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Author Topic: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?  (Read 91531 times)

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Offline stupidgirl32

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hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« on: February 29, 2012, 10:12:03 am »
hi, i attended a party a few weeks ago and made a massive mistake by snorting coke with 2 people i didn't know.i only had a few lines and barely inserted the bill inside my nose.there was no visible blood or mucus on the bill but one never be sure...I'm scared out of my mind because i keep reading on the net that its very high risk which i never knew! I'm not a regular cocaine user and ill never ever do it again!!but please can someone ease my mind? or do have an extremely high risk and need to test from this single incident? i have severe OCD and i just need some reassurance or evidence that it is most definitely contracted in this manner, worried and scared:(

Offline Tim Horn

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #1 on: February 29, 2012, 10:21:39 pm »
Stupid (though you're not; you're just human):

Sharing drug-snorting paraphernalia is a risk, but I don't think it's the HIGH risk you think it is.

There's only one way you'll be able to put this behind you: Get tested. As this happened a few weeks ago, you're a good candidate for PCR testing -- a blood test that looks specifically for the virus, which will be detectable before antibodies (if, in fact, infection occurred... and odds are in your favor that it didn't).

Call your doctor and make an appointment (he or she is the only one who can order this particular test). I say this more out of concern for your sense of well-being and anxiety than I do out of concern that you've been infected with either hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus.

Let me know if you have any other questions,

Tim Horn 



Offline stupidgirl32

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #2 on: February 29, 2012, 10:44:34 pm »
thank you tim that makes me feel a little bit better ,my head is pounding from so much conflicting info out there! i will test but is there anyone on this forum that can honestly say they contracted it only from snorting paraphernalia? im ill with worry about this:(...

Offline Ann

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2012, 11:02:40 am »
Hi Girl, welcome to the forum.

I got my hep C the "old fashioned way" - I shared injecting equipment.

While sharing snorting equipment is a risk, it's not high up there on the list like sharing injecting equipment is. Sharing snorting equipment has been added to the risk list because there are so many people who have only reported this behaviour as a possible infection vector.

Hep C is a highly infectious virus, mainly because a person who has hep C will quite often have a very high viral load.

Viral load is the measure of how many particles of the hep C virus are present in the blood. A high viral load means that even a tiny speck of blood may have a lot of virus present in it.

The PCR test Tim mentioned is also called a viral load test - because it looks for the virus as Tim said, and it also records the amount of virus present.

Snorting drugs will often cause irritation to the membrane lining of the nasal cavity. This membrane lining has many tiny blood vessels (called capillaries) close to the surface. Irritation of the nasal membranes can easily cause tiny breaks in the capillaries, often without any obvious bleeding.

The capillaries that line your nose and sinuses are why snorting is a popular way of delivering drugs to one's system - the drug will pass through them directly into the blood-stream. That's why you get a near-instant "hit" from snorting.

Obviously the more a person snorts in one session, the more likely irritation will occur. With your situation being a one-off, just a few lines thing, hep C isn't that big a concern. It is a possibility, but not a probability.

Given that your risk is on the lower end of the scale, you may find it difficult to have PCR testing ordered for you without a prior positive antibody result. Your doctor may want you to test with an antibody test first before going further. You will have to wait two to three months for accurate antibody testing.

You may be able to obtain PCR testing privately, paying out-of-pocket, but PCR testing is expensive and to be honest, you would only need this for your own peace of mind, given your low(er) risk and your struggle with OCD.

I would like to stress here that everyone should be regularly screened for hep C (using antibody testing). Hep C is at epidemic proportions in much of the world and many people do not know they are hep C positive.

Rapid antibody testing has recently been approved and is becoming more widely available. Ask your doctor if the rapid antibody testing is available in your area. Please note that rapid testing does not change the two-to-three month testing window period, but it does shorten the time you have to wait for a result.

Please don't stress out about this too much. Yes, you would be wise to test (everyone should be screened for hep C), but you are very likely to be ok. I agree with Tim that the odds are in your favour of testing negative.

You may also want to read our Lesson on Hep C: The Basics.

Hang in there and as Tim mentioned, feel free to ask any further questions.

