Transmission Magazine ED11

edition

11

-MAY 2012

TAKE the

survey

AND YOU COULD

win $50

ONS G A R D G N I FIGHT

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* Is the doc right?

D PAGE 16 CONTINUE

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t u o b a g thinkin T?

N E M T A E TR tis c ti a p e h r fo

STEP ONE:

Firstly, you might want to think about whether you are ready for treatment right now.

Are you planning anything big for your life in the next year (having a baby, marriage, new job, moving house etc)?

How will your treatment affect these things? Importantly, you or your partner won’t be able to get pregnant while either of you are on treatment.

What kind of support do you have right now? What kind of support will you need? (partner, friends, workmates) You can call Hep Connect to organise to speak to someone who has been through treatment for support (see page 14).

Have you had any mental health conditions in the past?

If you have, you might need to get a mental health assessment – treatment can sometimes make people depressed or anxious (or make existing conditions worse).

Is there any flexibility in your commitments (child care, work etc), in case you have times where you feel unwell during treatment?

Do you really need treatment now? There are new treatments coming out in the next few years – you might be able to wait for those. Call the Hepatitis Helpline (1800 803 990) for more info on new treatments.

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for more i

nfo

about hep C treat ment and how to pre 1 Hepatiti pare for it s C: Treat it beat it b info on de o ciding whe ther to go oklet on treatm 2 I have h ent ep C: wha info to help t could ha p you decid e about tr pen to me bookle eatment t 3 Treat yo urself righ info on ge tting ready t booklet for treatm ent 4 Hepati tis C: Guid info on loo e king after to healthy living b yourself, o n or off tre ooklet 5 What yo atment u need to info on tes k ting, monit now booklet as a lot m o ore useful ring and treatment hep C info - as well rmation 6 Factsh ee Can be do ts about treatmen wnloaded t from www .hep.org.a u

All these booklets are free within NSW call the Hepatitis Helpline on 1800 803 990 to order your copies and speak with a Helpline worker about any other treatment questions you might have.

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bout a g n i k thin ?

T N E M T A E TR tis c at i for hep

STEP TWO:

e and ything in step on er ev ut bo a t gh If you’ve thou e right option for th be ht ig m t en fore think treatm you need to do be gs in th w fe a re you, there a tment. you can go on trea

n specialist. You ca l letter to a liver rra fe e re rs a Nu r fo C) 1 Ask your GP Hepatology (hep er specialist or a e comic then speak to a liv like Mike (from th u’ t options. If yo re en then they m e, at rs tre nu ur C p yo t abou eady met a he alr ve ha d an s) Fighting Dragon rt the process. can help you sta me blood tests. e will give you so se u yo e rs and how nu or ve the hep C virus 2 The specialist nfirm that you ha load). co ll al wi vir ur sts yo te d od The blo (which is calle od blo ur yo in is much of the virus of hep C find out what type to ed us be o als will 3 The blood tests type). called your geno is is (th ve ha u yo ere is much to see whether th er liv ur e yo ss se as (which is a machin 4 They will also with a fibroscan ne d, do un en so ra oft is ult is an damage – th th a scanner, like m the outside wi . in) that tests you fro pa or y ed for any surger so there is no ne ons you r health conditi u about any othe yo k oblems). as pr t o ar als he ll . wi .g 5 They for treatment (e ue iss an be t have that migh or nurse will lts, the specialist su re ur yo l al er ov 6 After looking with you. treatment options l then discuss your drug and alcoho ss your diet and cu u dis yo to e d us ke ca as be or specialist 7 You will also be st with the nurse ne ho be to st be use. It's ance to work. ment the best ch want to give treat

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she any people ys of the m k was part of the ne ur jo e iv or at transform chronic hep C. Art w ired by the eir ic 96. Insp e to terms with th lin C om fr m ey co comb, Annie Bal to work with, as th life by Dr Seeds of d had the privilege . an has seen Me' exhibition, 2011 d 'Hep C an

30bout a g 29 n i ... k thin TMENT A TRE 6

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people involved in

TREATMENT

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test results 5

GET

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fibrosca

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GET

SEE

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rse hep C nu 15

tests

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GET

blood

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Hepatologist a doctor who specialises in liver illness and conditions.

