dopetalk

Core Topics => HCV and HIV => Topic started by: dougrounds on October 24, 2016, 05:27:19 AM

Title: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: dougrounds on October 24, 2016, 05:27:19 AM
My dealer gave me what I thought was a clean outfit today when I copped some dope...

I got home, and when I drew up a little water to fix my shot, I noticed a little bit of blood in the barrel.

Anxious to get well, I cleaned the syringe with bleach.

Rinsed with water, filled with bleach and let sit for 30 seconds (three times in a row), then rinsed with water again.

I then injected my drugs. (goofball... .3 grams heroin+ .25 grams meth)

Shortly after, I spoke with my dealer, only to find out that the person who had previously been using the needle is postive for Hep C..



I feel like such a fucking idiot... I typically do not pull this type of degenerate junkie stuff... but it was the only dart I had, and I was anxious to get well...



Considering the fact that I tried to clean the syringe thoroughly with bleach... what do you think the chances are that I have contracted Hep C?


Thanks in advance for your answers guys. I know... I am a moron.
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: Chip on October 24, 2016, 06:36:50 AM
You'll have to get tested, it's hard to say.

Luckily there is Harvoni and it beats HepC but may be expensive.

You may be ok though. 1 in 5 clear it themselves.

I hope you had a fresh container of water for the draw.
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: Lolleedee on October 24, 2016, 06:54:01 AM
First of all, you are not an idiot.  Most of us have done some questionable things in an effort to get well.  You know that it isn't good to share injecting equipment so there is no need for us to gang up on ya!

There is a great section in the "getting off right" download at the harm reduction coalition that has instructions on how to clean injection equipment if you are in a pinch.  Here is the link http://harmreduction.org/drugs-and-drug-users/drug-tools/getting-off-right/

Definitely get tested, as no one can tell with any scientific certainty what the odds are that you will get infected.  Also, get tested for HIV, as that is also passed through needle-sharing (I know you already know that, but just in case someone missed that lesson.....)

Make sure that during this "not knowing" period that you use a condom with all sexual partners.  I would definitely go see a doctor or go to a clinic and follow ALL tsting recommendations.  Not knowing is a scary place to be!  Knowledge is power!!!!!!

Hang in there and don't worry too much. Also, your dealer is an asshat for giving used rigs out...this type of "accident" is unacceptable!
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: Dopeless Hopefiend on October 24, 2016, 07:07:58 AM
First of all... Fuck that guy who gave it to you. Obviously he knew it was used when he gave it to you, since he knows who used it before you.
You should absolutely get tested, but I think it can take a few months to show up. So follow whatever instructions they give you about getting retested later.
Fwiw, if you cleaned it out with bleach 3 times you will probably be fine. It's still a good idea to tested of course, but I wouldn't drive myself crazy stressing about it. 
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: mickeyaye6989 on October 24, 2016, 07:12:01 AM
Had a similar experience and didn't end up getting HCV, so don't beat yourself up too bad. As others have said, we all do stupid things to get well, but often times it's not even ourselves we have to watch out for. Hopefully the bleach took care of it, as I know a couple people who have gotten used rigs from Hep C patients and didn't contract it,since the rigs were bleached. I do feel like they let the rig soak a bit longer than 30 seconds, but honestly I wouldn't be surprised if not. I mean, we all know how anxious you'd be if you had a shot waiting. 30 seconds probably seems like hours.

