Is it possible to join the military if you have hepatitis C?
467445
I don't think so. You aren't allowed to have any type of permanent blood-borne disease, so I would think that hepatitis C would DQ someone. You don't want medics afraid to do thier work on the battlefield because of fear of HIV/hepC ect, and likewise you don't want to worry about that medic having those diseases either.
199560
Pegasys (Roche Laboratories) will help you, if you do not have any insurance. Go to Pegasys.com and ask. If you ask, you will receive help!! There is no reason to just lay down and die!! Hepatitis C is an awful virus: I have it myself. It also sounds as if you might be depressed; see any health professional.
149780
http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/hcv/index.cfm
894902
Yes you most definately can.  The military will even do it if you are already in and 100 lbs over weight.  The only thing is its disqualifing for certain jobs.  I don't know what they all are.  The only one I know is sub duty.  I'm a submariner and have a buddy that was looking into it.  They told him he have to go to a surface ship if he got it done.  It has to do with the lack of a doctor on a sub and if the surgery comes undone you can have serious problems that an idependant duty corpman wouldn't have the knowledge to fix.
977805
Hepatitis is a group of viral infections that affect the liver causing acute/chronic inflammation which eventually may lead to liver failure or cancer and ultimately death. The B, C, and D group are blood borne and/or sexually transmitted or by vertical transmission from mother to child. Hepatitis C viral infection (HCV) is notoriously known to cause chronic liver disease and the risk for liver hepatoma/cancer is much higher than for HBV.\nJust like most viral infections, there is no definite cure by antiviral or antibiotic therapy. However, some antiviral drugs such as lamivudine (sometimes used to treat HIV) may hold some promise but no definite cure. It is important to note that most people do not die eventually from chronic hepatitis since it is a chronic disease. They may die of other causes. If you are sexually-active, also consider protecting your spouse/partner from picking up the infection by using appropriate barrier methods. \n\nI would advice you go on a high carbohydrate diet/low protein diet; take multivitamins supplements. have your doctor keep an eye on your liver function tests say on a yearly basis. Most other drugs used as supportive therapy are fraught with bad side effects.
731958
I really don't think they will let you in with Lupus.  Alot of the things in the military would aggravate this disease, and I'm pretty sure the inprocessing doctors would not let you through.  You can always try, there is no harm in trying and make sure you let the docs know you have this condition.  My best guess however is no they won't let you in.
1069351
Take the surgery to fix the problem.  In the Navy they would then screen you to ensure you were able to function and accomplish the mission at sea.  If you don't pass the screening then you would be medically discharged and possibly receive benefits from the VA.  \n\nI would assume the other branches have similar requirements.
585203
No.  In order to be a nurse, you must be an Officer, and Officers are required to be citizens as well as have a 4 year degree.  besides, the Army doesn't specifically train nurses.. they are already Nurses when they join.  \n\nNOW, if you are a permanent resident with a Green Card, you can enlist, and try for the medic field, where you will get training.  Once in, you can expedite your citizenship and then try and get commissioned through one of the Army's programs.. I believe they do have a program where you can go to nursing school on their dime for a longer commitement.
913729
hcv is ONLY contracted via blood to blood transmission. Sex is almost NON existant.\n\nas far as working with someone with hcv, you'd be surprised to find this person is not the only one who has it!\n\nthere are many ways of getting hepatitis c....hcv is a tricky disease...even tho a regular liver panel may not show elevations in the ALT and AST levels, you could be infected! (long before the person in question even!) ever done drugs? shared utensils after someone like a cocaine straw? ever been to the dentist? had a peircing or tatoo? every had surgery of any kind prior to 1994? ever had your nails or toenails done? ever cut yourself on something someone else could of cut themselves on? how bout sharing a toothbrush or razor? \n\nhcv usually comes on very slow, it can take decades before something serious happens.\n\nthey claim hcv is a-symptomatic, but many who find they have the disease, look back and figure out that the doc, unknowingly, treated each symptom as a seperate disease, without being able to treat the cause due to simply not knowing what to treat. (these symptoms are called bi-directional diseases).\n\nif you want to be sure you don't have hcv yourself, regardless of risk factors or not, get tested for antibodies.\n\nhcv corpuscles found in bodily fluids are not transmittable.\nagain, hcv is ONLY acquired through a blood to blood transmission of some kind.\n\nnow, if you suggest to your boss to lay a person off just because he has a disease, your spelling trouble. it's discrimination...hcv is something that i grew up with and has kept me from working do to brain fog and short term memory, but this doe's not affect everyone who has hcv. \n\ni would also like to add if kids can go to school with hepatitis c like i did from the age of 8 and on, one can certainly have job security. i think you would benefit from being a little more kind and understanding as anyone can be unhealthy at any given time. the treatment for hepatitis c is very expensive (over 60 thousand dollars for a years worth of antiviral chemotherapy), so let it alone, chances are this person may need the job....
