Terrified I have Hep C!

[crazygal]

I've been suffering with health anxiety since I was 16 (I'm 30 now). I've thought I've had everything from a defective heart to breast cancer. A few weeks ago I thought I had melanoma. Of course I was tested for all of these and thing turned up.

But now I think I have a disease that it is possible I have. I found out recently my dad has hep c. My mom and him have know for some time but I only recently found out about. The reason I'm worried that I might have hep c is that while growing up no one shared razors or toothbrushes but everyone shared nail clippers. I know there's a small risk of getting hep c through nail clippers but it is still possible. I'm trying to think back at anytime I cut myself on the nail clippers but I can't think of anything. But it doesn't mean I never did cut myself or ,y father never cut himself.

I plan on getting tested but I'm currently in a country that doesn't have the best medical care and won't be back in the US until next summer. I'm terrified that I'm hep c positive.

My rational mind is telling to stop freaking out but my HA mind is telling me that I most definitely have it.

I'm also a little mad at how my parents didn't know sharing nail clippers has hep c risk. My dad was diagnosed in the early 90's so I get there wasn't much knowledge on it back then. But still , it was very careless of them not to do research and put my mom, 4 siblings and I at risk for it by sharing nail clippers.

I can't stop crying. I'm so scared I have hep c. I know the risk is small but the fact there is a risk is freaking me out.

I keep trying to tell myself that it will come out negative like all the other test I've had in the past. But this feels very real as my father put all of us at risk for getting it.

Any advice to get through my anxiety until I'm able to get tested next year? I can't sleep and I'm getting terrible headaches from all of this because I can't stop crying.

[smiles]

As I parent, I know that I would never put my child at risk, I'm sure that your parents knowing the risk would have taken extra precautions to protect you and your siblings, they probably didn't feel the need to tell you as they would have taken extra care to keep you all safe.
not wanting to sound harsh, I know how crap it is, maybe try to get your head around the idea you will get tested next year, but don't waste a year worriying over something that you can do nothing about, you will only be 30 once, try to enjoy your fit and healthy body, it all goes a bit downhill at 40!!! X

[crazygal]

As I parent, I know that I would never put my child at risk, I'm sure that your parents knowing the risk would have taken extra precautions to protect you and your siblings, they probably didn't feel the need to tell you as they would have taken extra care to keep you all safe.
not wanting to sound harsh, I know how crap it is, maybe try to get your head around the idea you will get tested next year, but don't waste a year worriying over something that you can do nothing about, you will only be 30 once, try to enjoy your fit and healthy body, it all goes a bit downhill at 40!!! X

The thing is they don't get how serious it is. When I told me mom about she just brushed it off like it was nothing. She goes on to tell me my dad's hep c is dormant. But I tried explaining to her that he can still infect people.

And because of my previous health anxiety episodes my mother isn't taking me seriously and it's making me even angrier. She's doesn't get what kind of risk my father put all of us in. She doesn't get that it takes a very small amount of blood to infect others.

But at the same time I can't even blame her for it comforting me because o many times I thought I had an illness that I didn't have. But she doesn't see that this time is different. She should even get tested herself.

I'm so angry at the fact I could have hep c because of my parent's neglect. I can't stop crying. I keep going hep c forums seeing how people live with hep c. I know I shouldn't as I haven't even been diagnosed but my anxious mind is preparing for the worse.

[crazygal]

Anyone has any advice on me how to cope until I'm able to get tested ?

[Phuzella]

I have experience of Hep C. I don't have it but have been around people that do. And in my experience is very difficult to catch.

[crazygal]

I have experience of Hep C. I don't have it but have been around people that do. And in my experience is very difficult to catch.

Thanks for your reply.

I hope it is. From what I googled ( I know I shouldn't Google but it's additive) it even said there's a low chance of transmission from nail clippers because nail clippers rarely puncture skin and cause bleeding. But it's that 'if' that is getting to me. So scared.

[NGD99]

Hepatitis C virus doesn't exist. Just search on the internet and you'll see plenty of evidence.