This was posted by my brother on another forum; I'm reposting here to see if anyone has any infor for him.
Hepatitis C is like any other virus...it's really, really easy to get...(hey people get HIV from needles don't they?)...I'm not sure if it's physically communicable.. *goes to google* Edit-came back with this: What is hepatitis C? Hepatitis C is a liver disease. Hepatitis (HEP-ah-TY-tis) makes your liver swell and stops it from working right. You need a healthy liver. The liver does many things to keep you alive. The liver fights infections and stops bleeding. It removes drugs and other poisons from your blood. The liver also stores energy for when you need it. What causes hepatitis C? Hepatitis C is caused by a virus. A virus is a germ that causes sickness. (For example, the flu is caused by a virus.) People can pass viruses to each other. The virus that causes hepatitis C is called the hepatitis C virus. How could I get hepatitis C? Hepatitis C is spread by contact with an infected person's blood. You could get hepatitis C by You could get hepatitis C by sharing drug needles.sharing drug needles getting pricked with a needle that has infected blood on it (hospital workers can get hepatitis C this way) having sex with an infected person, especially if you or your partner has other sexually transmitted diseases being born to a mother with hepatitis C In rare cases, you could get hepatitis C by getting a tattoo or body piercing with unsterilized, dirty tools You can NOT get hepatitis C by shaking hands with an infected person hugging an infected person kissing an infected person sitting next to an infected person. What are the symptoms? Many people with hepatitis C don't have symptoms. However, some people with hepatitis C feel like they have the flu. So, you might feel tired feel sick to your stomach have a fever not want to eat have stomach pain have diarrhea Some people have dark yellow urine light-colored stools yellowish eyes and skin If you have symptoms or think you might have hepatitis C, go to a doctor. What are the tests for hepatitis C? The doctor will take some blood to check for hepatitis C.To check for hepatitis C, the doctor will test your blood. These tests show if you have hepatitis C and how serious it is. The doctor may also do a liver biopsy.A biopsy (BYE-op-see) is a simple test. The doctor removes a tiny piece of your liver through a needle. The doctor checks the piece of liver for signs of hepatitis C and liver damage. How is hepatitis C treated? Hepatitis C is treated through shots of medicine.Hepatitis C is treated with a drug called peginterferon, usually in combination with the drug ribavirin. You may need surgery if you have hepatitis C for many years. Over time, hepatitis C can cause your liver to stop working. If that happens, you will need a new liver. The surgery is called a liver transplant. It involves taking out the old, damaged liver and putting in a new, healthy one from a donor. How can I protect myself? You can protect yourself and others from hepatitis C. If you inject drugs, use your own needles.Don't share drug needles with anyone. Wear gloves if you have to touch anyone's blood. If you have several sex partners, use a condom during sex. Don't use an infected person's toothbrush, razor, or anything else that could have blood on it. If you get a tattoo or body piercing, make sure it is done with clean tools. If you have hepatitis C, don't give your blood or plasma. The person who receives it could become infected with the virus.
I don't have any medical experience, but coming from the viewpoint of a woman who tends to overreact, especially when confronted with a situation like the one your brother's girlfriend is in, I would say the no physical contact thing DOES seem like an overreact in the face of such a low likelihood of her being infected. Not very helpful, I know...but I hope she finds out she's ok and that they work everything out!
Being a blood-born disease, like aids, while I understand the reaction, isn't necessary. Yeah, no sex until they know for sure that she isn't infected is a good idea, but everything else should be safe. It's Hep A and B that can survive on surfaces for days and be spread in other ways.
helpful as our members want to be, i have a hefty medical background myself, but would [and do ] tell you that you should not be asking about this on a writing site... there are many good medical sites on the web [lots of them devoted entirely to hepatitis], where you can get more valid, accurate info... i strongly recommend that you google for them and ask your questions there... hope all works out ok for sis... she's lucky to have such a loving and caring brother... love and hugs, maia
It's not my sister, its my brother's girlfriend. I know this is not the correct site for valid info, he is searching those, I just figured I'd see if anyone here (for reasons unknown) had any ideas.
There are sites where you can ask actual doctors and nurses for medical information. Makes a heck of a lot more sense than asking a bunch of writers, even if you happened to know that Robin Cooke or Michael Crichton were among them.
Best of luck to your brother's girlfriend - Hep C isn't cool. A friend of mine had Hepatitits as a kid. He survived but his liver was shot. Now he sleeps all the time. 12 hours a day at minimum, 16 or 18 sometimes. He'd show up for lectures and then go and sleep until the next day sometimes.
