Just diagnosed with Hepatitis C?
This write-up will introduce you to what Hepatitis C is all about, especially when you are just diagnosed with it recently.
It is understandable that you feel shocked, confused, or even angry (what’s my fault?) when you heard about the diagnosis and the probable source of infection.
Hep C is not the end of the world:
The first thing to note is that Hep C is not the end of the world. To have Hep C does not mean that your health will deteriorate very soon or you will have deadly liver disease or that the death is around.
Being diagnosed with hepatitis C is not a death sentence and there are many things you can do to ease the situation.
In most cases, it is diagnosed while a routine medical examination.
What is it after all?
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne viral infection causing inflammation of the liver. When the liver becomes inflamed its ability to perform its varied and essential tasks is impaired. It takes 15 to 25 years for the body to show some symptoms of Hep C. All the patients may not suffer from the disease. Please read this to know what is Hep C.
Initial blood tests:
Your doctor will ask you for some tests. There will be a simple qualitative test just to confirm if you have Hep C at all. This is done by testing hepatitis c antibodies in the blood. It does not cost much. If this is positive, then it only reveals that you have been infected with the virus at some time. If negative, then you may be required to have another test after 12 weeks. This is called the window period – the rough time it can take from initial exposure until the antibodies to the virus becoming detectable in your blood.
Further to check for the active virus is necessary. If negative, then you have had hepatitis C but are no longer infected, this happens to very few people and is called spontaneous clearance. Positive PCR test then that means you currently have hepatitis C.
To know the extent of virus activity, the test entails a vial count, which is done using different methods in different countries. The count is usually in millions. (0.1 million to over four million.) There are tests to do Genotypes.
Liver enzyme study has to be done to know the extent of liver damage. This requires to be repeated every one year or earlier, as per your doctor's advice.
For other investigations, please click this link.
Will Hepatitis C kill me?
It is unlikely. This is a very slow disease and can take as long as 15 to 25 years before it starts to cause significant damage. It tends to remain silent in your body without doing any harm all this while.
The best thing you can do for your liver is to give up drinking alcohol completely. The next best thing is to reduce your intake. Whichever you decide to do you may be able to do it alone or you may need help.
The incidence of hepatitis C among people who are heavy consumers of alcohol (for example men that consume 4-5 alcoholic drinks a day) is very high and well known.
How serious is Hep C?
Hepatitis C is a serious disease but it is treatable. (Many other diseases like diabetes or high blood pressure are serious.) Rather than getting panic, it is wise to understand treatment modalities and opt for a suitable one.
The risk of Hepatitis C is that of chronic infection of the liver. The next stage is the of scarring of the liver over the period of time what is called cirrhosis (20% to 30%) of the liver.
If this stage is severer, there may be a range of physical changes because of the affection of the liver, veins belonging to the liver, vomiting of blood, jaundice, debilitated health.
In a few patients, the disease process may end into cancer of the liver.
Some people will never develop significant liver damage, even if not treated.
How did I get it?
There are a number of ways you may have contracted hepatitis C. The major sources are blood transfusion, surgery, dialysis, use of infected syringes, drug addiction, etc. Click here to read more.
Are people around me now at risk?
You can only pass HCV on to someone if he or she comes into direct contact with your blood. It does not spread by touch, air, food, hugging, kissing, lactation. It may spread by sex, including oral sex.
Can I pass on the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) through Sex?
The risk of sexual transmission is generally much lower than through direct blood contact. However, any type of sex that may involve blood is an opportunity for HCV transmission. This includes oral sex.
If you or your sex partner has been detected to have Hep C, it is advisable that the other partner gets investigated for Hep C, through a simple, inexpensive blood test.
Can I be re-infected with another train of HCV?
Yes, you can get re-infected. Having one type of HCV doesn't protect you from being infected with a different type of HCV.
I want to know more about Hep C. Please help.
Please examine a presentation developed by Dr Shah which is available on this site. Please click here.
Is there a treatment for Hepatitis C?
Yes, Hep C is treatable during all stages, except in the terminal stage with severe cirrhosis and cancer.
It can be treated by conventional treatment as well by homeopathy.
My doctors did not suggest homeopathy. Why?
It is likely that your Family Physician or Gastroenterologist may not suggest homeopathic treatment. This could be because of his/her ignorance about homeopathy or may be due to an unavailability of a qualified homeopathic doctor in your area.
Homeopathic treatment for Hep C:
Homeopathy has proven treatment for various viral infections. Based on this established fact, Dr Shah has been working on the treatment of Hepatitis C for the last ten years. The treatment has shown promising results. Please check documented cases on this website.
The major advantages of homeopathic treatment: 1. It is effective without any side effects whatsoever. 2. It is very cost-effective. (Fraction of the cost of conventional medicine.)
Limitations with homeopathic treatment:
01 It does not work for all cases, all the time.
02 We have limited experience in its results in cases with cirrhosis of the liver
03 Limited research was done as yet.
Conventional treatment for Hep C:
There is a good Conventional treatment for Hep C which is by using anti-viral substances called interferon. It gives results in about 50% of cases, with a possibility of relapse.
Limitations of conventional treatment are:
01 It does not work for all cases, all the time.
02 Cost of the treatment
03 Severe side effects. (Click to study adverse effects.)