Hepatitis C is a slow and silent killer. The disease itself can remain dormant for years and then slowly begin to progress. Diagnosis is made through blood tests and a liver biopsy. Hepatitis C is a silent killer because many individuals infected with Hepatitis C have no symptoms for years.
When there are symptoms, they are usually mile. They include nausea, fatigue, depressed appetite, fever and headaches, along with abdominal pain. Not every individuals infected with Hepatitis C will have all of these symptoms.
Hepatitis C is generally contracted by coming into contact with infected blood or blood products, IV drug use or a needle stick accident. Individuals receiving blood transfusions or bloods products before 1992 are also at risk for contracting the disease.
Once a diagnosis is made, a treatment plan must be decided upon. Until approximately 10 years ago, there was basically no treatment available for Hepatitis C. Today, conventional medicine currently uses injectable interferon. In some cases ribavirin is added. The course of treatment will vary with ability to manage the drugs and their side effects. During the treatment blood tests are run on a regular basis to monitor progress.
When treatment starts, the patient must immediately give up using alcohol. Alcohol usage can negate the positive effects of the treatment. The course of treatment is not always smooth. The patient must learn to inject themselves with the interferon. For some individuals, this can be a major roadblock in treatment. Side effects may prove to be disabling. They can include basic flu-like symptoms, weight loss, irritability and depression.
Some patients respond to the treatment initially, but only a percentage of those are able to eliminate the virus from their system. Some patients drop out because of the physical and emotional side effects. Patients should work with their doctors and nursing staff and, if possible, find a Hepatitis C support group.
Treatment of Hepatitis C continues to be researched and developed. Unfortunately, no vaccine for Hepatitis C has been developed.
Tags: Abdominal Pain, Alcohol, Depression, Doctors, Drug Use, Ear, Emotional, Fat, Headache, Headaches, Hepatitis C, Nursing, Pain, Treatment, Weight, weight loss, Work
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