Hep C is a VIRUS found in the blood. It can seriously affect and damage your liver. It CAN be fatal.

Thus, since it is blood-borne, it requies a blood-to-blood transfer. So, think of ways someone else's blood can come into contact with yours.

-sharing needles and injection drug equipment. ("works")
-sharing snorting equipment (coke straws, rolled up bills)
-blood transfusions
-blood products, such as plasma, or Factor 8 for hemophilia
-hemodialysis (kidney dialysis machines)
-tattoo equipment
-body piercing equipment including ink contain drops of blood from an infected person
-shared razors
-shared toothbrushes (gums bleed!)
-nail clippers
-accidental needle sticks (for health care workers)
-unsterilized medical equipment
-unsterilized dental equipment
~~~~~~~~~~

Hep C lives A LONG TIME outside the body, up to several MONTHS, even in DRIED blood.

Wiping blood off of a razor does NOT get rid of it.

Boiling items such as a toothbrush, or a "works", does NOT kill it.

BLEACH DOES NOT KILL IT!

Only HIGH TEMPERATURES, such as autoclaving can kill the virus. In fact, when someone dies of Hep C, they should be CREMATED!

Spread of Hep C through sex is thought to be about a 4% chance.

BUT, sex with an exchange of blood, such as during a woman's menstrual period, or during "rough sex", or with anyone with any kind of blister or abrasion, greatly increases the risk.

Women with Hep C are NOT told to avoid pregnancy, vaginal delivery or breastfeeding, but there is still a 5-10 % risk of transmission.

Hep C is NOT spread through tears, salive, kissing, coughing, sneezing, hugging, sharing eating utensils, or drinking glasses etc.

BUT, you must ALWAYS THINK OF BLOOD TRANSFERS!

Ladies, disposal of soiled menstual pads... Get a medical hazardous waste container from a drug store, especially if you have small children or pets...

Get a tempered glass cutting board, in case of nicks while your chopping vegetables. Throw out the wooden cutting board!

~~~~~~~~~
All My Love,
Menolly

I just visited my son over the past 2 days. He was telling me about how his cellie got Hep. C. The guy who tattooed my son was not very clean with his needles. My son said that his cellie had this guy tattoo him after my son had his done. His Cellie was tested and he has Hep C. They feel it was from this guy tatooing everyone. My son has been tested twice and does not have Hep C.

Also, My mother is a carrier of Hep C and so is my brother. This would be a hereditary thing. (I think?)

My son has not had a tattoo done since his cellie had his done by this guy! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that his Cellie doesn't pass it on to him!

Love
Kathy

If I understtod you right, Hep c is not hereditary.

Sorry Lulu, you are right! I think my mom past it to my younger brother. They are just carriers. In other words if they are tested for Hep it will show up on the test but they do not have the syptoms and can not pass it on to others.

Here is some info. I found about Hep. B and being a carrier:

"Hepatitis B is transmitted sexually, through IV needles, or from mother to infant. The incubation period is 2 - 4 months. There are approximately 300,000 new infections of Hepatitis B per year in the United States. The Hepatitis B surface antigen appears early in the course of the disease and may persist for several months. If this surface antigen remains positive after 6 months from the onset of disease, it will likely persist indefinitely and the individual will become a chronic carrier of Hepatitis B. Up to 10% of patients with acute Hepatitis B will develop chronic hepatitis, which can result in cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) or liver cancer. Interferon is currently being evaluated for the treatment of chronic Hepatitis B."

http://www.twomoons.com/hepatitis/hep.htm

I found this Website with good info about Hep. A, B, and C.

I'm wrong about Hep. C! My mom must have had Hep. B.

Also, I think my son was under the impression that using Bleach was a good way to keep his Cell safe from this. But, after reading this post I guess NOT!

Also, my son's Cellie was moved to a one man cell after finding out that he had it!

Love
Kathy

Oh, ok so your mom has heb b.

I was supprised to learn that bleach does not kill hepc. It kills every thing else. I like to clean in bleach myself.

how long should it take to get back the results of hep/hiv tests?

my guy did the homemade tat's thing before he got incarcerated. he's been in a little over a year now. he somehow managed to convince the doc to test him. we have been waiting for the results since 12/24/02. after reading some of the other posts, it really doesn't seem like such a long wait. of course it does to me -- i am a nervous wreck just waiting.

i am a little hesitant to be real aggresive with the doc regarding this. i don't want to make trouble and of course a part of me wants to be like an ostrich with my head stuck in the sand. i got tested by county health services and the results only took a week to get back. i would love to think that no news is good news, but i do know i am dealing with the doc (in arizona),

Kim

Kim on the streets you should have the results in 10-14 days. In the joint it's when they get around to it. I'm assuming it could take months. I guess they figure your not going anywhere.-----------Ken

ken -- somehow that just sounds like torture to me to wait that long just to find out what's up. if he is okay, shouldn't he get immunized (for all the heps) before he comes home? and if he needs treatment there it doesn't seem like there will be enough time (11 months to go).

i read the wonderful post you made about the new cdc recommendations. i wish the doc would read them too.

kim

I SO HATE to be delivering bad news, or scary news, but armed with the truth, people can start to deal with treatment etc!