234621
Currently available Hepatitis C treatment includes Pegylated Interferon - an immunomodulator (stimulated the immune system) and Ribavirin (a nucleoside agent - unknown mechanism). Pegylated Interferon is taken once weekly via subcutaneous injection and the ribavirin is taken orally, usually twice a day (dose varies based upon body weight and HCV genotype).\n\nThere are several Hepatitis C genotypes or varietes of HCV. Genotypes 1 and 4 generally require longer treatment (usually a minimum of 48 weeks) while genotypes 2 and 3 can be treated for 6 months or less - new studies have examined 14 or 16 week regimens.\n\nInterferon can be difficult to tolerate - it causes tiredness, muscle aches, decreased blood cells to name a few side effects. Ribavirin can also cause side effects and sometimes the dose needs to be reduced.\n\nThe liklihood of response is around 50% for genotypes 1 and 4 (meaning that about half the people treated for 48 weeks will clear the Hepatitis C virus). For genotypes 2 and 3, the response rates are higher and can approach 90% (many more people are able to clear the virus.\n\nFactors such as genotypes 1 or 4, high viral load (amount of virus in the body), alcohol use, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), older age, male sex, and heavey body weight may contribute to a worse response.\n\nThere are investigational agents currently being studies, including VX950 and SCH 503034 (HCV protease inhibitors) as well as polymerase nucleoside inhibitors (NM283 or valopicitabine). Currently, these are all being studied in combination with Pegylated Interferon. Contact an academic medical center or visit http://www.clinicaltrials.gov to find studies for which you may be eligible.\n\nIf you need treatment, be sure to get plenty of rest, drink lots of water, and take your medication EXACTLY as prescribed. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any side effects.\n\nGood luck and stay positive!
256727
Here is a little information on it. Take it very seriously. \n\nHepatitis C, formerly called non-A, non-B hepatitis, is also transmitted by contaminated blood transfusions and by sharing of needles among drug abusers, although in many cases no source can be identified. It is the most common form of chronic liver disease in the United States. Many of those infected have no symptoms but become carriers, and the virus may eventually cause liver damage. Blood banks routinely screen for hepatitis C. Alpha-interferon is used also to treat hepatitis C, in combination with the drug ribavirin.
257940
Plasmapharesis?  *racks brain* Partial replacement of plasma your plasma?  And by hcv you mean Hep C virus?\n\nFirst, you cannot become immune to hep C.  There is no vaccine.  Once you are infected, you are a carrier of the virus for life--whether you have active symptoms or not.  Even if your body does make antibodies to it (which I don't think they do), they are inneffective.\n\nSecond, partial plasma replacement will not eliminate any of your antibodies.  It will decrease the number of them for a time, but even that should not increase your susceptiblity to disease.
967910
No, I believe you must obtain a green card, but they are fairly easy to obtain if you wish in enlisting in the military, especially now.  You won't be able to accept a commission until you are a citizen, but you can enlist given you can pass a background check, medical, etc.
650781
Go to your doctor asap.\n\nIf your doctor says you are disabled from it you can go to the state and apply for disability income and state insurance to help take care of it and get you back on your feet.  \n\nThyroid disease and diabetes are nothing to play with and HCV can cause cancer and damage in women (not sure about men), but needs to be treated too, or can really hurt you untreated.\n\nThey have medicine for all three, to keep you healthy.  While waiting for your doctor appointment, really try to track everything you eat and do for exercise in a journal, that will help to see what changes you might need to make in your diet & exercise.\n\nIt's going to be a rough road ahead of you, but left untreated you will probably end up suffering a great deal, if not dying early!