Ann
« Last Edit: March 01, 2012, 11:04:56 am by Ann »

Offline stupidgirl32

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2012, 02:18:48 pm »
thank you so much ann,i will test for the antibodies in 3months.also thank you for alleviating my fears until testing.

Offline Ann

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2012, 04:52:10 pm »
You're welcome!

Again, please don't hesitate to ask more questions if you feel the need. That's what we're here for.

Ann

Offline stupidgirl32

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2012, 10:19:47 pm »
sorry to bother you guys again.. i've been browsing a lot of forums and sites online about this specific transmission and its scaring the hell out of me:( i know im only feeding my fears but i truely cant help it! my dr even said i don't need a test..im so confused and scared. i also joined another forum and almost every single response was *that is how i got it*!!!.... so needless to say im pretty worried.i also have another question.would there be any symptoms of acute infection to look out for? ive been feeling pretty tired and unwell.this of course is just freaking me out more:( i also want to mention that i barely inserted the bill into my nostril whilst snorting unlike the other 2 guys that stuck it further in.would this make a difference?...

Offline Ann

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #7 on: March 06, 2012, 12:26:26 pm »
Girl, I'm willing to bet that a lot, if not most, of those people on the other forum you spoke of didn't get hep C through a one-off snorting incident, but rather many long sessions.

Many people have no noticeable symptoms until there has been a substantial amount of liver damage. Neither symptoms nor the lack of symptoms will ever tell you a single thing about your hep C status - ONLY testing will.

The tiredness and feeling unwell you're currently experiencing could have more to do with stress than anything, so try to calm down and stay off sites that scare you. It's not helping.

You should test for peace of mind if nothing else. I wish doctors would quit discouraging patients from testing - there are SO many people who don't know they have hep C until they're dealing with advanced liver disease.

Stand your ground and get tested. Everyone has the right to regular screening (every few years or so or more often when engaging in risky behaviours).

Chances are very good that you're ok, but the only way to know for sure is to test. Good luck and keep us posted.

Ann

Offline stupidgirl32

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2012, 04:30:43 pm »
ok im back again because im starting to really get worried.i have 9 more weeks before i can get a test and a definitive result. i've developed a rash on my ankle and arm:( it looks like tiny hives almost similar to an allergic reaction.is this a possible symptom of hep c ? or am i fretting myself to death and causing the rash because of stress? please respond as im going out of my mind... also my dr. refused the the pcr test that allows him to see if i was infected with the virus.he yelled at me and said i do not need to be tested because of this potential exposure.i'm so confused..

Offline Ann

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #9 on: March 15, 2012, 08:11:41 am »
Girl, no, the rash you describe is not a symptom of hep C. Most people never have any symptoms, particularly in early infection.

As I've said to you before, you should test for peace of mind. You don't really need a PCR test, just an antibody test.

EVERYONE should be periodically screened for hep C (and hep B and hiv as well) and it drives me nuts that there are still doctors out there who discourage the practice. Regular screening is the way forward.

Girl, please calm down about this. You're not all that likely to have become infected with hep C through this one-off snorting incident.

Ann

Offline stupidgirl32

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #10 on: March 15, 2012, 05:56:07 pm »
thanks ann, i just worry myself to death:( ill try my very best to stay off the other sites and preoccupy myself with other things until testing time.

Offline stupidgirl32

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #11 on: April 17, 2012, 08:43:01 pm »
hi,just an update..i got a hep c test at 4 weeks and thankfully it came back negative!!.im extremely happy with my result but on the other hand thinking its much too early:( so to be safe should i get another test? it would be almost nine weeks now... im sorry to bother you guys again.i just want to stop worrying once and for all:(

Offline Ann

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #12 on: April 18, 2012, 07:08:21 am »
Girl, if getting another hep C antibody test is the only way you're going to be able to put this behind you, then you may as well do it.

However, you should wait until three months, so you can consider it conclusive and move on with your life. I'm expecting another negative result and so should you.

Ann

Offline stupidgirl32

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #13 on: April 18, 2012, 05:59:40 pm »
thank you ann i will retest at the 12 week mark just to finally ease my mind...also can i ask one more question please? has anyone ever tested positive for hcv antibodies in as  little as  4 weeks? i know im beating a dead horse here:( i just need to be educated a lot more about this and any advise will help...

