Okay ..... I will admit I got a new toothbrush after my first VL test. Can't hurt. I guess I will celebrate EOT on May 11 with another new toothbrush. :) And now that I'm into toothbrushes so much, why in the heck are they all so BORING? I mean, no leopard spotted ones or anything? (I have thought the same thing about commodes too - what a brain mine is.) Kramer - you're great - DO let us know if you hear back, okay?

I guess if we're on this $100,000.00 new drug regimen, the drug companies should be mailing us gold-plated toothbrushes and razors.
Probably easy enough to replace them regularly on tx and after for a while after tx. I never heard of anyone getting reinfected from a Brand New toothbrush or razor. Then again I don't know if it's possible to reinfect ourselves. Maybe best to play it safe.

I believe in what you saying But, #1 In my research I've noticed that the Problems is some treated with the first drugs have a harder time clearing the dragon & the 1's reinfected that I read so far were getting infected with a different Geno that you don't have the Anti-body for (PLZ be careful as I do & plz have your loved 1's checked ) That means you may not have the anti-body for the other Geno types !!!"Once you've been infected with a particular strain of a virus, you develop antibodies that make the likelihood of re-infection very low. Even if the virus were still hanging out on your toothbrush after you recoveredcolds and flus can survive there in an infective state for anywhere from a few hours to three daysthose antibodies should keep you from contracting the same illness twice."
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_...

If you are bleeding while brushing, try a softer toothbrush. I used a baby toothbrush during tx, for my sensitive gums.

I know it's time for a new razor once I nick myself. I guess it's common sense to replace those items when needed.

My link was a few years old, but so is the news of virus living in blood on inanimate surfaces.

This discussion seems to come around a couple times a year. Kramer, good on you to reach out and get some info from a pro.

Better to err on the side of caution and change razors & toothbrushes often since nobody really seems to know for sure.

To paraphrase Rumsfeld - 'There are known knowns and known unknowns and unknown unknowns or some such babble.

So, since my mother infected me when I was 3yo by my using her razor to imitate her shaving (ya, know....like "big girl"), was she inadvertently "sharing" her genotype with my so that I could never get the same exact one again? Does that mean that when I treat and, say, my mother has not yet, that if I were to come into contact with her blood again that I would not catch it again? I would definitely be extra cautious nonetheless.

I know it was accidental. She didn't know she had it when she got the blood transfusion during delivery with me. And, even in the acute stage, you get symptoms that mimic your "basic" flu, so no one thinks anything of it. Plus, if you were poor at that time, you wouldn't go to the doctor for those sort of symptoms anyways.

Perhaps that is why they are working on a vaccine. Though to be most effective, it should include all genotypes of HCV (hopefully even those in other countries) as to make global travel a little safer in these ever-shrinking global borders and transitioning into multi-lingual business endeavors.

P.S. I am going to change my toothbrush and I can't WAIT to get rid of ALL of my razors (for obvious reasons) when I do get to start some sort of treatment to

...treatment to... eradicate this disease and not give it to anyone else that has not had it yet....ever.

Love,

LEO

Shiver, I agree with you!! I want a new toothbrush and razors too for my 100,00 dollars! This made me giggle. It should come in the package with my meds!

@LEO, By safely disposing personal products that become contaminated by your blood is more of a safety to others than yourself. Chance of reinfection by our own blood is very low compared to spreading the virus to others.

If you came into contact with your mothers blood, yes you could become infected. Our antibodies only work with our own blood. That's how HCV is spread, blood to blood.

Yes oOo I suppose it's like using a fresh kleenex every time you blow your nose out of fear of giving yourself the same cold while you are getting over it. Lol
It may be more complicated than that or maybe just like that. I suspect the second though. I will report back if I ever do get an answer from someone qualified to answer.