First of all, WHEN did your son get his tattoo? If it was more than 6 months ago, this is very good. It means he's avoided it!

Secondly, Hep C is NOT hereditary! It is an ACQUIRED INFECTIOUS DISEASE! (So is Hep B.) You get it from someone else, or from contaminated equipment that's been in contact with someone else's blood. The only thing remotely "hereditary" about it, is if a mother passes it to her child during childbirth.

If you have Hep C, you ARE contagious, whether you have symptoms or not!

If you are a Hep B carrier, you ARE also contagious, whether you have symptoms or not! Plus, Hep B is considerably more SEXUALLY contagious than Hep C.

"Incubation period" is how long it takes before it causes symptoms, and/or shows up in blood tests. It is NOT merely the period of contagion.

THERE IS A VACCINE for Hep B, but NONE for Hep C. In fact, a vaccine for Hep C is not very likely to be developed, because Hep C is a MUTATING virus. So any vaccine developed this year, will be rendered useless within a couple years.

And speaking of vaccines, if you have Hep C, and get a Hep B vaccine, you may have to get the Hep B vaccine 3 or 4 times, because it "won't take".

BLEACH as an effective virus killer, is the most dangerous myth out there. Yes, it kills HIV, and many other kinds of viruses, but NOT Hep C. Hep C is a very hardy little critter!

Lastly, Kathy, you point out something very important, and that is to BE CAREFUL WHICH HEP you are researching, for they are very different diseases! There are also Hep D, Hep G etc. but they are less common, or "contained" in only a certain part of the world.

Maybe, you should GENTLY suggest to your son, brother and Mom, that they do some reading, and research. It doesn't sound like they are getting proper information, from whomever their health care workers are.

And this is another thing that is greatly compounding this problem: LACK OF CLEAR INFORMATION! Without the right knowledge, you can't fight the disease properly.

Kathy, feel free to ask me ANY questions, whether here on the board, or via PM's.

All My Love,
Menolly

This depends totally upon which lab does the analysis, and how busy they are.

I was tested yet again, on Jan 28 (last week) and I am told it wil take up to 3 weeks.

Other labs can get results back, as Ken said in one week.

Plus there are such things as false positive results. So just to make sure it is a true positive, most labs will run a second, more accurate test, on ALL positive results, to be sure.

And different initial tests, have different accuracy rates.

I will be posting the series of tests that will be done, and their accuracy rates.

Kimla, you're dealing with Arizona? YOU HAVE TO PUSH THEM, sweetie! Some states are better than others, about this stuff, but Arizona, alas, is not one of them!

Yet, considering the number of Hep tests that are being done on inmates, it would NOT surprise me if the labs need a while to do them all. So the delay, may indeed be legitimate.

Oh, and HIV tests, same thing. depends on how busy the lab is. Here in Toronto, the turnaround time is 5 to 7 business days.

YES, ABSOLUTELY, THIS IS TORTURE to make people wait so long. It is even more heinous, when they release inmates without telling them they have it! This is what the Michigan class action lawsuit (launched last week) is all about!

Again, Kimla, there is no immunization for Hep C, but I'd definitely look into Hep B vaccination!

The good news is ELEVEN MONTHS IS PROBABLY PLENTY OF TIME! I know people who had the virus, for several years, before treatment started, (because they were symptom free, and didn't know they had it) and they subsequently did indeed go into remission.

Remission is NOT a cure, but it means the virus stopped replicating (multiplying). But the chance of going into remission, is very much tied to the sub-strain that you have. (Another post I have to get up here!)

As for the CDC recommendations, well, they've been ignored before! It always seems to come down to COSTS of implementing CDC protocols. Luckily there are a few organizations with clout PUSHING for reforms, such as the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, who recently submitted an extensive report to Congress. This is a group of doctor's, who did extensive studies on inmate health.

And of course a few class-action siots might that the DOC LOSES, might make them pay a littel attention!

Let us keep hoping, and in the meantime, let us get educated and vocal!

Me? I'm sick to death of just accepting the situation.

