Questions regarding Hep C and sharing toothbrushes

[sEU2015]

Hi everyone,

About a month ago, my roommate and long time best friend told me he had been diagnosed with Hep C through a Anti-HCV detection test that was performed on him because he was having trouble with his bowel movements (the doctors wanted to make sure that it wasn't related to any infection).

It has now, through a second set of tests, been confirmed : he is HCV positive. Now the doctors told both of us that there was only a very slim chance of me catching it through "household contact". But the thing is that I think I can remember having used one of his toothbrushes mid-September. I read up on the possibility of catching HCV from an infected toothbrush and since I have bleeding gums I've come to the conclusion that it might very well have happened since the toothbrush I mentioned has dried blood on it. Since I am a very anxious person in general (I'm seeing a therapist for anxiety/paranoia related issues once a week) I keep freaking out about this.

He has told me that had hadn't been using that particular toothbrush  in months when I supposedly used it (you know how memory works, I'm not a 100% sure I did), but that doesn't mean that he didn't have HCV already when he last used it + research says that HCV can live outside the body for as long as six weeks.

I got tested six weeks after last possible infection (which was me using his toothbrush) and the test turned out to be negative. I will be getting tested again mid-December, which is out of the "10 week window" I keep reading about on the internet (although the guys at the center I was tested at said three months). One thing they told me though is that false negatives happen in people suffering from immuno-depression and since my general state of anxiety has been taking a toll on my overall health (I can't eat like I "should", I don't sleep well, I smoke), I am worried that even after three months it could still be a false negative.

So my question to you is this : I have read on the internet that RNA tests can detect HCV presence through HCV RNA as early as one or two weeks past infection. Can I, and if so, how do I get my doctor to perform such a test instead of a regular Anti-HCV screening test ? I just can't take the anxiety of not knowing anymore.

Thank you very much in advance and sorry if this sounds dumb (or paranoid) to you, but that is how I am experiencing the situation.

[Lynn K]

Explain your concerns and be prepared to pay I have heard about 400 to 500 dollars for the test. Or wait 6 months and get a definitive test.

Your odds are low and even if you did catch hep c it can be easily and effectively treated now so even if you did some how ever contract hep c you can be cure so nothing to worry about either way

Good luck
Lynn

[sEU2015]

Hi Lynn,

First of all, thank you for your kind reply.

I definitely won't be able to wait that long to find out. My anxiety is already crippling enough as it is right now, I can't even imagine having to wait for another three months, as that would really have negatives consequences on my overall mental as well as physical well-being.

I will follow your advice and voice my concerns to my doctor, with heavy emphasis on the anxiety part, in order for her to understand why it is so important to me to find out soon. I live in Europe and have good insurance, and therefore might not have to pay such a significant amount (that's what I'm hoping for at least).

As far as the odds of me actually catching Hep C are concerned, I sure hope that you are right, although my anxiety has me convinced otherwise. The whole thing about the bleeding gums + blood on the toothbrush just makes it a little too much for me to handle.

Again, thank you very much for your reassuring words.

Have a nice day,

S

[Lynn K]

Good luck to you

For me it is difficult to understand how you could experience so much stress to negatively impact your quality of life being worried about the low likelyhood of contracting hep c a now curable illness.

Perhaps you time and energy would be better spent addressing the real problem that is causing a reduction in your quality of life by trying to get a handle on your anxiety as you said yourself your anxiety is crippling you.

I had hep c for  30 years and it has not had that significant impact on my quality of life.

Anyway get past this issue however you need to and then continue to work on your anxiety I think will be a true improvement for you life

Again best to you
Lynn