How long can you live with hep C?

A 2000-2011 study of the lifespan impact of chronic hepatitis C in New York City (NYC) found that people with hepatitis C died at an average age of 60 years, while those without hepatitis C infection lived to an average age of 78 years.

What is the life expectancy of a person with Hep C?

However, with modern treatments it's easily possible to cure the infection and most people with it will have a normal life expectancy. It's estimated that around 215,000 people in the UK have hepatitis C.

How long does Hep C take to damage liver?

Chronic Hep C can cause liver inflammation and scarring that can lead to moderate liver damage (fibrosis) and severe liver damage (cirrhosis). People with cirrhosis are at high risk for liver failure, liver cancer and even death. Liver damage often happens slowly, over 20 to 30 years.

Is Hep C fatal if not treated?

Chronic hepatitis C can be a lifelong infection if left untreated. Chronic hepatitis C can cause serious health problems, including liver damage, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), liver cancer, and even death.

Can you live a healthy life with Hep C?

If the disease is caught early and treated, people with hepatitis C can live a normal life. Approximately 3 to 5 million people in the United States are living with chronic hepatitis C, an infection that causes inflammation and scarring in the liver.

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What are the final stages of hep C?

End-stage hepatitis C means the liver has been severely damaged by the hepatitis C virus. The hepatitis C virus slowly damages the liver over many years, often progressing from inflammation to permanent, irreversible scarring (cirrhosis).

How do you feel when you have hep C?

Acute hepatitis C usually goes undiagnosed because it rarely causes symptoms. When signs and symptoms are present, they may include jaundice, along with fatigue, nausea, fever and muscle aches. Acute symptoms appear one to three months after exposure to the virus and last two weeks to three months.

Which is the deadliest hepatitis?

Hepatitis Delta is considered to be the most severe form of hepatitis because of its potential to quickly lead to more serious liver disease than hepatitis B alone.

Is it ever too late to treat Hep C?

You should get Hep C treatment as soon as possible, but it is never too late to get treatment, even if it is months or years after you are diagnosed, so long as your health does not get worse.

Can your body get rid of Hep C on its own?

Sometimes, the infection goes away on its own.

Acute hepatitis is C is a short-term illness that occurs within the first six months after being exposed to the virus. Like the human papillomavirus (HPV), early acute hepatitis C can clear on its own without treatment; this happens about 25% of the time.

Does everyone with hep C get cirrhosis?

About 5 to 20 percent of people with chronic hepatitis C will develop cirrhosis. With that in mind, it takes about 20 to 30 years for cirrhosis to develop in that population. Using direct-acting antivirals might help slow or prevent the progression to cirrhosis. If left untreated, cirrhosis can lead to liver failure.

What is a high level for hep C?

For each patient, the result can be described as either a "high" viral load, which is usually >800,000 IU/L, or a "low" viral load, which is usually <800,000 IU/L. It's not uncommon to have a viral load in the millions. Today's hepatitis C treatments are very effective with both high and low viral loads.

How painful is hep C?

Many people with chronic HCV suffer from aches and pains in their joints. A variety of different joints can be involved but the most common are in the hands and wrists. These pains are often minor but occasionally the pain can be quite severe. In such cases painkillers can be used to relieve the symptoms.

How long does it take for hep C to turn into cirrhosis?

From those who develop a chronic or long term infection (between 70-80% of those infected with hepatitis C) around 20-30% will develop cirrhosis within 20 years. For some it may be quicker while for others it may take up to sixty years, meaning they will probably die of unrelated causes first.

How long can you have hep C without testing positive?

People who have been very recently infected with HCV might not yet have developed antibody levels high enough to be detected by the anti-HCV test. The window period for acute HCV infection before the detection of antibodies averages 8 to 11 weeks, with a reported range of 2 weeks to 6 months.

Which hepatitis is silent killer?

Hepatitis C is an inflammation of the liver caused by, you guessed it, the hepatitis C virus. As a disease, it can be a scary and often unknown entity. Often known as the silent killer since many infected are asymptomatic, hepatitis C, or HCV, is more common than many people know.

Which is worse B or C hepatitis?

Hepatitis B is certainly more virulent and contagious than hepatitis C. Hepatitis B is prevalent around the world and it causes more liver cancer than hepatitis C. People with hepatitis B are more likely to die from complications to their liver than people with any of the other hepatitis infections.

Which hepatitis is rarely fatal?

Hepatitis A is rarely fatal, but death has happened due to liver failure brought on by HAV. This tends to happen more often in people who are over 50 years old or and in people who have another liver condition.

Does hep C make you gain weight?

Substantial weight gain is common after hepatitis C cure, an analysis of a large cohort shows, and around one in five people with normal body weight became overweight within two years, US Veterans Affairs researchers report in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Does hep C affect your brain?

Brain. A few weeks after you get hepatitis C, you may find yourself a little more tired than usual. Later on, if the condition becomes long-term (your doctor will say it's chronic), you might notice brain fog, a confused and spacey feeling. You may also have a deeper fatigue, memory problems, and symptoms of depression ...

What does someone with hep C look like?

But if the liver is damaged, it can't properly process the bilirubin. It will then build up in the bloodstream. This results in the skin and eyes looking yellow. Since jaundice is a symptom of hepatitis C and cirrhosis, your doctor will treat those conditions.

Does hep C affect your teeth?

Hepatitis and Dental Health

suggest that hepatitis C can be linked to tooth decay, oral lichen planus, and Sjogren's syndrome. Tooth decay starts with acid attacks from plaque-forming bacteria. If left untreated, tooth decay can lead to root canal infections, gum disease, and tooth loss.

Is hep C considered an STD?

Sexual Transmission and Hepatitis C

Although not common, hepatitis C can be transmitted through sexual activity. Having a sexually transmitted infection, having sex with multiple partners, and engaging in anal sex appear to increase a person's risk for hepatitis C.

What is the main cause of hep C?

Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Hepatitis C is spread through contact with blood from an infected person. Today, most people become infected with the hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment used to prepare and inject drugs.

Can hep C cause hair loss?

This is known as liver failure or end-stage liver disease. Each year, around 1 in every 20 people with hepatitis-associated cirrhosis will develop liver failure. Symptoms of liver failure include: hair loss.