Offline Ann

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #14 on: April 19, 2012, 06:19:31 am »
Girl,

Honestly? I'm not sure about people testing positive for hcv in four weeks - and I really rather doubt that there is a definitive answer to that, because most people do not test for hcv over every little thing they do. Most people don't find out they have hep C until they've had it for years.

However, we do know that people who have actually been infected will test positive by three months.

I really do not think you're going to end up with hep C after this one-off snorting incident. Further testing is more for your peace of mind than anything.

Ann

Offline stupidgirl32

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #15 on: May 21, 2012, 12:19:29 am »
very soon i'll be getting my hvc/hiv test results. lets just say i'm not looking forward to tuesday:( i know very well i may come out of this ok but there is always thaT *what if* in the back of my mind. i've tried to find comfort through doing more research and that has just increased my anxiety to 11!:( anyway wish me luck.i'll need it! i'll post my results whether they are good or bad... thanks for putting up with me.

Offline Ann

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #16 on: May 21, 2012, 05:58:21 am »
Girl,

As we told you in the other forum you've been posting in, we fully expect you to test negative, so relax. Your results will be conclusive. You do not need to test again at six months. If your doctor tells you otherwise, tell him to get up-to-date. The window period has been three month for years now.

Ann

Offline stupidgirl32

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #17 on: May 21, 2012, 09:19:20 pm »
hi ann. i'm sorry to bother you again.. well i have 13 hrs to go before i get my conclusive results. do you honestly think i will test negative for both that is?..i guess i just want reassurance again:(. its been a very long weekend and i hope to finally move on from this tmrw! thanks so much for your replies. can you or anyone else on this forum add anything to ease my mind for the next 13 hours? :s

Offline Ann

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #18 on: May 22, 2012, 12:37:45 pm »
Girl,

Yes I expect you to test negative for both.

Ann

Offline stupidgirl32

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #19 on: May 22, 2012, 02:38:54 pm »
you were right ann! NEGATIVE!...thank you so much for your advice and wisdom. big hugs!

Offline daleb0411

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #20 on: November 12, 2014, 09:58:29 am »
you better get checked thats how i got it.
hope you dont get into this mess. good luck

Offline Paleface

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #21 on: November 13, 2014, 04:00:12 pm »
Hi Girl32, I have had HCV since 1977. Through the years I have shared straws,bills and others to snort coke with people including my wife none of which have contracted the virus. I am still married to the same girl with 3 kids that are now 22,23,26 years that have not got the virus.  Stop worrying yourself like this you'll be fine. BTW I got it from a blood transfusion before they knew what Hep C was.
 
Hep C 1a
Blood Transfusion- 1977
2002-48 wks Peg Interferon+Ribavirin-relapsed 2003.
VL- 5,700,620
AST- 393
ALT- 717
Liver Biopsy- Stage 1-2
Oct.29,2014- 12 wks Harvoni
Jan.20,2015 Finished Harvoni Treatment-Undetectable
4 wk post- Undetected
8 wk post- Undetected
12 wk post- Undetected- "Cured"

Offline Paleface

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #22 on: November 13, 2014, 04:04:13 pm »
Sorry didnt read your last post or the dates.  Congrats!!!
Hep C 1a
Blood Transfusion- 1977
2002-48 wks Peg Interferon+Ribavirin-relapsed 2003.
VL- 5,700,620
AST- 393
ALT- 717
Liver Biopsy- Stage 1-2
Oct.29,2014- 12 wks Harvoni
Jan.20,2015 Finished Harvoni Treatment-Undetectable
4 wk post- Undetected
8 wk post- Undetected
12 wk post- Undetected- "Cured"

Offline Deck

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Re: hep c risk from sharing banknote/bill for snorting cocaine?
« Reply #23 on: November 14, 2014, 02:46:56 pm »
For many years I was engaged in the "Deadhead" scene and saw many people sharing lines with strangers.  That being said needles are the serious cause and you shouldn't fret but it can't hurt to get tested because HEP C is growing rapidly amongst the younger community, especially here on the Northeast where heroin usage has risen to frightening levels.  Good luck

Ryan

 


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