Though hepatitis C – an infection of the liver – can be treated and in rare cases cured, the side effects can be daunting. According to the CDC, about 3.5 million people in the U.S. have contracted the disease. And while the illness which appears in several forms – mainly type 1 — causes few symptoms, those plagued by them experience:
- Jaundice (a condition that causes yellowing of the skin, eyes, as well as dark urine)
- Stomach pain
- Loss of appetite
- Flu-like symptoms
- Hair loss
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Chills
So who is at risk HVC infection?
The CDC reports that the following persons are at an increased risk for HCV infection:
- Received blood from a donor who had the disease
- Have ever injected drugs
- Had a blood transfusion or an organ transplant before July 1992
- Received a blood product used to treat clotting problems before 1987
- Were born between 1945 and 1965
- Have been on long-term kidney dialysis
- Persons with HIV infection
- Children born to HCV-positive mothers
How does one manage their symptoms?
Common medications taken by hepatitis patients include Harvoni, Incivek, Interferon, Ribavirin and Solvadi with Interferon and Ribavirin. Hepatitis C patients may also manage their symptoms by doing the following…