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Successful Hepatitis C Treatment

Hepatitis C is a serious disease that is caused by a virus that attacks the liver and causes it to swell. Hepatitis C is contracted through direct contact with contaminated blood, commonly through sharing contaminated needles, childbirth, sexual intercourse, and blood transfusions or organ transplants that occurred before 1992. People with hepatitis C usually display symptoms that are flu-like such as a fever, muscle aches, liver soreness and nausea. Some people may not show any symptoms, and might not know that they have it until liver damage is found through regular medical tests.

  1. Lifestyle

    • People with hepatitis C need to learn how to live with their disease until treatment makes it subside. Lifestyle changes are necessary to keep yourself and those you love healthy. People with hepatitis C should avoid drinking alcohol, because alcohol will further damage the liver. It is also essential to get the recommended amount of sleep and eat a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables. People with hepatitis C should be extremely careful so that they do not infect the people around them with their disease. They should not share razors or toothbrushes, donate blood or other body parts, and should alert anyone who comes into contact with their blood or body fluids that they have hepatitis C.

    Treatment

    • Liver damage is the main complication with hepatitis C patients. If the liver is too severely damaged, the liver may have to be replaced. Having a liver transplant does not cure hepatitis C, it just allows you to have a healthy-functioning liver. Hepatitis C is usually treated with antiviral medication. The usual treatment combines two drugs: pegylated interferon and ribavirin. The two drugs are taken over a 48-week period. The medication helps to rid the virus from the body. The treatments cure about half of the people who have genotype 1, and cures eight out of 10 people who have genotype 2 or 3. However, the treatment causes flu-like symptoms. When taking the treatments, patients must be continually monitored by doctors and have their blood regularly tested to make sure that the virus is going away. The combination treatment has been shown to be successful in diminishing the risk of constant hepatitis.

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