Hepatology Nurse (Hep C8Nur se) 7 a nurse who specialises in liver illness and conditions.

Gastroenterologist a doctor who specialises in issu es related to your liver, stomach and other digestive organs.

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1800 803 990 TALK WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN THROUGH HEP C TREATMENT

Call us to arrange a free and confidential call from someone who has been through hep C treatment

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PART 2 RAGONS D G N I T H G FI

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e m o h t a Hep C in the home y t e f a s n o ransmissi

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Hep C is only passed on by blood, so there is only a risk of transmission if there is blood-to-blood contact. People with hep C might be a bit worried about the risk of hep C being passed on to family and friends.

Remember, hep C is NOT PASSED ON by:

HUGGING, SHARING FOOD, DRINKS, PLATES, KISSING, KNIVES, FORKS, SNEEZING, COUGHING,

WASHING CLOTHES

IN THE SAME MACHINE, USING THE SAME

TOILET AND SINK

SOME EASY WAYS TO AVOID BLOOD-TO-BLOOD

CONTACT IN THE HOME Don't share personal toiletries, like toothbrushes and razors - keep them all seperate in a bag or drawer, so no one else uses them accidentally.

If you have any cuts or wounds, keep them covered with waterproof dressings.

If you spill any blood, clean it up with paper towel, then soapy water, then diluted bleach.

Wrap up and immediately throw away (in the normal rubbish) any blood-stained things, like tampons, bandaids, sanitary pads etc.

Some content abridged from National Hepatitis C Resource Manual Ed2, Department of Health and Ageing,

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2008

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n o i t s que r e w s & an Q “

with the

Can I go on hep C treatment if I'm also on a methadone program?

(Arif, 28 from Parramatta)

A “

”

Yes - you can go on treatment while you're on a methadone program

”

You can be on hep C treatment and a methadone program at the same time If you are on a methadone program, or any other opioid treatment programs (e.g. bupe) and you have hep C and are interested in going on treatment for it - ask your GP for a referral to a specialist to talk about your options.

send your questions to us ON sms: 0404 440 103 ph: 1800 803 990 e: transmission@hep.org.au

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IF YOUR QUESTION IS URGENT CALL

HEPATITIS HELPLINE

1800 803 990 INFO, SUPPORT, REFERRALS

Call 131450 to organise an interpreter service You also can now chat to us live at hep.org.au

AIVL’s new online

NSP Directory & Legal Guide

The national NSP Directory is a list of needle & syringe programs across Australia. Where possible the service directory provides a contact number, address, hours of operations & types of equipment supplied. A link with Google maps will direct users to services.

The Legal Guide is a state & territory reference resource of NSP & drug related laws relevant to people who use drugs.

It provides information on legal issues such as; possession of needles & syringes & other paraphernalia, disposing of used equipment, rights relating to police questioning, illicit drugs & sex work.

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s i t i t a p he e n i l p l he L CONFIDENTIA

1800803 803 990 1800 990 FREE CALL FROM LANDLINES WWW.HEP .ORG.AU

WWW.HEP.ORG.AU

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傳譯服務 (131450) 轉接肝炎熱線。 arabic

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6/8/2011 2:39:56 PM

chinese

the survey HOW TO GO IN THE DRAW TO WIN $50

E FILL OUTNTDHYOU A SURVEYD WIN A COUL UCHER $50 VO

ITS EASY!

www.surveymonkey.com/s/transmissionmag go to AND

FILL OUT THE SURVEY ONLINE BY 22 JUNE 2012

OR

1 FILL OUT THE SURVEY ON THE BACK OF THIS PAGE 2 CUT THIS PAGE OUT OF THE MAGAZINE

3 FOLD IN HALF ALONG THE BLACK DOTTED LINE BELOW, SO THAT THE ADDRESS IS ON THE OUTSIDE

4 STICK THE 2 SIDES CLOSED WITH STICKY TAPE OR STAPLES (ALONG THE YELLOW EDGES ABOVE AND BELOW)

5 PUT IT IN THE POST FOR FREE BY 22 JUNE 2012 (NO NEED TO BUY A STAMP, ITS FREE TO SEND)

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the survey 1 Have you found this magazine useful?

no

yes

maybe

ITS EASY!

