Went for blood work, noticed my doctor tested me for Hep C

[d-boy86]

  Should I be concerned? My blood work came back perfect during my last visit. Now I see that he requested that I be checked for Hep C. Isn't this normally contracted through direct exposure to blood? I've had a few raw sexual encounters, should I be worried about contracting Hep C?

[Ann]

d-boy, everyone should be screened for hep C. It just means that your doctor is going a good job looking after you.

[d-boy86]

Alright thanks! I also read that if caught during the early stages, hep-c can be cured? Is this true?

[tealeaf]

My doctor did the same thing. You're in good hands. Co-infections are common so he's being thorough. You should be vaccinated against Hep A and B if you're not already. Hep C is possible to cure but not always

[LiveWithIt]

Should I be concerned? My blood work came back perfect during my last visit. Now I see that he requested that I be checked for Hep C. Isn't this normally contracted through direct exposure to blood? I've had a few raw sexual encounters, should I be worried about contracting Hep C?

It's good to be tested for it at least once a year.  I was tested for it and I was found to have been exposed to it but my immune system fought it off, so lucky for me now I am immune to it, according to what the doctor said.  And I got it through sex. 

[Ann]

 I was tested for it and I was found to have been exposed to it but my immune system fought it off, so lucky for me now I am immune to it, according to what the doctor said.

You and/or your doctor are thinking of hep B, not hep C. You can become infected with hep C again and you can be reinfected while still infected in the first place. There are quite a few different genotypes of hep C that one can become infected with.

There is no vaccine for hep C.

And yes, in some instances it can be transmitted sexually. It usually seems to happen during sex that might draw blood, as in rough anal or fisting. It's rarely transmitted through vaginal intercourse.

Hep B is quite commonly sexually transmitted. Unlike hep C, you can develop an immunity to hep B either by a prior cleared infection or through vaccination.

As someone else suggested, everyone should make sure their hep A and B vaccinations are up-to-date. Again, there is no vaccine for hep C.

[tealeaf]

Just an observation, my doctor explained to me every single tests and why we do them. It shouldn't be a surprise to you, I don't think. Maybe that aspect could be communicated better with your doc next time?

[tednlou2]

It's good your doc is keeping up on checking for things like Hep C.  My doc checks for it every 6 months, as well as other STD's. 

My friend sees docs at the VA.  He has online access to his medical records.  He noticed many labs were outside the range of normal.  He doesn't know whether those "off" labs had anything to do with what he found, but it got him looking.  He went back through his medical records and discovered he had tested positive for Hep B.  However, he was never informed of this.  Evidently, like most people, his body cleared it.  He was upset that he was never informed and it took him looking through his medical records to learn that info.  His doc obviously wasn't on the ball.  So, it is good your doc is being proactive to make sure you stay healthy. 

[Ann]

Alright thanks! I also read that if caught during the early stages, hep-c can be cured? Is this true?

I missed this question yesterday, d-boy. Sorry.

Yes, some people can be "cured" of hep C. The (scientifically) correct term is "sustained response", but cured works too. It's easier to type out, for a start.

The cure rate is linked to genotypes. Some genotypes are more difficult to treat successfully than others. In fact, some are really notorious for relapses (a patient's hcv VL goes UD during treatment, but rebounds afterwards) but there are now newer drugs being added to the traditional regimen of pegylated alpha-interferon plus ribavirin with encouraging success in patients with a difficult-to-treat genotype.

It is believed a patient can more easily attain a sustained response if treated early on in the infection, but people can also be cured after years of being infected as well. I'm one such person.

I had been hep C poz for approximately eighteen years when I started treatment and my hcv VL went UD within weeks and I've been hcv UD for nearly ten years now. (Ten years this summer.) I was lucky, I had an easier to treat genotype - 3a. My ex-husband has the same genotype, but he experienced viral rebound so he has not had a sustained response - he is not cured. He's hiv negative, btw.

Some people - around 20% - will clear hep C on their own. I believe we have a few members here who achieved this. People who clear the virus on their own are still susceptible to being infected with hep C again. 

On the other hand, around 80% of people will clear the hep B virus on their own. These people will have antibodies that protect against being infected again. However, these people should be periodically checked (particularly if they are hiv positive) to make sure they still have sufficient antibody levels. Same goes for people who have hep B immunity due to vaccination.

I'm not sure if many people here are aware that we have a sister-site called hepmag.com. There are in-depth Lessons available there and they cover hep A, B and C.

The site also has Hepatitis Forums available with the same software as here, but you have to register an account if you want to post. Your account here won't work there, but you can use the same account details as you do here, if you wish.