I am glad things are going pretty good for you, despite the feeling tired today.
You really do sound like you are going to do well and cope well on this stuff, I am very relieved and happy to hear you are indeed drinking TONS of water, and you are acknowledging that you are realizing (physically) how well water dilution works to stave off many things that are all just part and parcel of the inner viral war you are waging and winning (headches and such).
Oh me too! I could hardly wait for my blood draws! I was lucky to get so many of them too, only because I was in a trial tho. (Funny that, to be happy, to think yourself "lucky", to be looking forward to presenting yourself to be frequently gouged and jabbed by those not always so fun lab techs, being that I had so few veins! But, we managed, and I was always very glad for every single one of my blood draw lab results, as it guaged my stellar progress and successes)!
Hey don't get me wrong ... my partner and I did not just willy-nilly at the least provocation TRY to share as much blood as humanly possible! heehee, my point was ... that I was NOT ABLE to give him ANY of my blood or virus by these methods, by accident or happenstance! I only belaboured these "events" to show and "highlight" JUST HOW HARD IT REALLY IS to pass HCV on to another person without the virus/blood near-literally being injected into them. I just listed every single thing/every bloody event I could think of that would be in the realm of "intimate family contact" that could ever conceivably be considered a risk. Believe me, as close as we are, we always avoided using each others toothbrushes, just on the (eew) common sense principal (ya OK I'm weird, but not that weird, that I insist on sharing his toothbrush!), and it was only after discovering I had HCV that I went all paranoid and thought about the odd emergency times in the last 30+years that I might have borrowed his toothbrush a bind! Yes, I went worried, that I could have infected him, even tho the incidence of being able to do so with your partner or intimate family members in a domestic setting is very low. So, yes, I was relieved he tested neg. I didn't want to leave you with impression that I was in the habit of gouging around in his wounds with my bare and bloodied hands!, we did carry on some semblance of sterile technique!. I was trying to demonstrate and acknowledge that the fear we all have (that we do not wish to convey to anyone else what we contracted), makes us fret over these "contact" events, even tho the incidence of possible transmission this way is so rare.
Here is a suggested "sig. line" for you, if it helps you get started on one ... Dx 2007, GT 2b. Pre-treatment VL 8.2 million, ALT 140, AST 98, Bilirubin 0.8, Albumin 4.2, Platelets 99. Ultrasound, spleen slightly enlarged. Told "early" cirrhosis? F3 or 4? 12 weeks Epclusa started ________...
When you go for your blood draw on the 18th, they will likely repeat all the prior tests you posted previously. Is it JUST a lab visit?, or do you also have a docs appointment booked this day as well?
Regardless, inquire with both the lab and/or at your docs office, if they will please provide you the actual copies of all your blood test results, pre-treatment and as you go along. (Unless you have a way to obtain access to your own records on-line, some people seem to be able to get very prompt feedback on all their lab and imaging test results that way). It's good to have all your own records at home, to review, and to follow your own progress.
When you see the doc you could still ask for a fibroscan, just to know how "stiff" your liver measures now, to compare to after you are cured, to see how much any liver stiffness decreases over time. As Tig mentioned, the on-going ultrasounds are very good things to have before and for "following" after cure, and if you are on the suggested every 6 months frequency for repeat ultrasounds, that may decrease in future. Your level of fibrosis rating, which you think might be F3 or F4, was likely arrived at by a "blood test method" calculation, not really by ultrasound per say - and not by biopsy, as I think you said you never had a biospy. The ultrasounds are very valuable tests and should be welcomed to reveal splenic enlargement for instance, as are labs, to watch your platelets, as these are further indicators in levels of fibrosis/cirrhosis. The fibroscan is another useful way to give you an Fscore, it adds more info to your pic, and it is an easy test to have and also to be "followed" with.
You and I seem to have in common our success in fighting off our past hep B infection! Lucky we were! Good they have re-tested your A/B immunity levels and that you will be getting your A immunization re-done.
I am betting you are going to see some lab improvements on the 18th!! C.
