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> FAQs
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Frequently Asked Questions
Following are frequently asked questions answered by our
medical experts
.
Contents
Hepatitis C General
Transmission and Risk
Testing and Diagnosis
Treatment
Daily Living
Cirrhosis
Transplants
VA Information
Hepatitis C General
What is hepatitis?
How common is hepatitis C?
How does hepatitis C progress?
Transmission and Risk
How is hepatitis C spread?
Can you get hepatitis C from air gun vaccinations?
Can I donate blood?
How likely am I to become infected with hepatitis C from a family member living in the same house?
Can I get reinfected with hepatitis C?
Pregnancy
Can a man or woman who has hepatitis C still have children?
Is it risky for a couple to try to have children if one of the partners has hepatitis C?
If one of the partners in a couple has hepatitis C, what's the risk to a baby if they try to get pregnant?
Testing and Diagnosis
What are the tests for hepatitis C?
Can the results of liver panel tests point to the presence of hepatitis C?
If I get tested for hepatitis C and the result is positive, do I need any other tests to be sure?
What does it mean when different types of blood tests for hepatitis C give different results?
What does high/low viral load mean?
What is a biopsy?
Is there a reason to have a liver biopsy done more than once?
What are genotypes and what do they mean?
What are the different types of blood tests? How often should I get these tests done?
Treatment
Why would my doctor not start me on treatment?
Who can be treated for hepatitis C?
What treatments are available?
What is the difference between "relapse" and "nonresponse?"
How often is treatment successful?
Can I take interferon and ribavirin a second time, if my first course of treatment didn't work?
Are any new drugs for treatment of hepatitis C being developed?
Treatment Side Effects
What are the side effects of treatment?
Ever since I started treatment for hepatitis C, I have had a terrible cough. What can I do about it?
Can treatment kill you?
How many people on interferon quit treatment early?
Do interferon and ribavirin cause depression?
Can interferon and ribavirin cause weight changes?
If I have hepatitis C infection, does this mean I am going to get diabetes?
Daily Living
Nutrition
What foods should I avoid?
What if I don't feel like eating?
Alternative Therapies
Are there supplements that are good for my liver?
Are there supplements that are bad for my liver?
What about herbal remedies?
Use of Other Drugs and Alcohol
Can I drink alcohol once in a while if I have hepatitis C?
Is it safe to take aspirin or Tylenol if I have hepatitis C?
Relationships
How do I tell someone I have hepatitis C?
Where can my family and I get support?
How can I make a difference for people with hepatitis C?
Cirrhosis
What is cirrhosis?
How do I know if I have cirrhosis if I feel well?
If I have cirrhosis, is there anything I can do to reverse it?
Don't you have to be a drinker to get cirrhosis?
If you have cirrhosis, won't you look yellow?
If you have cirrhosis, are there any medications you need to avoid?
If you have cirrhosis from hepatitis C, are there certain tests that you need to have?
Transplants
Will HCV infection go away after transplant?
How do I know if I need a transplant?
What is the survival rate after liver transplantation?
VA Information
Where can I get information about benefits?
Is research actively being done with hepatitis C?
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Reviewed/Updated Date: November 5, 2009