Can anyone tell?

Kimla, like I told Kathy, fire away... Any questions you have, I'll answer, or RESEARCH the answer for you!

All My Love,
Menolly

Menolly,

My kids had to take a hep c shot before they could go back to school. In fact I had to take one myself cause working with the elderly. They( my kids) had to take 4 shots. I got into a big arguement with the admintration cause I thought it was crazy for children to take those shots. I was not the only parent to argue with the school about this.

I'd like to ask a question: are they hep C and HIV tested in prisons, or do they have to ask for these tests ?

WHEW! MENOLLY! Dang Girl, you are up on this stuff!

Thanks a Bunch!

Yes, it has been over 6 months since his last tattoo. He is no longer going to do it! I have my fingers crossed!

I will chat with my mom and get the scoop on her Hep. She and my mother were tested over 25 years ago. Back then they told them they carried it but it would not spread to others. She worked in the food industry. I'm wondering now if the testing was faulty! I do remember all of us talking about it because my brother got a job where he was tested for it and found to be a carrier too! When he mentioned it to my mom this is when the family found out she was told the same thing. WEIRD!

Will get back to you on this!

Sincerely
Kathy

LULU:

It was Hep B, not Hep C.

In 1997, here in Ontario, they also made it mandatory, that all grade 7 kids HAD TO have Hep B shots. Many parents protested, including ME!

Luckily, my son got a special dispensation and did not have to receive it. But that's because he has juvenile arthritis, and ALL immunizations wreak havoc on his immune system!

THERE IS NO SHOT TO PREVENT HEP C!!! Only Hep B (and Hep A, for that matter.)

All My Love,
Menolly

YES LULU, the same thing here in Calif. Before anyone enters 7th grade they must have their shots. I think it was 3 instead of 4. I can't remember.

And Phil, I think my son was tested because they were doing it yearly. I will ask him how often and if they have to request it!

Get back to you on this!

Sincerely
Kathy

Philippe;

Depends upon the prison, and the state they are in.

Some routinely test for certain illnesses.

Some will test anyone who asks.

Some will only test IF YOU SHOW DRAMATIC SYMPTOMS.

And some won't test at all!

Also, some will automatically test all inmates upon release, BUT, then NOT notify them of the results, or they can't notify them, because they lost track of where they went.

BUT, even such a "pre-release" test is kind of meaningless, given the 5 and a 1/2 month incubation period. To truly and accuratly show if someone picked it up in prison, they need to test these inmates 6 MONTHS after they are released! But of course, then they'd absolve themselves by saying, "Nah, he must be mainlining heroin again. It's not our problem!"

If I had an inmate coming home, I'd INSIST on testing within a day or two of them getting out, then again in 3 months, then 6 months. Only tehn, if the results were still negative, would I start to relax!

All My Love,
Menolly

hum, well, here we have to have it by kindergarden. if they dont have it they dont get into school. let me look at their shot record cause wehn we went to make our arguments, they said it was hep c. they better not be screwing up my kids. brb

I cant find it, i find the old ones, my kids recived hep b when they were 2 months old.

boy, i am going to call that clinic tomorrow. they better not have nessed up.,

Kathy, Oh yes, I am up on this stuff! I've been researching this disease for 10 years now! I am SOOO PLUGGED into the Hep C community...

When my husband died of Hep C (3 and 1/2 years ago) my son and I got over 2,000 condolence emails from all around the world!