RainyJ said
Apr 10, 2017
Canuck, you're hilarious. I finally got to this screen to reply which is where I think I should have been replying from to begin with. Yeah, I've replaced the toothbrush once already. I recently had a full mouth deep cleaning at the dentist and had bleeding gums for a while there. It amazes me that your partner didn't test positive but it's such a blessing for sure. I felt a little tired today so I guess the fatigue will linger on for awhile. I had more energy than usual for a couple of days there. Goin nuts waiting to get the first blood work done. I think I'll be able to chill a bit after that. I'm not clear on the retitling thing so I'm not gonna mess with it. Thanks for being so friendly!
Tig said
Apr 10, 2017
Hi Rainy,
We have discussed this several times in the past. If you want to review those discussions use our search function and you'll find them. I'll leave a link to one such discussion and it should give you some advice/opinions.
Never share or allow anyone to use yours. It's rare that people use someone elses toothbrush, but it happens. Children aren't as concerned about the brush they grab, so keep yours away from the family toothbrush caddy. Simple precautions are usually enough to keep that from happening accidentally. Nail clippers and scissors are another story and soaking them in a 1:10 household bleach solution is more than adequate to kill anything residing under the covers!
Congrats!, you figured out how to do an avatar! (I never did figure out how to do mine, and Tig kindly went to great deal of trouble and had to do it for me, after I had exhausted Linux! (My avatar is the respresentation/the molecular arrangement of the vel in sofa/vel - epclusa BTW.)
I also noted you are now "officially" posting on your "On Treatment" thread! Yay!
I would re-title your "On Treatment" thread ... to something like .... "RainyJ's Journey, to get an Epclusian Toothbrush" (hee hee), or something like that. (don't ask me "how to" re-title anything tho ... I don't know how to do that either)! Man, it's hard for me to be so computer challenged.
But toothbrushes, I can handle. We actually have spent much time around here talking about these subjects, of clippers and toothbrushes! Off-hand I can't recall the largest thread to direct you to, but believe me, there are many ways to address the worry. It IS such a remote risk, but, we all understand the wish to be "ever so careful", after all, we have just embarked on a big investment in killing this virus before it can do us anymore harm, taking every pill on time, etc., so, it stands to reason to want to feel doubly sure we have slammed the door tight behind us!!
I guess a short answer would be to turf your old toothbrush at your first UND (ha, that could be coming up for you right soon!) or at your EOT UND. Your nailclippers can be bleached.
Some have fastidiously washed their metal nail or razor "cutlery" with soap and water, rinsed, followed by a surgical friction scrub with a 10% bleach solution, rinsed, then left overnight in a 10% bleach solution soak, and the next day the wet bleached implements left out open to air dry.
There have been so many different ideas about toothbrushes!, most end up wanting to turf their toothbrush at some point - after their 1st UND, or EOT UND, and others, all along the way! I think one resourceful guy went out and bought himself a whole bag of dollar toothbrushes and replaced them regularly along the way to his EOT, or was it his EOT+12 weeks!!! Overkill, but, if it makes one feel better, go ahead! I turfed my toothbrush at EOT.
I unknowingly had HCV for 40++ years, I shared with my partner of 30++ years, my toothbrushes, clippers, every implement in the house! from bloodied tools, to helping sop up bloody gushing cuts, to gouging around with hands and tweezers extracting scary wood splinters from bleeding limbs, cleaned surgical wounds and changed dressings replete with sutures and open drains for weeks on end, shared all body parts/bodily fluids - EVERYTHING - (excepting of course that we did not use or share a needle or injection mind you!) but just about everything else I could think of that I could let myself feel paranoid about in hindsight, things that could only ever-so-remotely be considered a possible way to convey HCV to my partner, and indeed, he tested neg for the antibody (never exposed) once I was finally diagnosed having HCV in 2015.
Remember, it usually takes an immediate transfusion, sharing an injection needle, a blood to blood contact to contract hepc.
I am so glad you are on your way to your hepc free life, and preparing for it! You can have a mini-celebration and buy yourself a brand new toothbrush. C.
RainyJ said
Apr 9, 2017
I've been thinking about this. What about replacing toothbrushes, nail clippers etc. Does this pose risk for reinfection? If so, at what point? Im worried about items that could have been exposed to blood.