1041954
Hello..Ignore the unserious answer of your question.The problem with Hepatitis C is reallly deserving attention. Actually,if it's chronical( as I got) you will have the hepatitis virus whole your life.You must net be ashemed of it,because it's not transmitted only sexually(only 5-10%),but through the blood,it's not supposed that you was a junkey,etc.The treatment is not a cure and have many side effects,it's provided only in specialized clinics and is based in the INTERFERONE injections.The best way to keep your liver functions well is to eat not just healthy ,but applying the special diet for liver problems,no alcohol,no coffee,no black tea..Wish you luck!
521303
Has he been tested? If he hasn't he needs to be. If he doesn't have it then yes by all means wear a condom if it will give him peace of mind. The following FAQ is from the CDC.\n\nHow is HCV spread from one person to another? \n\n How could a person have gotten hepatitis C?\nHCV is spread primarily by direct contact with human blood. For example, you may have gotten infected with HCV if: \n\nyou ever injected street drugs, as the needles and/or other drug "works" used to prepare or inject the drug(s) may have had someone else's blood that contained HCV on them. \nyou received blood, blood products, or solid organs from a donor whose blood contained HCV. \nyou were ever on long-term kidney dialysis as you may have unknowingly shared supplies/equipment that had someone else's blood on them. \nyou were ever a healthcare worker and had frequent contact with blood on the job, especially accidental needlesticks. \nyour mother had hepatitis C at the time she gave birth to you. During the birth her blood may have gotten into your body. \nyou ever had sex with a person infected with HCV. \nyou lived with someone who was infected with HCV and shared items such as razors or toothbrushes that might have had his/her blood on them. \n How long can HCV live outside the body and transmit infection? \nRecent studies suggest that HCV may survive on environmental surfaces at room temperature at least 16 hours, but no longer than 4 days.\n\n What do you use to remove HCV from environmental surfaces?\nYou should clean up any blood spills - including dried blood, which can still be infectious - using 1:10 dilution of one part household bleach to 10 parts of water for disinfecting the area. Use gloves when cleaning up any blood spills.\n\n Is there any evidence that HCV has been spread during medical or dental procedures done in the United States? \nMedical and dental procedures done in the United States generally do not pose a risk for the spread of HCV. However, there have been a few situations in which HCV has been spread between patients when supplies or equipment were shared between them. \n\n Can HCV be spread by sexual activity? \nYes, but this does not occur very often. See section below on counseling for more information on hepatitis C and sexual activity. \n\n Can HCV be spread by oral sex?\nThere is no evidence that HCV has been spread by oral sex. See section on counseling for more information on hepatitis C and sexual activity. \n\n Can HCV be spread within a household? \nYes, but this does not occur very often. If HCV is spread within a household, it is most likely due to direct exposure to the blood of an infected household member.\n\nCan you get Hepatitis C from getting a tattoo?\nAlthough biologically possible when poor infection control practices are used, there is no evidence that hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been spread through tattooing. For more information...\n\nSince more advanced tests have been developed for use in blood banks, what is the chance now that a person can get HCV infection from transfused blood or blood products? \nLess than 1 chance per 2 million units transfused.\n\n Is it possible that HCV could be transmitted through the bite of a mosquito or other blood sucking arthropods, especially in third world countries? \nHepatitis C virus has not been shown to be transmitted by mosquitoes or other arthropods.\n\n How can a person protect themselves from getting hepatitis C and other diseases spread by contact with human blood? \n\nDon't ever shoot drugs. If you shoot drugs, stop and get into a treatment program. If you can't stop, never reuse or share syringes, water, or drug works, and get vaccinated against hepatitis A and hepatitis B. \nDo not share toothbrushes, razors, or other personal care articles. They might have blood on them. \nIf you are a healthcare worker, always follow routine barrier precautions and safely handle needles and other sharps. Get vaccinated against hepati
169808
Usually, these things must be disclosed BEFORE you join.  If you knew of the disorder before you joined, then they'll most likely argue you breached the contract you signed when you swore-in.\n\nIf you are already in the army, I don't know.  Probably will depend on how it impacts your MOS (or job in the army).  If you're in infantry, don't think you'll get out.  But if you are in satellite comm., you might have a chance.