(please tick one)

2 How good do you think this magazine has been at: (please tick one)

bad

not very good

ok good very good

don’t know

bad

not very good

ok good very good

don’t know

Teaching you (more) about hep C Teaching you (more) preparing for hep C treatment Helping you know where to go for advice

3 Tell us what you think about the different parts of our magazine: (please tick one) Comic ‘Fighting Dragons' Thinking about hep C treatment (pgs 10-13) Hep C at home (pg 24) Question and Answer (pg 26)

4 How do you think we could make this magazine better?

QUESTIONS ABOUT YOU 5 How old are you?

6 Are you: male female transgender 7 What is your current postcode (or prison)?

8 Do you speak another language with your family?

10 Are you: (tick as many as you like) A person with hep C

Person with hep B

A person cured of hep C

GP/Health worker

Community/youth worker

Prisoner

Needle & Syringe worker

Sex worker

Alcohol and/or other drug worker

No, only English

Partner/relative/friend of person with hep C

Yes, the other language I speak is:

A person who currently injects drugs A person who used to but no longer injects drugs

9 Do you identify as Aboriginal

or Torres Strait Islander?

A person who knows someone who injects drugs Yes

No

Other (please say)

11 if you would like to go in the $50 voucher draw, please give us your (optional): Phone number: or email address or MIN :

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Name:

Hepatitis NSW respects and upholds your right to privacy protection. In accordance with National Privacy Principles, we have a detailed policy and set of procedures regulating how we collect, use, disclose and hold your personal information. For a copy of the policy, please contact us on 02 9332 1853 or visit our website: www.hep.org.au

QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE

UT FILL THISYOOU AND IN A COULD W ER $50 VOUCH

SPECIAL THANKS...

Hepatitis NSW would like to thank Jamie (hep C nurse) for her fantastic ideas and support in the development of this edition of Transmission Magazine - and especially the Nurse character in the comic Fighting Dragons.

Thanks also to all the readers who filled out the survey in Edition 10 - we really appreciate your time.

Your ideas, comments and input help us create a better magazine for you.

ASIDE FROM HEPATITIS NSW EDITORIAL CONTENT, VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS MAGAZINE OR FLYERS ENCLOSED WITH IT, ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF HEPATITIS NSW. NEITHER ARE SUCH VIEWS NECESSARILY THOSE OF OUR FUNDING BODIES. TRANSMISSION MAGAZINE DOES NOT PROMOTE NOR CONDONE THE USE OF ILLICIT DRUGS. RATHER, IT SEEKS TO PROVIDE ACCURATE INFORMATION THAT WILL HELP PEOPLE WHO ALREADY INJECT DRUGS TO REDUCE RISKS AND MAKE SAFER CHOICES. NOTHING IN THIS MAGAZINE SHOULD BE TAKEN AS RECOMMENDING DRUG USE.

EDITOR/DESIGNER Rhea Shortus EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Chris Gough Sonam Paljor Peter Middleton Jenny Douglas Andrew Smith Paul Harvey Bruce Cherry Tim Baxter Lisa Camillo Dion Nepia COMIC WRITER Tom Taylor www.tomtaylormade.com COMIC ARTIST Emily Smith www.gestaltcomics.com

Hepatitis Helpline 1800 803 990 Hepatitis NSW p: 02 9332 1853 f: 02 9332 1730 PO Box 432 Darlinghurst, NSW 1300 info@hep.org.au 349 Crown Street Surry Hills Sydney 2010 www.hep.org.au

If you are a youth or health worker and would like to know more about how your clients can contribute to the development of Transmission Magazine: call the Hepatitis Helpline 1800 803 990 or email transmission@hep.org.au

Hepatitis NSW is proud to acknowledge Aboriginal people as the traditional owners and custodians of our lands and waters.

ABN 30 408 095 245 A non-profit health promotion charity funded by the NSW Ministry of Health.

Accredited by the Quality Improvement Council of Australia (QIC). Donations of $2 and over tax deductible

TIONS OF LOOKING FOR OLD EDI E? GA TRANSMISSION MA ZIN ALL PAST EDITIONS ARE

ONLINE AT:

issionmagazine www.hep.org.au/transm

SMS: 0404 440 103

PH:1800 803 990

TRANSMISSION@HEP.ORG.AU WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/TRANSMISSIONMAG