You Are Not Alone.
By seeking and receiving support from healthcare providers, family, loved ones, friends and peers, you will gain strength to stay on therapy and are better able to deal with the challenges that come with a Hep B or Hep C diagnosis.
Help! Who Needs Support?
Peer support is very helpful for people who have been diagnosed with hepatitis, or even for those who are considering going for screening. Learning about the disease and finding out about how other people cope can take off some of the stress you might feel.
People who suspect they have hepatitis but are afraid of going for the test.
People who have just been told they have hepatitis.
People who are being monitored, but not treated, for hepatitis (some people have symptoms and some do not).
People thinking about treatment or are currently in treatment for hepatitis.
Family members and close friends of someone who has hepatitis.
“Even after diagnosis, many patients do not get treated or skip their annual check-ups because they do not experience major symptoms.
By the time they do, liver damage is advanced and it is too late.”
Get Help. Stay on Therapy. Stay Healthy.
For most people, Hepatitis B treatment is not a cure. It only suppresses the replication of the virus. Therefore, they must continue treatment for life.
While it can be cured, Hepatitis C treatment takes time, usually from 8 – 12 weeks.
Being in touch with other patients or “joining” them in their journey can help you to deal with the problems, encourage you to stay on track and give you emotional strength.
We have compiled some tips and advice on how to cope here to help you along in your journey. Remember, you are not alone.
Being cured of Hep C means the virus is no longer in your body and can no longer cause damage to your liver.
However, it does not make you immune to the virus. You can be re-infected after a repeat exposure to the virus. Therefore, you need to take precautions to stay Hep C Free.
For most people, liver scarring that was caused by Hep B and Hep C can slowly improve over time after treatment. However, for people with cirrhosis (severe scarring), a small risk of worsening liver disease or liver cancer remains.
This why you will need to take extra care of your liver.
Living with Hepatitis
Living with hepatitis can be stressful. Apart from the physical challenges, there are other issues to deal with too, such as the fear of rejection as well as concerns about disclosure and infecting others.