My little scare was in the midst of a pretty gnarly coke shooting bender. Ended up going to meet a buddy at 5am to score some roxi's so I could get some sleep after shooting coke all night, and had to meet him at a the apartment of a guy I didn't know. While I was there, the host asked me if I would mind giving him a little shot of coke since he was letting me use his place to score, which I obliged as I was wanting sleep anyway. As I was shaving some off the rock, I fumbled and dropped it right into his spoon that he had been using all day for multiple shoots and washes. Picked up the soaked rock, broke him off a chunk, and promptly banged the rest. Five minutes later the motherfucker casually mentions that "he has hep C but doesn't know how he got it because he never shared needles, but did use spoons and cottons from hep C positive people becuause he was convinced only needle sharing transmitted it." I lost my shit because i just shot a bunch of his wash water, but he had failed to mention his Hep C status. He fires back again with the "yeah but you can't get it from sharing water, just needles" bullshit.... THEN HOW DID YOU GET IT JACKASS??? Anyway, I spent a year feeling like, in the back of my mind, that I KNEW I had it. Started drinking heavily to drown out the thoughts, and got up to about a liter per day liquor habit, before getting tested a year after  the fact. Turns out I was actually fine.

Long story short, you never know til you get tested, and while you may expect the worst and be CONVINCED that you have it, you never can be sure either way. I fucking KNEW that I had it for a year, but ended up testing clean when I finally went to get checked. Better to be sure than to worry over something that isn't there. At least the tests are free!
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: dougrounds on October 24, 2016, 10:08:32 AM
Thanks everyone... but I can't help but beat myself up over this...

I am normally very up tight about using clean and new utensils... but my addict tendencies got the best of me today.

Yeah, I am definitely pissed at the dude who gave me the outfit. He had hit me up this morning, telling me had had some fire dope for sale. He was kind of far from me, and I told him I'd only make the trip to go meet him and cop the dope assuming he had a clean rig I could get.

He obviously just told me yes just to get me to make the trip out to him and buy the dope. 

Ugh... I hope that bleach did the trick.
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: jonnyr3b on October 24, 2016, 11:06:51 AM
I love how they banned the sale of needles in orange county to try to get people to stop doing drugs but it only facilitated the sharing of needles. At least you bleached it bro, if I was sick and the shot was ready to go and I saw a little blood I would have have easily said fuck it and just done it. I haven't bought needles in a couple years but the only place I know of was a Walmart in the city of orange. Wasn't that you who was all spun out and picked a gnarly whole in your belly?
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: dougrounds on October 24, 2016, 11:18:17 AM
Wasn't that you who was all spun out and picked a gnarly whole in your belly?

Wow... You remember that.

Yes.... that was me... IV meth instantly turns me into a pyschopath. I still have a noticeable scar alongside my belly button from that manic, speed fueled episode. I don't quite remember what I was thinking, or if i thought something was buried inside of me... but i was definitely out of my damn mind when I did that..


... In regards to not being able to purchase needles in Orange County... there are a couple of places I know of that will sell you a bag of darts.

But I agree. Especially with it being an area with no needle exchanges, access to clean syringes should be definitely be permitted.


Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: Dog Food on October 24, 2016, 12:52:23 PM
As long as you bleached it real well i think youll be good for sure.  I know one of the first times i had a buddy try to hit me while i was still sniffing it, i had bleached one of his rigs very well.  Well we both happened to go to the same rehab and this place tested you.  I was clean like 6 months after that shot and he found out he had hep.   I know they say its not perfect, but its pretty good at killing it imo.

I was very cautious about people not dipping their rig in a water bottle and all that for years.  Havent been tested again, and ill freak if i still got it somehow cause you never really know if that dope you just bought has been contaminated like that recently, as the virus only lives maybe a week in open air
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: Thoms on October 24, 2016, 03:11:57 PM
Do the right thing and get tested.bottom line is it's better to know. Either way.whats done is done. Don't dwell on it. Just do what you need to do, get tested.
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: dizzle on October 24, 2016, 07:08:54 PM
You probly be straight bro I wouldn't trip. 3x with bleach is good. Letting it sit 30 seconds is great too.