Hi Rainy,
I am glad things are going pretty good for you, despite the feeling tired today.
You really do sound like you are going to do well and cope well on this stuff, I am very relieved and happy to hear you are indeed drinking TONS of water, and you are acknowledging that you are realizing (physically) how well water dilution works to stave off many things that are all just part and parcel of the inner viral war you are waging and winning (headches and such).
Oh me too! I could hardly wait for my blood draws! I was lucky to get so many of them too, only because I was in a trial tho. (Funny that, to be happy, to think yourself "lucky", to be looking forward to presenting yourself to be frequently gouged and jabbed by those not always so fun lab techs, being that I had so few veins! But, we managed, and I was always very glad for every single one of my blood draw lab results, as it guaged my stellar progress and successes)!
Hey don't get me wrong ... my partner and I did not just willy-nilly at the least provocation TRY to share as much blood as humanly possible! heehee, my point was ... that I was NOT ABLE to give him ANY of my blood or virus by these methods, by accident or happenstance! I only belaboured these "events" to show and "highlight" JUST HOW HARD IT REALLY IS to pass HCV on to another person without the virus/blood near-literally being injected into them. I just listed every single thing/every bloody event I could think of that would be in the realm of "intimate family contact" that could ever conceivably be considered a risk. Believe me, as close as we are, we always avoided using each others toothbrushes, just on the (eew) common sense principal (ya OK I'm weird, but not that weird, that I insist on sharing his toothbrush!), and it was only after discovering I had HCV that I went all paranoid and thought about the odd emergency times in the last 30+years that I might have borrowed his toothbrush a bind! Yes, I went worried, that I could have infected him, even tho the incidence of being able to do so with your partner or intimate family members in a domestic setting is very low. So, yes, I was relieved he tested neg. I didn't want to leave you with impression that I was in the habit of gouging around in his wounds with my bare and bloodied hands!, we did carry on some semblance of sterile technique!. I was trying to demonstrate and acknowledge that the fear we all have (that we do not wish to convey to anyone else what we contracted), makes us fret over these "contact" events, even tho the incidence of possible transmission this way is so rare.
Here is a suggested "sig. line" for you, if it helps you get started on one ... Dx 2007, GT 2b. Pre-treatment VL 8.2 million, ALT 140, AST 98, Bilirubin 0.8, Albumin 4.2, Platelets 99. Ultrasound, spleen slightly enlarged. Told "early" cirrhosis? F3 or 4? 12 weeks Epclusa started ________...
When you go for your blood draw on the 18th, they will likely repeat all the prior tests you posted previously. Is it JUST a lab visit?, or do you also have a docs appointment booked this day as well?
Regardless, inquire with both the lab and/or at your docs office, if they will please provide you the actual copies of all your blood test results, pre-treatment and as you go along. (Unless you have a way to obtain access to your own records on-line, some people seem to be able to get very prompt feedback on all their lab and imaging test results that way). It's good to have all your own records at home, to review, and to follow your own progress.
When you see the doc you could still ask for a fibroscan, just to know how "stiff" your liver measures now, to compare to after you are cured, to see how much any liver stiffness decreases over time. As Tig mentioned, the on-going ultrasounds are very good things to have before and for "following" after cure, and if you are on the suggested every 6 months frequency for repeat ultrasounds, that may decrease in future. Your level of fibrosis rating, which you think might be F3 or F4, was likely arrived at by a "blood test method" calculation, not really by ultrasound per say - and not by biopsy, as I think you said you never had a biospy. The ultrasounds are very valuable tests and should be welcomed to reveal splenic enlargement for instance, as are labs, to watch your platelets, as these are further indicators in levels of fibrosis/cirrhosis. The fibroscan is another useful way to give you an Fscore, it adds more info to your pic, and it is an easy test to have and also to be "followed" with.
You and I seem to have in common our success in fighting off our past hep B infection! Lucky we were! Good they have re-tested your A/B immunity levels and that you will be getting your A immunization re-done.
I am betting you are going to see some lab improvements on the 18th!!
