Stay at home mom with hep C trying to care for family without spreading it
I'm going absolutely crazy because I worry so much about spreading this virus to my children and husband. I wash my hands probably at least 40 times a day. I put bandaids on the littlest cracks in my hands or anywhere even if I don't see blood. I wear gloves to change my babies diapers, do dishes, do laundry, wash my children, everything. It is making it impossible to do everyday tasks. Just doing the dishes takes me all day sometimes because I wash and scrub out the sink and wash my hands so many times just to do them. If the laundry touches my bare hands I will re wash it.
When I think logically I know I'm going overboard but I just cant help myself from doing these things. It is affecting my husband and children in a negative away and pushing them farther away from me. I also have my kids wash alot and cover any little scratch. This is consuming my life and its hard to spend quality time with the people I love. How can I live normally?? How can i know for sure my family wont get hep c if i ease up on all the overboard precautions i take? I'm so stressed out please help!!!!
Hi Jane Doe, thank you for sharing your situation with us. Concern about transmitting hepatitis C to your loved ones is very real, I understand why you're taking such precautions for your family. Hepatitis C is transmitted when infected blood enter the bloodstream of someone not living with the virus. Covering any exposed or visible wounds can help prevent the spread of hep C.
Are your hands dried, cracked, or bleeding from how much you are washing them? I'm sharing our page on transmission, which discusses different risks, including for household contact. From the page, "Studies have shown that transmission of HCV through casual contact with an infected person or sharing personal hygiene items (such as a toothbrush or razor) with an infected person is possible. However, the risk is generally considered low. HCV is not passed casually, such as by kissing, hugging, or sharing eating utensils."
Let us know what other questions you have. Please know we're here with you for support.
Best,
Matt (Team Member)yes my hands are cracking from washing them so much. 🙁 that's why I wear gloves and stuff. I'm really trying to stop being unreasonable but I always go back to what if!! What if I get a little blood on the couch and then my baby plays on it and she has a scratch or cut that touches it? Or thoughts like that!! It seems like I am constantly scratched or cut. Either my kids scratch me or I cut myself doing one household thing or another. It's probably not more then the average person but I notice it so much more and it's just exahausting. Like I have probably had at least one baindiad on every day since I found out in October of 2018.
. I am so sorry to read what a difficult time you are having worrying about transmission. I see, by what you say, that you recognize you are going overboard. I was diagnosed in 1991 and acquired hepatitis C in 1966 although was unaware that I was sick. My girls were born in 1967 and 1970. Neither my daughters nor my husband "caught" hep C from me. And because I didn't know I was sick no precautions were taken. It is rare to transmit the virus in a household. My question is why have you not treated with the newer class of drugs that cures hep C in almost 100% of patients? Treatment is quick and side effects are minimal. Please consider that. If you need help accessing care due to no insurance, etc., let us know and we can provide some resources that may help you. We wish you and your family the very best. (Sue, Community Moderator) I found out at the end of 2018 when i found out I was pregnant and went in to do the routine testing for pregnancy. I had my daughter in may of 2019 and have been breastfeeding ever since so I wasn't able to do treatment until I was done breastfeeding. Just yesterday i went to the doctor to start treatment. I am still in the beginning stages of getting blood drawn and then I still have to get a scan of my liver and get approved by my insurance before i am able to start taking the medicine. So it's been a long process so far. I have probably had it for at least 9 years though and just didnt know about it because my oldest son is 8 and I did all my partying before that and never went back once I found out I was pregnant. And I have also only been with their father since then. My husband and oldest have been tested and are both negative. Thank God. But now I'm worried about my baby who has not been tested yet. Jane, I am so happy you are pursuing treatment. Try not to worry about the baby. Studies show that only 5% of babies born to an infected mom actually get the virus. In other words 95% of babies do NOT become infected. Since we have such successful and easy treatment now the virus is no longer so scary. Please try to relax and enjoy those beautiful babies. You all will be fine. (Sue, Community Moderator)
I am sorry to hear that you're stressing so bad about this. I raised three kids one of which I gave birth to a month after I found out I had hepatitis C. Take a breath and slow down the odds of you transmitting this with casual contact with your kids or husband is so minimal my children don't have it my husband doesn't have it. I raised my kids that if they saw me bleed not to come near me. I never used anybody else's toothbrush nobody used mine razors everybody had their own. Common sense is what it's called for. If you're struggling that much and our words don't help as much as they could then you should find somebody to talk to. Even if it's somebody on this site. But you're going way overboard more than you need to and you don't want your children to think they can't touch you or anything you touch you don't have the flu you don't have a cold. You carry the Dragon but you also control the dragon. I hope these words help. yes thankyou for your words. It's very important to me that my children dont feel like they cant come near me and it's already affecting my oldest badley. So I have no choice but to get control over my emotions. I'm definetly trying to change and hope that I can and will. Thanks so much
