Positive Life NSW

Kim

I’ve been a drug addict for 15 years and over the last 18 months I’ve stopped everything. It’s going good, but you think of it everyday. It’s a fight everyday, but it’s a better life not using.

I started using drugs from the age of 24. I was sharing a flat with somebody who had Hep C and the equipment could have been dirty or contaminated. Then, I never shared a syringe or used a dirty fit. All it takes is for someone to touch the spoon with blood on their finger and Hep C is alive in that spoon.

I found out I had Hep C ten years ago during a routine HIV check up. My doctor did a Hep C test as well. The impact of finding out didn’t faze me at all. I didn’t get upset because I didn’t know much about it. All you were told was not to share fits or other injecting equipment.

I was diagnosed with HIV in 1985. Back then it was portrayed as a death sentence by the media and that scared me the most. I still haven’t overcome the fear. It’s the first thing I think of when I wake up and the last thing I think of at night. I don’t really think about Hep C.

I only experienced stigma because of HIV when I was in gaol for twelve months in 2007. I got into trouble because I was honest and open about it. If you had Hep C it was okay with the inmates.

It was my decision to tell inmates. When I used with guys I didn’t know I always told them about my HIV and Hep C. They thought I was telling them so they didn’t hassle me for any sexual favours. They made me feel bad about having HIV because in the gaol population not many guys have it- well, not many that they know of. A lot of guys have Hep C though, that’s why it isn’t really looked down upon. With HIV it’s a different story, especially if you’re gay or changed gender like me.

They were educated on using, however they would share. On the outside, I never shared all the time I used. In gaol there’s one syringe and ten people using it. We would be in a hurry and wouldn’t go through any preparation because we were worried about getting busted by an officer. We’d have one cup of bleach and one of water, which everyone dipped the only fit into. I’d say to them: “the water’s infected; you may as well stick the needle straight in your arm”.

Changing my lifestyle meant giving up drugs

My doctor said it’s better to get rid of Hep C if you’ve got HIV. You know, I’ve had HIV for 23 years and I’ve never been sick. Now I’m on methadone, I’ve got to make a decision about going on Hep C treatment. But, there’s so many side effects like your hair falling out, temporary loss of sight and hearing and sores in your mouth and other things. It’s a hard core treatment. Its success depends on what strain (genotype) you have. I’m okay because I’m genotype 3, which has a 50% success rate.

To prepare for treatment I had to change my lifestyle and that meant giving up drugs. You’ve got to be ready to make the changes. I tried to get off drugs when I was in my twenties, but I wasn’t ready. Now I’m thirty-seven I want to make changes to my way of life. To do that I had to give up the circle of people I was hanging around – like, I’ve abandoned the Cross and all of my friends. I had to change my scene and get away from the influences.

My partner is my support along with Kirketon Road Centre. They have case officers and doctors who are very good. There are also opportunities for people with co-infection to come together and talk.

I’ve changed my diet as well; however the major change was getting out of the Cross and moving somewhere quiet. Before I moved to the suburbs I was living on the main street in a flat, which was very handy.

Each day as it comes

Everybody is different. You can live with it and there are treatments (peg-interferon and ribavirin), that work for some and there are new drugs in the pipeline. A change of lifestyle – new diet and getting off the drugs were important for me. Mindset is important – be strong and keep healthy. You need support. I have close friends and a good counsellor. I recommend Kirketon Road Centre if you want face-to-face counselling and Hep Connect for telephone counselling. It helps with isolation and questions around treatment. You can talk to other people who have been through similar experiences, especially with treatments.

I want to take each day as it comes. I’m seriously thinking about going on peg-interferon, but not at the moment because I could relapse into using at any time. I just want to get stronger. When sex work and drugs have been your lifestyle for fifteen years it’s hard to change. It means changing your lifestyle. If I can give up drugs anybody can.

What is Hep Connect?

Hep Connect is an initiative of the Hepatitis C Council of NSW (www.hepatitisc.org.au/). It aims to reduce isolation and ease treatment difficulties often associated with Hep C. Hep Connect is a phone based peer support service for people living with Hep C, their partners and carers, and particularly for people who are considering or currently undergoing Hep C combination treatment.

To organise a time to speak to a volunteer just phone the Hep C Helpline on 9332 1599 (Sydney) or 1800 803 990 (regional NSW) and mention Hep Connect.

What is Kirketon Road Centre (KRC)

KRC operates a medical, counselling and social welfare service including methadone access and needle syringe programs from K1 above the Darlinghurst Fire Station.
K1 is open from 10am - 6pm Monday - Friday (Thursdays 10am - 3pm) for clinical services and 10am - 1.45pm on weekends and public holidays for the Needle Syringe Program only.
KRC also has a satellite facility known as K2, which provides a needle syringe service, health and social welfare advice, and assessment and referral to drug treatment and other relevant services.
K2 is open from 1.30pm - 10pm, 7 days a week.

Contact details

K1 is located above the fire station on the corner of Darlinghurst Road and Victoria Street, Kings Cross.
K2 is located at 38 Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross.
The contact phone number for the KRC switchboard is 02 9360 2766.

Hepatitis C Clinic

KRC conducts a hepatitis clinic every second Tuesday of the month. Clients who are hepatitis C positive are assessed by a medical specialist. Services such as PCR testing, hepatitis C information, monitoring of liver function and follow-up are available. Phone: (02) 93602766

For more information on Newstart contact Centrelink - http://www.centrelink.gov.au/ click on a-z or call 13 2850