C.
Canuck, you're hilarious. I finally got to this screen to reply which is where I think I should have been replying from to begin with. Yeah, I've replaced the toothbrush once already. I recently had a full mouth deep cleaning at the dentist and had bleeding gums for a while there. It amazes me that your partner didn't test positive but it's such a blessing for sure. I felt a little tired today so I guess the fatigue will linger on for awhile. I had more energy than usual for a couple of days there. Goin nuts waiting to get the first blood work done. I think I'll be able to chill a bit after that. I'm not clear on the retitling thing so I'm not gonna mess with it. Thanks for being so friendly!
Hi Rainy,
We have discussed this several times in the past. If you want to review those discussions use our search function and you'll find them. I'll leave a link to one such discussion and it should give you some advice/opinions.
Never share or allow anyone to use yours. It's rare that people use someone elses toothbrush, but it happens. Children aren't as concerned about the brush they grab, so keep yours away from the family toothbrush caddy. Simple precautions are usually enough to keep that from happening accidentally. Nail clippers and scissors are another story and soaking them in a 1:10 household bleach solution is more than adequate to kill anything residing under the covers!
If you need some other references, let me know.
Toothbrushes and Razors
Inanimate Surfaces
Hey RainyJ,
Congrats!, you figured out how to do an avatar! (I never did figure out how to do mine, and Tig kindly went to great deal of trouble and had to do it for me, after I had exhausted Linux! (My avatar is the respresentation/the molecular arrangement of the vel in sofa/vel - epclusa BTW.)
I also noted you are now "officially" posting on your "On Treatment" thread! Yay!
I would re-title your "On Treatment" thread ... to something like .... "RainyJ's Journey, to get an Epclusian Toothbrush" (hee hee), or something like that. (don't ask me "how to" re-title anything tho ... I don't know how to do that either)! Man, it's hard for me to be so computer challenged.
But toothbrushes, I can handle. We actually have spent much time around here talking about these subjects, of clippers and toothbrushes! Off-hand I can't recall the largest thread to direct you to, but believe me, there are many ways to address the worry. It IS such a remote risk, but, we all understand the wish to be "ever so careful", after all, we have just embarked on a big investment in killing this virus before it can do us anymore harm, taking every pill on time, etc., so, it stands to reason to want to feel doubly sure we have slammed the door tight behind us!!
I guess a short answer would be to turf your old toothbrush at your first UND (ha, that could be coming up for you right soon!) or at your EOT UND. Your nailclippers can be bleached.
Some have fastidiously washed their metal nail or razor "cutlery" with soap and water, rinsed, followed by a surgical friction scrub with a 10% bleach solution, rinsed, then left overnight in a 10% bleach solution soak, and the next day the wet bleached implements left out open to air dry.
There have been so many different ideas about toothbrushes!, most end up wanting to turf their toothbrush at some point - after their 1st UND, or EOT UND, and others, all along the way! I think one resourceful guy went out and bought himself a whole bag of dollar toothbrushes and replaced them regularly along the way to his EOT, or was it his EOT+12 weeks!!! Overkill, but, if it makes one feel better, go ahead! I turfed my toothbrush at EOT.
I unknowingly had HCV for 40++ years, I shared with my partner of 30++ years, my toothbrushes, clippers, every implement in the house! from bloodied tools, to helping sop up bloody gushing cuts, to gouging around with hands and tweezers extracting scary wood splinters from bleeding limbs, cleaned surgical wounds and changed dressings replete with sutures and open drains for weeks on end, shared all body parts/bodily fluids - EVERYTHING - (excepting of course that we did not use or share a needle or injection mind you!) but just about everything else I could think of that I could let myself feel paranoid about in hindsight, things that could only ever-so-remotely be considered a possible way to convey HCV to my partner, and indeed, he tested neg for the antibody (never exposed) once I was finally diagnosed having HCV in 2015.
Remember, it usually takes an immediate transfusion, sharing an injection needle, a blood to blood contact to contract hepc.
I am so glad you are on your way to your hepc free life, and preparing for it! You can have a mini-celebration and buy yourself a brand new toothbrush.
C.