What happens to 20% of those infected with HCV?
Approximately 20% of those infected with hepatitis C will naturally clear the virus from their body within the first six months. For the remaining 80% a chronic (long-term) infection will develop.
What are the symptoms of end stage hep C?
Symptoms of end-stage liver disease may include:
- Easy bleeding or bruising.
- Persistent or recurring yellowing of your skin and eyes (jaundice)
- Intense itching.
- Abdominal pain.
- Loss of appetite.
- Nausea.
- Swelling due to fluid buildup in your abdomen and legs.
- Problems with concentration and memory.
How do you feel when you have hep C?
Acute hepatitis C usually goes undiagnosed because it rarely causes symptoms. When signs and symptoms are present, they may include jaundice, along with fatigue, nausea, fever and muscle aches. Acute symptoms appear one to three months after exposure to the virus and last two weeks to three months.
What is the best treatment for Hep C?
Hepatitis C is treated using direct acting antiviral (DAA) tablets. DAA tablets are the safest and most effective medicines for treating hepatitis C. They’re highly effective at clearing the infection in more than 90% of people. The tablets are taken for 8 to 12 weeks.
What is the new drug to cure hep C?
The medication is so powerful it cures the disease for nearly all who take it. The once-daily pill, called Harvoni, is a combination of the already approved drug sofosbuvir (Sovaldi) and a new drug called ledipasvir. Many people with hep C have been eagerly awaiting the drug’s approval.
What happens if you have hep C?
Hepatitis C can be a short-term illness, but for most people, acute infection leads to chronic infection. Chronic hepatitis C can be a lifelong infection if left untreated. Chronic hepatitis C can cause serious health problems, including liver damage, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), liver cancer, and even death.
Can you still have kids with hep C?
If you have hepatitis C, there is about a 1 in 20 chance that you will pass it to your baby. The risk is higher if you also have HIV and are not being treated. Unfortunately there is no way to prevent the spread of hepatitis C to your baby.
How do you treat Hep C positive?
Hepatitis C infection is treated with antiviral medications intended to clear the virus from your body. The goal of treatment is to have no hepatitis C virus detected in your body at least 12 weeks after you complete treatment.
Can Hep C make you gain weight?
Weight loss is a common symptom of hepatitis C. The weight gained when people start Harvoni or other hepatitis C treatments may be a reflection of the drug working to eradicate the virus, which means you no longer feel sick and your appetite comes back.
Can Hep C make you tired?
If you have hepatitis C, you may experience fatigue. This is a feeling of extreme tiredness or lack of energy that doesn’t go away with sleep. It can be challenging to deal with. Research estimates approximately 50 to 70 percent of people with chronic hepatitis C experience fatigue.
Can Hep C affect your eyes?
People with hepatitis have an increased risk of dry eyes According to research in the Current Opinion in Ophthalmology, hepatitis C is associated with an increased risk of developing dry eye syndrome.
What is a hep C flare up?
Core tip: Patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection may experience hepatic flares due to an acute exacerbation of this disease that is frequently characterized by a significant increase in liver fibrosis and necroinflammation but by a high rate of sustained viral response to Peg-interferon plus ribavirin …