Ernie we all know it's blood to blood so if your sexual habits include blood letting then yes the risk increases. One just needs to use a little common sense. No whips and chains, biting and ...
get the picture? :)

Lol. Yes my sex always includes bloodletting. I thought that was regular no??

Although HIV is the same yet much easier to transmit. Of course there may not always be visible blood as infection happens at the microscopic level. But to be frank, rough f@$king can involve trace blood, which is why HIV can be so prevalent when you're dealing with somewhat fragile tissue. I know that the CDC doesn't recommend condom usage btw monogamous partners but for most others they do. Just makes me wonder. Personally I don't worry about HCV transmission with normal intercourse but I do worry that sometimes that just isn't enough.

To clarify I'm speaking of "normal intercourse" not worrying.

Ernie .. HIV is in semen HCV is not.
I prefer not to get too graphic here. Use common sense and if you are not sure and your activities are rough enough to cause bleeding for BOTH parties then use a condom.
Perhaps the posters and literature you are seeing are directed towards the community that does "play a little rougher". That is the appropriate community to address on the issue
It's never been an issue for me. My partner is still HCV neg after 13 years of unprotected intimacy with me and I'm happy to say on a very regular basis.
I'm done. I have too many real health concerns to take on one's that are not worth my while.

Joe. You worry too much

Right Joe. Jury seems to be out. I did a helluva lotta research when I received my diagnosis and also saw inconclusive studies about HCV being present in bodily fluids like urine, semen and saliva albeit in very small quantities. I don't, however, worry too much about it. If it were readily transmissible like that then most everybody would have it.

Joe, I've posted that before but it seems no one wants to hear it.

No one is disputing it. It's just that the chances of infecting someone with a wet kiss ( HCV in saliva) is ridiculously small and not worth worrying about. The stress and anxiety of feeling physically isolated and somewhat a pariah will do more damage.
There are sharks in the ocean, there are drunk drivers all around you. and on and on and on....
Whoops I said I was done ..sorry .. I fade away again.
Bye for now.

Sex and the C Virus....Not positive why do they keeping files on old research articles like all of this presented by HCVadvocate. I dont find much truth to them. If the HCV is present in body fluids "just like that" millions more would get infected in no time. It is clearly a blood borne disease. No one got it from a kiss. That case it is a fear mongering what is very uncalled for! Neither the semen story adds up...

WHO Press Release/36 1 May 1998.
MMWR. May 2,2003. Page xvi.
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Infect 1999; 38:60-61.
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sexual transmission of hepatitis C. QJM 1999;
Sexual activity as a risk factor for hepatitis C. Hepatology2002; 36: no 5, S99-105.

While I agree it's probably not sexually transmitted, if I weren't infected and were intimate with someone who was, I'd want them to tell me before we got into bed. Also, there was just an article posted about relapse after a long period of SVR. So while I'm wishing all the SVR people that they remain so forever, I don't think that means not needing to tell a partner. THe right people will stay. For me, that was a man who has low anxiety about contageous illnesses in general (Though I do NOT share this belief and do not want any intimacy when he is coughing and sneezing. So I might not have been able to date me)

This came up for me. Here I was dying and felt like dating was impossible. The research is a bit vague. It's hard to pin down, but I wrote a blog and looked long and hard.
Bottom line: I dated. The guy who saw me through treatment, varices bleeds and all was a winner.
We got married after 6 mos SVR.
Trust is a big factor. I agree with a lot of your comments. When it's long term, talk about it. He stayed with me thick and thin.
xo Karen:)

That's a nice story Karen. Congrats on you MRS and your SVR!!

It is interesting how one goes through phases on the issue of feeling like damaged goods, like nobody would ever date you again, and all that stuff that goes through our heads. Or it did for me anyway. Some of the threads on this topic have been really interesting to read. Prolly because everyone is at a different state with it yet I believe we all can relate to the challenging dynamics of disclosure, not being able to be in control of another's reaction to it and just fear of rejection or judgment whatever. Again what Cassy said in this thread or maybe another, it's certainly easier if you contracted HCV as an infant or through a blood transfusion regarding automatic stigma reduction and not the way we all got it -- alien abductions I'm sure.