In fact even HOTMAIL themselves sent me condolences, which I wish I'd kept, because it was kinda funny. They ended their lovely letter (which had obviously been written by a real, live person) with the statement "Thank You for using Hotmail's services".
~~~~~~~~~
If your Mom was diagnosed 25 years ago, it was still being called "Non-A, Non-B hepatitis". They had NO CLUE what they were dealing with 25 years ago!

Luckily, there is SOOOO MUCH RESEARCH going on now, it is getting hopeful! There are new drugs in last phases of trials etc... The percentages of people going into remission is growing... Two weeks ago Pegylated Interferon was approved for sale by the FDA!!!

Really, FOR ME, the only major scary thing right now, about Hep C, is ignorance, neglect and non-treatment! But, since we are talking about inmates on this website, that does seem to be THEIR fate.

BUT, IT SHOULD NOT BE!

All My Love,
Menolly

Lulu:

I CANNOT believe that your kids got Hep B vaccines at the age of 2 months!!!! It's too potent a vaccine to give to such a young immune system!!!

Check again, dear.

You are probably reading "HiB" Vaccine. That is given to babies and pre-schoolers.

It is for YET another illness, called "Haemophilus Influenzae, Type B". This one isn't related to Hepatitis AT ALL!

All My Love,
Menolly

let me go look again, i am like scarded here. :) i am going the clinic in the moring though and fins out what the heck they gave my kids,

oh, i am sorry to here about your hubby.

Hmmm, you peoplearen'treading the other posts in this forum are you?

Us four moderator's thought you all knew WHY we are the moderator's of the forum...

See "Welcome to the Hep C Family"...

I have been reading, :) as much as i can,.

you been a big help to me. thank you

Menolly,

Now I don't know where to begin this -- so bear with me if I am scattered right now.

I have a 2 year old born 11-14-00 and he got his first hep B shot on 1-16-01. He got a series of 3 shots -- last one was when he was 6 months old. HAVE I HURT HIM WITH MY IGNORANCE??? I am always so leery of immunizations and I have heard so many horror stories (my oldest is 17) since my first exposure to immunizations.

Thank you for the information about Kevin. I read what you said to Kathy about how long the tats were gotten -- so I do feel better about that --Kevin's got his last ones a few months before jail/prison. He doesn't do drugs with needles --but i do realize there are other risks factors.

I have asked Monica this before, but maybe other people need to hear the answer too. Do we, as vistors, need to be immunized (for Hep A and B)? Although most of us do not have conjugal visits, I know for myself, we share drinks and long kisses ~~~ plus the baby is notorious for putting anything in his mouth for a quick taste.

You suggested I should be pushy?? I have read about Arizona's horrible idea of health care on other threads. So that means that I should call his medical facility and see when the results will be available??

You recommended that the prisoners be tested immediately upon release. Okay, stupid selfish question coming......how does that affect our sexual relations??

I have read with great interest most all of the posts that the moderators have made. What a wealth of knowledge. I am so sad that your lessons were first hand and I am totally amazed with the strength and love you all have been able to carry on with.

Kim

Menolly

Thank you for your answer. Do you know if there's a way to know about a prison policy regarding those tests ? If an inmate asks for a test, does he have to pay for it ? And how much ? Those tests are free in France, is it the same in the US ?

I'm sorry to bother you, but unfortunately, my brother in law is Hep C + and many of my friends are HIV+, and I know that the sooner you know, the better it is. Joey has a lot of prison tattoes....

Thanks for your help
All my love
Phil

Phil,

In North Carolina, prisoners get HIV tests and HCV tests when they ask for them. The tests are free, although inmates pay a fee ($5) to see the doctor.

My husband asked for an HIV test before we were married, and it was given to him within a couple of days. About a month ago, the doctor told him he needs a Hep A vaccine, but they still haven't given it to him.

Phil,

Ask Joey, he probably knows...

In Teddy's prison, if they actually find a tattoo that is new or bust someone that is giving tattoos, they automatically test all the Prisoners for Hep and HIV.

I am not sure if he can ask for it - I will ask him.

Originally posted by kimla

I have asked Monica this before, but maybe other people need to hear the answer too. Do we, as vistors, need to be immunized (for Hep A and B)? Although most of us do not have conjugal visits, I know for myself, we share drinks and long kisses ~~~ plus the baby is notorious for putting anything in his mouth for a quick taste.

You recommended that the prisoners be tested immediately upon release. Okay, stupid selfish question coming......how does that affect our sexual relations??


kimla,

It would be extremely rare and difficult for you to come into contact with Hep C in the visiting room - even sharing kisses and drinks... Blood is the culprit here and unless you come into direct contact with blood then you are reasonably safe. Hep A and Hep B are another story and much more transmissable through casual contact including sharing of a drink or a kiss. Although these two A & B could be considered the lesser of two evils - you still don't want them.

I have been vaccinated for Hep B and it is now available in a new form that is only ONE shot. You used to have to go for three shots over 6 months I think... In Canada, Heb B vaccine is free. Hep A is still a cost to us in Canada. It is two shots and costs about $126.00 CDN.

Personally, I would recommend that anyone that could be at risk should consider having the vaccine.

