New with Hep C FAQ | Regional HIV/AIDS Connection

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New with Hep C FAQ

What are symptoms of Hep C?

Some people don’t show any signs or symptoms when they first get Hep C.  If they do, the symptoms are very general and are often mistaken for other illnesses.  As years pass and the disease progresses, people may start to feel symptoms like; tiredness all the time, dry, itchy skin, confusion, yellowing of the skin and eyes, nausea, etc.

Is Hep C a death sentence?

No it is not.  Most people live long lives with Hep C and there are many things you can do to stay healthy, such as eating a nutritious, well balanced diet, getting some exercise and cutting down on alcohol consumption to prevent further damage to your liver. 

If I have Hep C does that mean I’ll get liver cancer or cirrhosis?

No it doesn’t.  Out of every 100 individuals with Hep C, only 1-4 people progress to the stage of liver cancer and 20 people to the stage of cirrhosis.

What is the difference between Hepatitis A, B, and C?

Hepatitis A, B, and C are the three most common types of Hepatitis, but these three viruses are quite different.  Hep A is a relatively mild viral infection that does not cause a chronic disease; Hep B and C are serious viral infections that can cause chronic illness leading to liver damage and liver cancer. Vaccines are available for hepatitis A and B, but there is no vaccine for Hepatitis C.

For more information, please contact one of our hep C team members in Client Services