Risk Factors - At What Point Does Being Careful Become Being Paranoid?

When I first found out my partner had Hep C I was livid. Not that he had it soo much as the fact that he'd deliberately kept in from me. we'd been in a sexual relationship for about 5 or 6 months. I know the risk of contracting Hep C through intercourse is classed as being extremely low to nil but it doesn't stop you panicking. I started thinking of the times I'd kissed him when he'd cut his lip or when I'd stuck a plaster on his finger...

I made an appointment the next day to see my G.P - hoping to put my mind at ease and get advice on how best to protect myself and the kids from being infected. My doctor was great, he told me straight away to stop panicking and arranged for immediate blood tests. He said that he wanted me to have a full viral assessment saying if my partner had hidden his Hep C from me, what else could he be hiding? Me and Mr C want to have children together and I was worried it might not be safe under the circumstance. My doctor explained that we would be fine trying for a baby and that if I hadn't already been infected, that it was highly unlikely I would become infected in the future.

My blood tests came back 10 days later and all were negative thankfully. Since then I've never worried about contracting Hep C through sex and it's great being able to have that normality.

We do follow general 'safety' though. The kids know they are not to use or touch my partners toothbrush and razor. We've never told them about the Hep, just that you can get ill from touching those things. The other week Mr C had filled the sink ready to do the washing up and just before he started had cut his hand quite badly on a piece of glass outside. Without thinking, he went straight over to the sink to do the washing up. At which point I'm dashing across the kitchen telling him to leave it and that I'll do the dishes. There was a stunned silence then Mr C walked away and joked he'd cut his hand just to get out of doing the dishes. This is a good example of how he tries to deal with things, by making a joke of it. I know he was hurt that I stopped him but I don't want to risk the safety of the rest of the family.