Living with Hepatitis C: Keeping Your Liver Healthy

What are the symptoms of hepatitis C? 

If you have hepatitis C you may have no symptoms at all. But even if you feel fine, the virus could be hurting your liver, and you could be spreading the disease to others.

Soon after getting hepatitis C, some people may feel as if they have the flu. Symptoms may include tiredness, fever, muscle and joint aches, and nausea. Some people with hepatitis C may notice that their urine has become a darker color, and their skin and eyes have a yellowish tint, called jaundice. These symptoms usually go away without any treatment.

After many years of hepatitis C infection, the liver can become scarred and damaged. As scar tissue takes the place of healthy cells, the liver may not work properly and a person may begin to feel symptoms: fatigue, nausea, and loss of appetite. About 20% of people with chronic hepatitis C will develop cirrhosis, which is widespread scarring of the liver that results in permanent damage. People with more advanced disease can experience severe itching, ascites (fluid build-up in the abdomen), bleeding problems, and liver cancer or liver failure.

What can I do to lessen the symptoms of hepatitis C?

There are things you can do to help lessen some of the symptoms of hepatitis C liver disease.

TIREDNESS

• Getting exercise can help lessen the tiredness that you may be feeling. If you were not exercising before, this may be a good time to start. Start slowly. You should do only as much activity as you feel you are able to handle.
  
• When you rest, your liver rests. Getting a full night’s sleep every night of the week is one way you can get the rest you and your liver need. It may be helpful to take a short nap during the day on the days you are feeling particularly tired.
  
• Be sure to talk to your health care provider if you are having trouble sleeping.

NAUSEA AND LOSS OF APPETITE

• Many different things can trigger nausea, including smells, tastes, empty stomach, or sudden movement.
  
• Some people who have nausea find it easier to eat their largest meal in the morning, and eat several smaller meals throughout the day. Foods like crackers, rice, potatoes, toast, gelatin, ginger ale, or ice pops may be tolerated better than others.
  
• It is very important to drink plenty of fluids. Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water or juice each day to avoid dehydration.
  
• If you are vomiting persistently, be sure to contact your health care provider.
  

What does my liver do? 

The liver is vital to good health—you can’t live without it. It is the largest internal organ in the body. It is roughly the size of a football and is tucked up under the ribs on the right side of the body. Blood leaving the stomach and intestines passes through the liver before reaching the rest of the body. The liver’s job is to change nutrients and drugs into forms that are easier for the body to use. The liver does many important things for your body. It:

• Helps digest food and absorb nutrients;
  
• Helps control bleeding by making clotting factors;
  
• Makes body chemicals such as fats, cholesterol, and protein;
  
• Stores sugar and vitamins for our bodies to use when needed; and
  
• Takes toxins and alcohol out of the blood and turns them into substances that can easily be eliminated from the body.
  

How can I take care of my liver?

Your liver depends on you to take care of it. In turn, it will take care of you. Your liver is your body’s power plant, working constantly as your body’s engine, refinery, and warehouse. It is also a silent partner. When it is injured it does not complain until the damage is advanced. You do have some control over your liver disease, and moderate behavior changes can help you live a longer, healthier life.

Don’t Drink Alcohol
The most commonly abused drug in the U.S. is alcohol. People with hepatitis C need to reduce or eliminate even small amounts of alcohol from their lives. Alcohol on its own can hurt your liver. Alcohol and hepatitis C are a deadly combination, leading to serious liver disease. Large amounts of alcohol over time cause liver cells to become scarred or die, leading to many liver problems from fatty liver to cirrhosis. Talk to your health care provider about your alcohol use. If you need help, ask for it so that you can take steps toward stopping drinking. There are programs available to help you eliminate alcohol. Even if you can’t access them right away, limit the amount of alcohol you drink starting today.

Talk To Your Health Care Provider Before Taking Medications
Because many prescription and over-the-counter drugs may affect the liver, it is important to talk to a health care provider before taking any medication. The same is true for some vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements. When you are first diagnosed with hepatitis C, be sure to tell your health care provider about all medications and supplements you are taking.

Get Vaccinated for Hepatitis A and B
Hepatitis A and B are two other viruses that can affect the liver and cause damage, especially in people who have hepatitis C. But unlike hepatitis C, they can be prevented by vaccine. Talk to your health care provider about being vaccinated against hepatitis A and B.

Don’t Use Illegal Drugs
Using illegal drugs is harmful to your overall health. Drug use affects your body, and can affect the decisions you make after being diagnosed with hepatitis C. Sharing needles or other injection equipment may put you at risk for getting HIV or another type of hepatitis, and may put others at risk for getting hepatitis C. If you decide to seek treatment for your illness, the use of illegal drugs may affect how well the treatment will work.

Eliminating or decreasing illegal drug use is the best action to take. If you need help, ask for it so that you can take steps toward stopping drug use. There are programs available to help you quit using illegal drugs. If you are not ready to stop, be sure to avoid sharing needles, syringes, straws, or any other paraphernalia used for injecting or snorting drugs.

Eat A Healthy Diet
The liver helps to digest food, absorb important nutrients from the foods we eat, and change foods into the energy our bodies need to live. Eating a nutritious diet and maintaining a healthy weight can help keep the liver healthy. Generally, people with hepatitis C who do not have advanced liver disease should develop a consistent diet with plenty of nutrients and avoid fad diets. If you have cirrhosis or advanced liver disease, you may need to follow a more specialized diet and work with your health care providers to ensure that you are eating and drinking the foods that best manage your symptoms.

Choosing the proper beverages to drink will also help you keep your liver healthy. Try to drink about 8 glasses of non alcoholic liquids each day. Water is best. Drinking too much juice may cause or aggravate diarrhea; if this happens, drink smaller amounts or try diluting the juice with water. Caffeinated drinks such as cola, coffee, and tea increase urine output and may cause you to become dehydrated.

Can I be re-infected with hepatitis C?

People who are treated for hepatitis C and get rid of the virus can become infected again. Most people who have hepatitis C will have the infection for a long time. Hepatitis C causes the body to make antibodies (proteins in the blood that help fight infections). These antibodies try to destroy the virus, but are not successful. There are also different types of hepatitis C (see the Testing and Diagnosis section on page 11), and it is possible that people with one type can be infected with another type. It is important to do everything possible to prevent contact with blood so that you do not become re-infected.