Freaking out, please help!

[Momma10]

Just found out Thirsday that my boyfriend of a year has hep c. I immediately went and got tested and in the mean time have been freaking out and stressed waiting for the results.
We do have unprotected sex, only twice while on my period, and twice when I got bactieral vaginitis (unbalanced ph levels). I know I have cut myself while shaving when at his house, using my own razor jus not sure if he would've ever used mine...which I don't think he would ?!? I guess my biggest worry is the whole having sex part and contracting it that way. I'm totally stressing so bad...
I also have a boy who is 7 and I do remember using his nail clippers to get a splinter out of my son's hand...could he now be infected?
This is all too much and so hard having to deal with and wait for my result from the hep c testing.

[jberlin]

Welcome, and probably not. Hep C is not really easy to transmit, but it is possible with some of the things you mentioned. It would be his blood getting into your blood that would transmit.

1. He should go get treated and cured! It is expensive but so easy now.
2. There is an incubation period, so after about six months, you and your son should go get a blood test. Though highly unlikely, you need peace of mind and to make sure.

Let us know,
jack

[Mugwump]

Transmission by sex alone in a relationship is not common. Yes being tested is important but there is little to no chance of infection through normal every day activities.

As far as the transmission through razors. This could only occur if you used the same razor and both cut yourselves in the process and the razor blade was not changed.
I have never seen documented cases of transmission of this disease by razor but in theory it could happen. So the medical professionals advice to not share razors period.

Logically blood on a shared tooth brush could also spread HCV but again this has never been documented to actually have occurred. So the recommendation is also never to share personal items that cannot be autoclaved between uses.

This is the problem with HCV, it is not at all easy to transmit and the fact that it became wide spread is largely due to unsafe blood transfusions and the sharing of hypodermic needles with the epidemic of street drugs. So a great many who have the disease are unsure as to how they were infected. It is estimated a significant portion were infected during the Korean and Vietnam wars with the use of untested blood by transfusion.

In fact the very origins of the first major outbreak of HCV might very well have come from tainted Yellow fever vaccine created to protect soldiers during the second world war. And then spread through soldiers on the battlefield by them giving blood for transfusion in a MASH. These soldiers then came home and spread the disease into the general population by donating blood.

In short, it is not at all easy to spread HCV unless there is direct blood to blood contact.

One of the saddest moments in my life happened in 1995 when the mother of a friend of my young daughter heard that I was infected and forbade her daughter from coming over to our house or my daughter from visiting her friend. And this was simply because of the common ignorance of the truth about how HCV is and is not transmitted.

Eric

[Momma10]

Thank you for your replies. Eric, I'm sorry that happened to you, how ignorant of that person. And thanks for your info it was helpful.
My results came back negative!

[jberlin]

Great news! Now urge your friend to go get cured!

Best wishes,
jack

[Momma10]

He is! Thank you!

[Lynn K]

Hi so if he was cured already he does not have hep c and therefore nothing to transmit.

If he is currently on treatment I wish him good luck.