Unfortunately hep c is much more hearty than AIDS but I do believe bleach kills them both. That being said that dealer is a piece of shit. At least he could've told u "hey bro all I have is a used one and the chick/dude has hepc. It's urs if u wanna clean it"

What a cocksucker. I'd be salty af at him. Seriously that's the kinda shit that would make me do something crazy if I ended up with a positive result after that. Like I'm talking pistol whipping a mfer for some shut like that and even then I probly wouldn't stop there.
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: Thoms on October 24, 2016, 08:04:01 PM
Yeah I know diZle gets down like me, whooping a mother fuckers ass would be fucking way high on my to do list. Wait for the tide, to get low. And now is the time to get low.
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: Iamonheroin on October 25, 2016, 12:00:25 AM
I did the same thing years ago.  When I was like 18 first getting into this shit I would hang out with this chick who I thought was older turns out she was 17. I was 19 or 19 tho so whatever.  But her and dad and family had been getting down for years so idk

 anyway i got down she needed a rig I let her use mine. then and hour later i used the rig again....and several more times prolly.

Then some shit pops off down the line yada yada yada All us go to jail including her and while in there I found out she had Hep c. Didnt get tested til I finally went to prison after all that but I was clean. I requested a full panel test me for all that shit lol and was surprisingly clean across the board.

But yea shred a needle with a girl that had it and never got it and i know its rare through sexual contact but never had a problem there either n have pushed my luck. So get tested in next couple months sometime but don't freak out and I mean at least go in knowing chances are pretty good you're ok. 
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: dougrounds on October 25, 2016, 12:22:41 AM
I did the same thing years ago.  When I was like 18 first getting into this shit I would hang out with this chick who I thought was older turns out she was 17. I was 19 or 19 tho so whatever.  But her and dad and family had been getting down for years so idk

 anyway i got down she needed a rig I let her use mine. then and hour later i used the rig again....and several more times prolly.

Then some shit pops off down the line yada yada yada All us go to jail including her and while in there I found out she had Hep c. Didnt get tested til I finally went to prison after all that but I was clean. I requested a full panel test me for all that shit lol and was surprisingly clean across the board.

But yea shred a needle with a girl that had it and never got it and i know its rare through sexual contact but never had a problem there either n have pushed my luck. So get tested in next couple months sometime but don't freak out and I mean at least go in knowing chances are pretty good you're ok.

Its funny... I posted a similar thread on another forum... and the contrast between the nature of the posts on this forum and the other is astounding...

On the other site, despite it supposedly being a site for narcotic enthusiasts, most members were very quick to judge me and make assumptions about me based on an admittedly stupid mistake...

Here, however, not only did I get some good feedback, but you guys didnt attempt to make me feel like a total scumbag... (which i TOTALLY am, btw  :o)

Every time I pop in on this site, I am glad I did so. Not only is it good to see the old opiophiles holding it down... but all in all... this forum is made up of some solid people.
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: Dog Food on October 25, 2016, 02:09:58 AM
I would even take it a step further and poke him with that same needle regardless of if you know he has hep or not.

If you do get it, its a 90000 dollar fuckup that dude knew it was contaminated with.

Let him worry about it for a couple months even if you do it with a clean rig
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: Z on October 25, 2016, 03:22:49 AM
You are probably fine.  Back when I started using they told is to bleach needles and they were fine.  I have personally done the same thing many times before.  No hep c here, even though I know for a fact there was lots of risk.  Get tested and deal with it then. 

Beating yourself up about it doesnt do anything for you now.

Can you get clean needles, or do you need some? I dont know how much it would cost to mail to the us, but I can look into it if you have no options.

I remember one time I went score with this real far gone hiv + guy I had known for years.  He was sleeping outside and had all of his stuff with him including a plastic bag full of who knows what.  Well I walked out of the subway behind him, and he stops short.  He bumps into me, and I feel a prick on my calf.  I look down and there are half a dozen needle marks.  So I grabbed his bag and there are little needles sticking out all over the place.  So lazy that he couldnt put the caps on or break the tips.  I just blew up at him, and ended up punching him.  It gets me pissed even thinking about it now.  Choosing to share is my mistake, but that is just bullshit.

