Thursday, May 23, 2019

How Living With Hepatitis C Is Like

By William Young


There are some illnesses that generally do not go away that easily and simply need to be managed over time so that one does not get bothered by the symptoms, which is sometimes the case for the condition known as hepatitis C. While living with hepatitis C may damage the liver in the long run, there are ways to manage it and at times even cure it. For those who have it, here are a few things to know about dealing with it.

Before going to the tips on how to cope with the disease, one must first understand more about it. Just to give a background, it is extremely common among baby boomers more than other generations although it is seen to affect the younger generations as well. This disease, also coined HCV, also does not usually show symptoms until one gets older which is why many do not know they have it.

Now, another thing to take note of is that it is highly contagious and can be passed through used medical tools, hygiene tools, or by blood transfusion. The first type one may get is the acute variant which can be cured easily after around six months of medication. The other type is the chronic type which stays there for years and may even lead to some risks like liver cancer.

For those who already tested positive for the virus, it is important to start treatment immediately. The only tricky part of identifying the disease would be knowing what train it is as there are many strains of the virus. So far, the most prevalent one is the type one followed by the type four but other types can be quite prevalent as well.

When one is tested positive, then the first thing the doctors would do would be to prescribe medicines such as Elbasvir, Ledipasvir, or Glecaprevir. This is done in the earlier stages in the event that the disease is still in its acute form. By administering medicines like these, one may be able to cure the disease.

Now, things may get a little more complicated if one has chronic HCV because curing can be harder but possible nevertheless. If one does have chronic HCV, then a lifestyle change is needed along with taking the medicines. The first thing that has to be done is to constantly monitor the state of the liver.

Next, one has to start eating a healthier diet with less fatty and oily foods. Eating more white meat and more vegetables plus fruits is a must while getting daily exercise and eight hours of sleep. Lastly, it is important for one to stop drinking alcohol and smoking as that also affects the liver.

Changing lifestyle and taking medication at the same time is quite effective so far. It will also be a big help if one would take some supplements that can be used for strengthening the liver. If one does all that diligently, then it is possible to keep the virus at bay or even cure it. Of course, consistency is key when treating it.




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