Hep C Discussion Forum

5-1-18 · Guru

RE: Health Dept. registration

5-1-18 · Guru

scruffy, it was 1979 or 80' when i got sick, i was 29 or 30. went to hospital and sent home with the non a, non b diagnosis. they said i'd be ok in 3 months. and it was from drug use [ i'm 66 now biggrin ]

four years later i had high liver enzymes and told i was chronic.... at least i changed my lifestyle and decided it wasn't going to bring me down.

in 96' i was diagnosed as C; and one Dr. told me i'd be 6 feet under in 10 yrs.

i quickly changed Dr's and tried the Interferon.;.. that Dr told me to hang in there cos in 5-10yrs there would be a cure.

i did think that would be the cause of my death eventually till the miracle of harvoni

but i did feel like a health hazard the whole time, just that we didn't have to register.

i'm so thankful for the new daa's.

Tig · Admin

Scruffy makes an interesting point. Each time we see our doctors, or go in for post treatment testing, ie., bloodwork, imaging,, etc., with a HCV related ICD-10 coding, we continue to be put into the “tracking system”. The one thing we will experience going forward, at least for me, is when I apply for insurance coverages. Health and Life insurance tend to be the institutions that express the most interest and concern when we apply for new or updated coverage. A documented SVR in your health record goes a long way toward reducing their concern over our “liability”.

Scruffy · Guru

Times have changed. Back when Iris was diagnosed it was a terminal condition. Matter of fact it was either call non a or b hep or terminal hep. Most reported cases back them were from drug use.

Drug users were probably the only people they tested for it. It was the "junkies" disease. I've known more than a few people older than me that died as the consequence of hep c.

So be thankful because at one time a hep c diagnoses WAS a death sentence. Yes you were registered and still are every time you check that box at the doctors office.

5-1-18 · Guru

no, where i live in the U.S they almost shoved me out of the hospital with no follow up. maybe there was so much of it going around that it was no big deal to them hmm

Cheddy · Moderator

Terminal my ass. You are just about to terminate this whole long shadow.

Iris, you have been through so much with this and, over such a long time. You are a durable soul!

I'm proud of your perseverance, your support, and you help with others.

I just can't wait until the finale. Show no shame! It's mostly dumb luck, followed by new power.

My best to you, dear.

Iris Dragonfly · Guru

No, I remember having to go into the department my-own-self, I made the report not the doctor, wonder why. Yeah, huh, health offender, at least that was the message I got. Messed with my mind pretty good.
Now that you mention it I wonder,... keeping records from that long ago would be in some old manila folder somewhere in a vault in the bottom of the main building downtown in their sub, sub, sub basement in a rusty old file no one has been in for a hundred years?. Or did they transfer it to micro-fish, LoL then onto a floppy disk? I can't even imagine, and then what do they do with the info?...was there a map of the offenders? were they keeping track of me through out life to see if I was spreading the love?
So Canuck, you're saying we will always be on their radar? I suppose one has to check the box...have you ever had hepatitis? that will never go away.
Say there 5, Hoodie, you guys didn't have to register?
I guess I better call. I wonder if the reporting still happens? but like Tig said the Dr. does it these days, kinda like when one shouldn't be driving, they tell the DMV?
BB, Iris

Hoodietree · Senior Member

Goodness gracious that was so unkind and unnecessary of them!

disbelief Do Not Like

5-1-18 · Guru

omg! a health offender?

Canuck · Guru

Iris,

You should go and have a "chat" with these "records people" again, just to see if things have not "changed" over the years. If this was something that they said they recorded "way back" then (when you were 18?) maybe things have all changed since then, IF this reporting was a requirement back then?, perhaps it might have been a requirement, but ... maybe it was not. Maybe it was recorded, maybe it wasn't. Regardless, of whether it was thought required or not, it IS possible that nothing was recorded on you back then. There may be NO record that exists to expunge! - go and ask if such a record really exists. I would be surprised if it does, as many "authorities" cannot seem to keep a record even 5 to 10 years when in the case that you would have really, really wanted them to!!

All I know is that currently, even after you have cured of HCV, they just about emblazen your forehead with a HCV ab+ mark when you go into the hospital for anything from day surgery, to instrument procedures, to more. Your wristband will show whether you are ab + or not. So ... we are all still "labelled" if you want to look at it that way. hmph - shrugs. : ) C.

Tig · Admin

That’s a question I have never had before and honestly can’t answer it. I know all of us in the USA with HCV had our diagnosis reported as a rule. Did California require you to do it or did your doctor do it on a communicable disease report? As far as I know it’s not something that is held against you in any respect, and hasn’t been an issue I have ever worried about. The fact that it was initially reported and is part of the record can‘t be changed, because it happened. Using something like that against you, is by law, illegal...

Iris Dragonfly · Guru

Hi guys!

Quick question

To further my trauma of having been diagnosed with a terminal condition at the young age of 18, I was told I would have to register with the county Health Department as having a communicable disease. (That made me feel real worthless and dangerous to be around).

So I did. I was a health offender.

Now with the potential of being "cured" can I get that expunged?

Bb, Iris

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