Ok, don't shoot me but I never understood this whole issue. I have/had many issues I don't announce to the world but choose to share some selectively: drinking, drugging, myriad bad habits, mental imperfections (ha! just coined that euphemism)...never mind, carry on.

It's just a tool for those that perhaps feel differently and are in a different situation and are struggling with the issue ..that's all.
I didn't post it to prompt people to disclose. That is a very personal decision.

I've got a dentist appointment in a couple months. I figure I should tell him...maybe even a few days before the appointment, so it all settles in before he says "open wide."

I think it's universally a "yes" to disclosure to your health care team and they "should be" bound to confidentiality as a standard of practice.

Seems like a nice guide especially for the newly diagnosed. I am in agreement with the suggestions it makes.

I asked about this very topic when first in board and got a wide variety of opinions, all of which I understand and appreciate. The one key element in this was that to disclose is alstrictly a personal issue.
I cannot agree more with anything I have read and learned this far.

So here is my gig: years ago an event occurred in my life that afterwards my friends were standing by my side and my so called friends left me high and dry. They were not my friends to begin with.

When I first learned I had Hep C I was so embarrassed and did not want anyone to know except Susan. I had to tell her.
It took me one small remembrance of past events to come to a realization that for me and only me, I was gonna grab this bastard bull by the horns and not let him rule me or my life.

I have told all immediate family of mine and Susan's and I am blessed to have all their love and support. I told my church family. My faith and theirs is strong and I do believe in the power of prayer.

I work in a large office with about 75-80 employees. Over half of them I cannot tell you their name or job. I went around to the ones I work closely with and then some that I consider friends. The rest will most likely ll learn over time.

I was shocked at how many know someone or related to someone that had hep C. I have been blessed with an outpouring of support. I feel so much better since opening up. Before it was just eating away at me as if I had done something wrong or that I was a bad person. I've done nothing wrong and I am a good person.

In closing: hindsight, I would not change a thing. As for anyone else, it is a personal choice and do not make it without weighing the what if's.

A good read! Thanks for sharing.

Question:

If you are single and dating, do you feel it necessary to disclose? I don't.

It is NOT an STD. Dating is hard enough!

(Of course it's hypothetical for me since I have not been with anyone intimately in more than 10 years anyhow!)

For me I'd say no but if things are getting serious then a heart to heart would be in order IMHO

If I were dating and not in a committed relationship, I would always wear protection for my sake only. Then, if that relationship got serious , the point would come for full disclosure. If you did not disclose and later down the road it came up, the person could have their feelings severely hurt. Hurt enough to leave you.

Yes clay protection for STDs is always the best practice. As HCV is not an STD (unless you're into whips and chains) I think disclosure is a good idea to protect each others emotions if things are getting serious.
If it's a wham bam thank you mam, no way would I divulge credit card numbers, family secrets or my HCV status.
Again this is IMHO only!

Well, I'm glad the issue of protection has come up.
I was wondering how many people here in a committed relationship feel the need to use condoms. I already know the very encouraging statistics about the rarity of transmission in monogamous relationships.
I was just wondering how many people look at those stats and feel perfectly safe, and how many feel that even the small risk isn't worth taking...either for you or your partner.
There's a middle ground of course, where some people might feel that the intimacy is worth the small risk.
It's a personal matter, but if anyone feels like sharing, I'm interested.

HCV for 40+ years and have never infected my partner, no precautions taken in the bedroom, only in the bathroom with razors, toothbrushes, etc. We even share the same kitty cats, claws and all ..no problem so I think I can stop worrying about it now eh?

Im still relatively new to be aware of my HCV and I choose to have my husband use protection, at least at this point. I may change my mind later on, who knows, but I couldnt live with myself if I ended up in that rare .06 % and accidentally infected the love of my life. I would protect him to the ends of the earth.

That is your choice and must be respected.
Keep in mind .103% of the population was killed in MVAs (2011) so will you cease driving anyone around?
I post this not to be argumentative but to put things into a risk assessment perspective.