How will it affect your sexual relations? I would recommend a test as soon as your loved one is released. Until the results are back then condoms are not a consideration they are a must. Care must be taken, because many Prisoners may not even know that they have one of the Hep family of viruses.

Teb,

Thank you for the information. I think your recommendations are great. Honestly, the condom thing is NOT what I wanted to hear BUT I am a mature adult who will take the responsible action. I know he loves me enough to totally understand that we need to do what is RIGHT (when our moment finally comes!).

I never thought I would ever have to deal with any Hep virus in any way. I never ever even took the time to learn about any of them and I had them all lumped together in one category (Hep). After reading a post on another thread by Menolly I realized how very little I did know about the differences.

I have learned so much from reading and rereading the posts on all the threads. I think so many of my wrong questions are from a total lack of knowledge about Hep C.

kim

KIMLA:

Yes, the test IMMEDIATELY upon release, and condoms ARE A MUST, until all tests come back clear. A good 6 months, at least! As unpleasant as that fact may be, the alternative is so much more unpleasnat! Believe us on that point!

Oh and there is no such thing as a "wrong question". ALL questions are the beginning of wisdom-gathering! That is exactly WHY we started this forum! Ask anything you need to, my dear!

All My Love,
Menolly

Kimla,

Don't ever worry about asking question - 'wrong' or not...

There is a lot of mis-information about Hepatitis in general. Most people do not know that Hepatitis goes all the way to "H" now... There are so many types now that are out there.

Did you know that you can get Hep A from eating shellfish? I believe that shrimp is one of the main culprits?

We have had a number of outbreaks of Hep A in and around the Toronto Canada area in the past months - where did it come from and start? In the grocery store with a produce clerk that had Hep A and passed it on to unsuspecting customers buying apples and oranges.... There have been two mass vaccinations that I am aware of recently that steamed from a scare at the grocery store. The grocery stores where I shop locally all have the produce clerks wearing plastic gloves now.

Phil,
We have been talking about Hep C quite a bit in the last few days. We have been discussing a close friend and their issues...He said he will go to "sick call" on monday and find out how he can go about getting the Hep B Vaccine as well as tested for Hep C. Although he has not gotten any tattoos since in DOC (last one was many years ago) he'd still like to inquire. Since I am a complete nag I'm sure he;ll get it done,lol. I will let you know if I find out anything since we are both dealing with the FL DOC.

Menolly, Teb, Ken, Monica,
This question may have already been answered and I apologize if I am being repetitive but how long can you actually be Hep C positive with out showing any symptoms. For example, one can be HIV positive for years with out being sick or even testing positive. Let say you haven't been tested for Hep C, how long on the average before the sympotms surface?

Menolly,
Usually here a child gets the Hep B vacinne at infancy, and then again before entering 7th grade. The 7th grade thing is a new school requirement, only a few years old. I had it at infancy and then again at 18 while working with MR/DD adults. Although it is supposed to be good for life....

Bella,

How long one remains symptom free is totally unpredicatable, because there are so many variables.

A person who hasn't been kind to their liver, and who continues to not be careful, can go downhill QUITE FAST - a couple years.

Also HOW you got your Hep affects it. If you're a nurse, who got it from a needle stick, you had a very SMALL initial exposure, so you'd probably last longer. Getting a whole pint of tainted blood transufion means you've got MILLIONS of extra viruses right from first exposure. And if you are a hemophiliac, your Facto 8 is made from the blood of 30,000 donors! If 100 of those donors had Hep, well, you are being walloped!

Here in Canada, we only have a couple HUNDRED hemophiliacs left, due to both the AIDS and HEP C contaminated blood scandals!

The FIRST thing I tell any newly diagnosed Hep C person is "You probably have 10 great years left, and 20 if you quit ALL ALCOHOL use, and totally revamp your diet.

Bella, I have kind of a strange attitude about illness in general. I tell people that ILLNESS is just a reminder to TAKE BETTER CARE OF YOUR BODY, 'cus despite all that we own (houses, cars etc.) our body is our only possession of any REAL value. That's why I take care of my own, so vigilently. I haven't had so much as a cold for the last 26 Canadian winters! And I've NEVER had the flu in my life!

I am the healthiest person you could ever meet! Ask TEB, in December I worked for three weeks, 12 hour days, through a Norwalk Virus epidemic, and never got it!

My 20 years of AIDS patients? Never got it.

My years with my (first) Hep C husband? I never got it.

I am INVINCIBLE!

All My Love,
Menolly

Bella,

There are a couple of threads posted yesterday regarding Hep B and specifically about giving it to kids...

Hep B Vaccine is only good for about 10 years give or take...

I got one when I was in my 20's and just was tested for Hep B anitbodies a few months ago and I had NO protection so was vaccinated again.

Your best defense is to have your doctor test for the anitbodies and that determines if you need to be vaccinated again. This is true for Hep B and Hep A.

Menolly,
Thanks for the explaination, it's very interesting.

Teb, I remebered my doctor saying it was good for about 10 years when I had it done at 18...but recently I took some of "my kids" to get theirs before school and was told it was good for life. I was a little confused and thought that either I misunderstood back when I had it, or maybe it was stronger now or something. Thanks for the clearification. It's gettting close to those 10 years...maybe I should get checked again.