sorry to hear about your husbands diagnosis' I think you got some excellent advice on here from the other 2 young ladies that answered. I always wonder if there aren't more relationships damaged by the fear of the disease than by the actual disease. I have seen worry and fear about the disease tear apart a marriage way faster than the disease did. I think the disease is very hard to spread in casual contact, its only the fear and worry that are easily spread. Just my opinion of course.
Enavigo3891 said
Feb 2, 2014
Hi there. Jill has lots of knowledge around these parts so you should take comfort in what she is saying, as well as your doctors. And just in case you need some additional convincing, my sister and I were both born with HepC however we didn't know until we were teenagers. Our adoptive mother raised us since we were toddlers, cleaned up our bumps, bruises, skinned knees, broken bones, nose bleeds, etc... All the things typical families are exposed to from each other. After we tested positive, they tested our adoptive mom (for the very reasons I just listed) and she is negative. My fiance and I have been together for 6 years, he was tested just this past year (just to be sure) and he is negative. Also, my sister has two kids and she's done all the motherly things I mentioned above for her own kids and they are negative. It's really difficult to 'catch' HepC through day to day living and incidents like you mention. But like Jill said, if you need that additional assurance, get them tested when the time is right. Until then... i think it would be okay to take a deep breathe and for your husband to do the same! Keep smiling.
Cinnamon Girl said
Jan 12, 2014
Hi B-in-Miracles, welcome to the forum.
I can understand your concern about your baby, and it`s quite natural to feel like you do after your husband has been diagnosed with Hep C, but I think your doctor is right to advise you not to be too concerned. Yes, there would be a slight risk of infection, but it would be very slight indeed as it wasn`t direct blood to blood contact, so try to relax and take it one step at a time. You only did what any other mother would do in the circumstances so please don`t feel bad about it, your baby will be fine I`m sure.
Take your baby for the blood test in 2 months time, just for reassurance, and it would probably be just as well to have him tested again in 6 months time. Sometimes it can take a few months for the immune system to form enough antibodies to be detected in a blood test, in the very slight chance that he has been infected.
Your little daughter is also very unlikely to have been infected with Hep C, but to put your mind at ease you could have her tested as well. But really, the chances that either of your children have been infected are very low indeed. I brought up my 2 children without knowing that my husband and I were both infected and we didn`t take any special precautions to avoid blood contact, apart from the normal hygiene routines, and they were both clear when tested as teenagers.
Let us know how it goes, and in the meantime please know that we are here for you, and we understand how you feel.
Wishing you all the best, Jill
Believeinmiracles said
Jan 11, 2014
Hello, I just joined this forum looking for some help/advice. My husband (25 yrs old) was diagnosed with hep c in September 2013 (traced back to tainted blood scandal and an in utero blood transfusion). We have yet to see a specialist. I have been tested and am hep C negative (we have been in a relationship for 8+ years). My worry is for my children. About 2 weeks ago my husband was holding our 4 month old baby when his nose started to bleed. Drops of blood landed directly on top our sons head/hair. I immediately took the baby and my reaction was to wipe the blood off with the nearest thing possible which was a baby wipe... Some of the blood wiped off the baby wipe onto my hand which I then wiped off. On further investigation I saw that he had blood on his nose, I grabbed another wipe to wipe it off and realized he had scratched his nose and it was bleeding. I'm extremely worried for my baby
I proceeded to bathe him and washed his head/forehead several times but I'm worried I may have made the whole situation worse by doing so (blood being in the water and coming into contact with his open cut). I took him to our doctor and he told me that he was exposed but he is not too concerned because the blood did not drop directly into his open cut. He has advised us to wait two months and then get his blood tested. I literally feel sick to my stomach with worry, everyone I have spoken to seems to shake it off like it's not a big deal and that the risk is very minimal but the more I read the more I worry.
Does anyone have any experience with a situation like this? Maybe some advice?
I've been reading that 2 months might not be a long enough wait time but I'm not sure I can wait 6 months... I'm literally going out of my mind worrying about him and my poor husband just blames himself..
We also have a 3 1/2 year old daughter who has not been tested, should we get her tested? She has never had direct contact with his blood but like I said the more I read the more I worry...
Thanks for reading my post and I really appreciate any advice you have to offer.
hello Believe,
sorry to hear about your husbands diagnosis' I think you got some excellent advice on here from the other 2 young ladies that answered. I always wonder if there aren't more relationships damaged by the fear of the disease than by the actual disease. I have seen worry and fear about the disease tear apart a marriage way faster than the disease did. I think the disease is very hard to spread in casual contact, its only the fear and worry that are easily spread. Just my opinion of course.
Hi there. Jill has lots of knowledge around these parts so you should take comfort in what she is saying, as well as your doctors. And just in case you need some additional convincing, my sister and I were both born with HepC however we didn't know until we were teenagers. Our adoptive mother raised us since we were toddlers, cleaned up our bumps, bruises, skinned knees, broken bones, nose bleeds, etc... All the things typical families are exposed to from each other. After we tested positive, they tested our adoptive mom (for the very reasons I just listed) and she is negative. My fiance and I have been together for 6 years, he was tested just this past year (just to be sure) and he is negative. Also, my sister has two kids and she's done all the motherly things I mentioned above for her own kids and they are negative. It's really difficult to 'catch' HepC through day to day living and incidents like you mention. But like Jill said, if you need that additional assurance, get them tested when the time is right. Until then... i think it would be okay to take a deep breathe and for your husband to do the same! Keep smiling.
Hi B-in-Miracles, welcome to the forum.
I can understand your concern about your baby, and it`s quite natural to feel like you do after your husband has been diagnosed with Hep C, but I think your doctor is right to advise you not to be too concerned. Yes, there would be a slight risk of infection, but it would be very slight indeed as it wasn`t direct blood to blood contact, so try to relax and take it one step at a time. You only did what any other mother would do in the circumstances so please don`t feel bad about it, your baby will be fine I`m sure.
Take your baby for the blood test in 2 months time, just for reassurance, and it would probably be just as well to have him tested again in 6 months time. Sometimes it can take a few months for the immune system to form enough antibodies to be detected in a blood test, in the very slight chance that he has been infected.
Your little daughter is also very unlikely to have been infected with Hep C, but to put your mind at ease you could have her tested as well. But really, the chances that either of your children have been infected are very low indeed. I brought up my 2 children without knowing that my husband and I were both infected and we didn`t take any special precautions to avoid blood contact, apart from the normal hygiene routines, and they were both clear when tested as teenagers.
Let us know how it goes, and in the meantime please know that we are here for you, and we understand how you feel.
Wishing you all the best, Jill