I stressed for months.  I was sure I was hiv+.  In the end I guess I got lucky.  Hiv doesnt live that long outside the body apparently.  It isnt a done deal.
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: Dog Food on October 25, 2016, 03:27:47 AM
I also always made sure to run hot water thru it completely so there wasnt any dried blood residue anywhere, and take the plunger rubber off and soaked all the pieces in a sink full of bleach.
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: dougrounds on October 25, 2016, 09:50:58 AM
You are probably fine.  Back when I started using they told is to bleach needles and they were fine.  I have personally done the same thing many times before.  No hep c here, even though I know for a fact there was lots of risk.  Get tested and deal with it then. 

Beating yourself up about it doesnt do anything for you now.

Can you get clean needles, or do you need some? I dont know how much it would cost to mail to the us, but I can look into it if you have no options.

I remember one time I went score with this real far gone hiv + guy I had known for years.  He was sleeping outside and had all of his stuff with him including a plastic bag full of who knows what.  Well I walked out of the subway behind him, and he stops short.  He bumps into me, and I feel a prick on my calf.  I look down and there are half a dozen needle marks.  So I grabbed his bag and there are little needles sticking out all over the place.  So lazy that he couldnt put the caps on or break the tips.  I just blew up at him, and ended up punching him.  It gets me pissed even thinking about it now.  Choosing to share is my mistake, but that is just bullshit.

I stressed for months.  I was sure I was hiv+.  In the end I guess I got lucky.  Hiv doesnt live that long outside the body apparently.  It isnt a done deal.

Yeah... I'm able to obtain  clean utensils easily... I was dope sick at the time, so my focus was getting drugs into my arm as quickly as possible...
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: Chip on October 25, 2016, 10:14:09 AM
I used my buddy's (HIV and HepC) used fit and I cleaned and rinsed that mofo over and over with this antiseptic cleaner that even kills these obnoxious toads we have here.

Wasn't even sick, just determined to shoot some bloody coke of all things. Madness. Unjustified greed.

I survived but I'm still not sure why I took that risk ... I'm even embarrassed to write this but I did it and I have to own it.

Don't worry yourself, please. Have faith in your cleansing procedure ... i copied this text: the average time from HCV exposure to seroconversion (detectability of anti-HCV antibody) is between 5 and 12 weeks. HCV RNA is detectable within 1-2 weeks after exposure.

So don't sweat it, wait 3 months and then get tested.

The only advice is stay away from alcohol to keep your liver in peak health until you're clear.
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: Raine on October 25, 2016, 12:06:06 PM
The fact that you stopped to clean it like that before doing your shot is really good.  If you had immediately pulled your shot up in it and saw the blood, instead of just pulling water...!!? Shit.
Luckily I usually had enough of my own dirties around to not have to take risks with other people's, I always kept some around even if they were used 50x before. I may have had to duct tape some parts together once or twice...so I'm not trying to say I had great habits or anything!

Anyway... it's not that bad, in fact you could have done worse to yourself by not even cleaning it at all and now that it is done if you are feeling bad about the choice you made then what you can do is do what's  right about it from here on out, know what I mean ?  Get tested obviously and do everything you can to minimize risk to the people around you in the meantime. If I were you I would just act like I had it when it comes to precautions taken for other people until you know for sure- like use condoms, make sure no one uses any of your works or even your razors or anything at all that could transmit it.
I think your chances of being clean are good though and I wish you the best. Just get tested asap so it's not weighing on your mind.
Try not to beat yourself up too bad, either. Please.
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: Tainted on October 26, 2016, 12:58:12 AM

i would be very careful buying spikes from opened packs, dude prolly knew, but ive had friends that keep all their shit together, they keep the back cap on old spikes and have managed to hand me the one dirty spike out of 10. ALWAYS make sure theres that little bit of air between the plunger and syringe, and some brands you can check to see if the cap has been removed (theres a groove on the cap and the plastic syringe where the cap connects, both orange and back cap normally have it, and the groove in the plastic should line up. although lately i havent seen spikes w/ that groove)


