James, I'm sorry but I'm going to have to agree to disagree with you on this. When I did tx in 03 I was clear at 4 weeks, and remained clear till I had to quit at 4.5 months.

The Docs have told me, I  there is a high possibility I  reinfected myself, by using the same toothbrush I had used while infected. Specialy when our immune system is so low right after treatment.

Going to have to believe the doctors on this one.

While on treatment we are still putting the PegIntron in our body to kill it, so this helps us remain clear on blood tests during treatment. However once you are off of treatment, you are no longer using the anti-viral meds. Immune system is low, and it's the perfect time, to easily be reinfected.

I speak from personal experience...not a guess. Plus what my doctors told me.

When you factor in the price of treatment, + the sickness, is it really worth the chance, on something so cheaply remedied?

Not to mention with the new 3 drug combos you become immune to them if you stop treatment. So I have no idea if a person got reinfected if they would be able to do these a second time. If I don't know, I'll say "I don't know" .

I can only testify to my own experience, and what the hepotologists told me then, when it came back after treatment. It's just not worth the risk.

There is no possible way changing your toothbrush every week during treatment, a long with changing your razor, can harm anyone. So why argue it? When  getting reinfected could do a lot of harm?

I didn't make this up. My doctors told me it, whereas you are guessing.

Still I say all this with respect, and not meant to be arguemenative.

I learned the hard way, and if my lesson ( due to my stupidity) can help someone else, I gladly share it.

Just as people here share tips for nausea, and such.

Captain- My daughter's when younger used my razors too even though I told them not to, and my second daughter was born after I was infected. My viral count was lower then. I'm sure you wouldn't purposely hand something like your toothbrush to your grandchild.

Our immune sysem is much lower ( think of those who clear hep c on their own-they got lucky) right after treatment. The very reason we now avoid ill people while on treatment, and get things like thrush mouth ect.

We all hope for a cure, and that this will be the last time we have to do treatment.

That a lone makes the precaution worth it! Everyone will decide for themselves, how much risk they are willing to take. I will not be repeating the same mistake twice.

Sounds like a good precaution going forward,

I wouldn't lose any sleep over the past, though. My wife and I have  inadvertently shared razors, toothbrushes, etc many, many times over the past 25+ years and she never got HCV, thank God.

Aghhhh, one more thing that I hadn't thought about.  But I guess I'll know pretty soon.  My six month PCR test is in the first week of October.  I've been UND since week four, so if I test positive I will know where it came from.  I suppose I can't worry about it now... ty

I figure it would probably be even easier than usual for us to re-infect ourselfs during or right after treatment because our immune system is knocked down so far by treatment.

I just want to beat this thing, and if I possibly know something that might help one of you beat it too, I'd glady share what I know. That's the point of a forum, to help, encourage and learn from eachother.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-100-quality-standrd-toothbrushes-wholesale-price-/390339608710?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ae20dc086

100 toothbrushes for $28.

Pretty inexspensive, considering the cost of treatment, if you re-infect yourself.

I looked on Amazon.com and there are quite a lot of toothbrush sanitizers for sale.  I have a friend that got one about 5 years ago because he is such a germ-a-phobic and didn't like the idea of his toothbrush being in the bathroom.

Of course this would not kill the hvc virus, just keep your toothbrush cleaner.  I think I'll change out my toothbrush about once a week or so just in case. 

I'll see about the razor's too. 

I don't know how I got hcv, and the doctors always believe that if you ever engaged in risky behavior that had too be it. But, I remember staying at my friends house in 2000 that had HCV.  The first morning I was there, I showered and used her razor that was sitting in the shower.  Later that day she told me to not use her razor or toothbrush, etc. because it may be possible to transmit the hcv.  (woops)  I didn't tell her I already had, but to this day it is one of those things that make me wonder.  I have the same genotype as here too.  It could just be coincidence, but I'm not taking any chances with somebody elses health!

we had called the toothbrush company, and they had said you cannot soak a toothbrush in bleach. It messes up the bristles

PS I too had a razor that took cartridges, but at the begining of treatment, decided to toss it, and get the disposables. After treatment, I'll buy another razor that takes cartridges.

The only thing that has been proven to kill hcv is bleach

I was a CNA, my daughter a CNA. her husband a firefighter/EMT.

Other daughter an EMT her husband an EMT.

Ask your doc if it's possible to reinfect yourself from using the same toothbrush and razor you used before you started treatment, when you are hcv negative. You'll have your answer.

The only thing i know for sure is that anything is possible.

I always keep my toothbrush and all away from others. That's not what I'm talking about. 

What I'm talking about is if you were hcv positive last week, and this week you are not,

do you want to use the same toothbrush with the microscopic blood on it of yours, from last week, this week?

This isn't misinformation, this is truth.

They warned me in 03 to change my toothbrush each week. I didn't listen. ( I was hcv negative after 4 weeks of treatment) one month after treatment my viral count was 300.

So did I reinfect myself by using the same toothbrush the whole time? Maybe.

Keeping to your own Stuff and isolating it from others is best practice.

I have my own, Black, Towels but stick to only White sheets so I can see if I have bled out in the night, I sort out my own washing and put it on a pile with some latex gloves so no-one has to touch it.

I only bought a new toothbrush because my old "Stiff One" (Ooo-er Missus) was tearing my gums up. Change blades in my razor every Two weeks but only because they are blunt, and put them in my sharps bin.

HCV Virus can survive quite a while in dried blood, so this is a nice precaution for others.

All The Best.

Steve.

Wow, you may be on to something there with the toothbrushes and razors.  I am changing mine right now!  It can't hurt anything, and it could help. 

I still have a couple of cups of coffee in the morning at home.  I am spoiled with the starbucks!  Partly from just routine and I'm not convienced that it's bad for me.   I can no longer stand the generic coffee at work, and told them I wouldn't be contributing to the coffee fund for awhile.  My taste buds are out of wack and it just don't taste good. 

I got some Biotine mouth rinse for at home, and mouth spray that sits on my desk at work. I may go back and get the toothpaste.  I have been brushing more too.

I just thought I'd remind everyone, something the doc didn't bother to mention to me starting treatment this time , but they did tell m in 03..and I didn't listen.

Not taking any chances this time.

It may be overkill, but awhile back I went on ebay and bought a huge box of disposable toothbrushes ( they suck) so I could use a new one each day. I also bought 24 or more disposable razors.

At the very least you really should be changing your toothbrush and razor every week so as to not reinfect yourself...which I was always left kicking myself about not doing in 03 when I relasped. There was always the "what if?"

Not taking any chances this time.Both tooth brushes, andrazors are forms of infecting people with hep c from either microscopic blood from your gums,or shaving.

Which means, if you could infect others that way, you can re-infect yourself that way. Better cautious than sorry! TX is to hard to leave anyting that simple to chance.

So change them!

PS. I also haven't seen anybody mention it, but in 03 they told me "no caffine". Sometimes I would cheat and take a sip of coffee, and always ended up regretting it, when I threw it up ( it also dehydrates you). So I have no caffine this time either.

7-up, cherry 7-up, rootbeer, crush..all have no caffeine.

Buy some visine tears and help those eyes stay hydrated too. Last time TX ate the protective covering off my eyes. Protect them, they are the only ones you've got!