.  That said.....since my hep dx in May 06 I have told many how we THINK I got it, they were shocked but only in ...I'm so dam anti they can't believe I did it. Not once has anyone judged me in a negative way and actually applauded me in getting away from /out of it all. And right now, I applaud you, Fret and anyone else for that same thing, getting out of that world, getting clean. While I never had to fight the addiction part, just walking away from that whole lifestyle was DAM hard, many things to change so I wear THAT badge proudly, and so should anyone else here that got HCV from IV use and got clean. Anyone still trying to get clean, I assure you all or most here will gladly support and welcome you here in that fight and in OUR HCV fight.  

  All that said.....Moa, Alagirl  wears a badge of one kind,  medicmommy of another and so on but we ALL have a HCV 'badge' in this. I am proud to show mine, be proud of yours :) I have not seen prejudice here in this and I do believe we all (most) are wise enough and humble enough to admit that we have all made (many) mistakes in our life's, albeit not the same mistakes.  I understand how you may feel that when a person say's 'transfusion', etc. it is like stating  'NOT IV use', but I really don't think that's the case HERE. I may not walk into work or a party and say 'I used to do drugs'....but here…. I will, never feeling looked down upon. (and God bless anyone in the outside world that does that to me as they always end up being the one looked down upon before the conversation is done! Yes, it has happened 'out here'.)

I truly hope no one here or that comes here ever feels less important or less of a person due to how they got HCV. I COULD have gotten it from sweat shop nail salons also, but as I did use IV drugs….I’ll always be labeled that in that stats.

Good thread as we can clear this up for people here that may feel as you do.
And VERY happy for you in conquering addiction.

On to conquering these dam Marlboro’s  :(

LL