Luckily I usually had enough of my own dirties around to not have to take risks with other people's, I always kept some around even if they were used 50x before. I may have had to duct tape some parts together once or twice

THIS. i havent thrown a syringe away in like 4 years. i did a lot of stupid shit like that when i was 18-21 and somehow im the only person i hung out with from that time period that didnt get hep c. now i never throw my spikes out (unless the plunger stick snaps off and i cant fish the plunger out making it useless) my shit gets so dull that it snaps on my skin without penetrating the skin (let alone the vein) but its saved me from even having to consider using a dirty rig. i dont let ppl use my bottle of water either, i dont leave the house without a bottle of water i dont let out of my sight (leave ppl + water in your car you got no idea if they stuck their spike directly into the water)


the worst thing you can do to yourself is not get tested. i literally didnt get tested for nearly a decade because i was so fuckin sure i had hep but i dont.
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: dizzle on October 26, 2016, 07:53:27 AM

Quote
the worst thing you can do to yourself is not get tested. i literally didnt get tested for nearly a decade because i was so fuckin sure i had hep but i dont.

Wow thats a long time to be carrying that thought around
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: Dog Food on October 26, 2016, 09:08:51 AM
Exactly about the water and people in ur car.   I was with a guy that had horrible habits, was on the run living in a homeless shelter for almost a year while hanging with others whod go steal/return shit with. (The kind of guy whod use a rig from Anyone without thinking twice about it without washing it)

Well i was with him during his last relapse about 5-6 months ago, and i went in to get a water bottle before dude got there. Dude comes, and i left the car for like one minute, get back to the car and hes got his rig dipped in the fresh bottle pulling up water With my god damn water i spent a dollar out of the dope money on. Had no other money/change to go get another water.  Like wtf bro,. You could've at least waited a minute so i could pour some water in a different container or your hand to be drawn up without contaminating the whole bottle.

You never really know, there could be a dealer that is an asshole, who got hep somehow, and could spray some contaminated water on the dope he sells people to infect everyone else since he caught it. You could have never shared anything and because of some asshole, still have caught it

Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: candy on October 26, 2016, 05:36:37 PM
The best thing to do is to be tested. Wait at least 3 to 6 months and do not use any dirty needles or share any equipment with anyone else and then
get tested. It is best to wait 6 months and if you are negative, you are most likely good. Retest in another 6 months to be sure, but in this time, do not share or use anyone equipment that is not your own or brand new.

Better to be safe than sorry.

Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: chemicalchart on November 08, 2016, 04:19:05 AM
Like Candy suggested, get tested twice. I was tested for Hep C while prepping for knee surgery. The first test came out positive. Big scare. Second test came back negative.
Title: Re: Mistakenly shared a needle with Hep C positive person
Post by: mickeyaye6989 on November 08, 2016, 05:44:44 PM

Quote
the worst thing you can do to yourself is not get tested. i literally didnt get tested for nearly a decade because i was so fuckin sure i had hep but i dont.

Wow thats a long time to be carrying that thought around


Yeah man, I didn't wait a decade but I did go a year before getting tested. In retrospect I would have been a lot better off just getting it over with. On the bright side, it was part of the motivation for me to get clean like I did, and was good for about 2 years until I broke my foot and got scripted 50 1mg dillys for pain (my doc is the shiiiiiit) but during that time I basically substituted alcohol for opiates and was drinking 500ml+ of vodka/whiskey/gin a day for about a year and a half. Realized that it was killing my body so I started using benzos and shit again but opiates are the only thing that make me not even care about drinking, and since they're healthier long term then  Ill stick with em for a while longer.

But back to what dizzle said, carrying the thought around was torture. I would go through periods where it was all I could think about, but for the most part it would just flare up when there was a trigger and I'd almost have a panic attack. Looking back just getting tested was something I should have done right away.


God damn I partied so fucking hard that day I got my results back as all clean. 8) 8) 8) ;D
SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal