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Hepatitis C

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  • If you have hepatitis C
  • What type of the virus you have (there are at least 6 types)
  • Which treatment will work best for you

  • If you have hepatitis C, your doctor will also want to know if you have any liver scarring. Ways to check for scarring include: ‚  
    • Blood tests
    • Liver scan " “ This is a type of imaging test that can show how much scarring you have. Not all doctors have access to the machine that does the scan.
    • Biopsy " “ For this test, a doctor puts a needle into your liver and takes out a small sample of tissue. The sample will show how bad the damage is.

    How is hepatitis C treated? " ” Treatment depends on what type of hepatitis C you have. There are different medicines to treat hepatitis C. Some of them only work on certain forms of the hepatitis C virus. You will have to take a combination of 2 or more medicines based on which virus you have. The medicines might come in pill form or in shots that you give yourself. Treatment usually lasts 3 months to a year. ‚  
    Some of the medicines used to treat hepatitis C are not appropriate for pregnant women, or for men or women who are not using reliable birth control. Before you start treatment, ask your doctor whether you need to be on reliable birth control for the treatment he or she suggests. Your doctor can help you decide if these medicines are right for you. ‚  
    Is there anything I can do to protect my liver? " ” Yes, you can: ‚  
    • Avoid alcohol.
    • Maintain a healthy weight.
    • Get vaccinated for hepatitis A and B.
    • Get vaccinated for pneumonia, the flu, and other diseases.
    • Ask your doctor or nurse before taking any over-the-counter pain medicines (these medicines can sometimes damage the liver).
    • Avoid marijuana.

    What if I want to get pregnant? " ” If you want to get pregnant, talk to your doctor or nurse first. About 1 in 20 women who have hepatitis C pass the virus on to the baby during pregnancy. That number goes up in women who are also infected with HIV. ‚  
    What will my life be like? " ” Many people with hepatitis C are able to live normal lives. Treatment can cure the disease in many cases. ‚  
    If you have hepatitis C, it is still safe to: ‚  
    • Hug, kiss, and touch other people (but you can spread the infection through sex)
    • Share forks, spoons, cups, and food
    • Sneeze or cough
    • Breastfeed

    All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. ‚  
    This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. ‚  
    Topic 15381 Version 7.0 ‚  
    Release: 22.8 - C22.208 ‚  
    ‚ © 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. ‚  


    figure 1

    Organs inside the abdomen (belly)

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    Organs inside the abdomen (belly)

    Graphic 64960 Version 6.0

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    This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you.The use of UpToDate content is governed by the UpToDate Terms of Use. ‚ ©2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. ‚  

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