Only about 25% will have symptoms during the first six months of a Hepatitis C infection.

The first six months following infection is known as acute Hepatitis C.  The symptoms of this can occur a few weeks after infection and may include:

• A high temperature of 38^oC (100.4^oF) or above
• Tiredness
• Loss of appetite
• Stomach pains
• Feeling sick
• Being sick
• Yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice)

The next phase (after six months) of the virus is known as chronic Hepatitis C

The symptoms can vary widely from person to person.  Some people may barely notice any symptoms whereas they can have a significant impact on quality of life.

The symptoms can also go away for long periods of time (remission) and then return.

Some of the most commonly reported symptoms of Hepatitis C include:

• Feeling tired all the time – sleeping does not seem to help improve energy levels
• Headaches
• Depression
• Problems with short-term memory, concentration and completing relatively complex mental tasks such as mental arithmetic; many people describe this combination of symptoms as “having a brain fog”
• Mood swings
• Indigestion or bloating
• Joint and muscle aches and pain
• Itchy skin
• Flu-like symptoms, like those that occur in the acute phase of the infection
• Abdominal pain
• Pain in the liver area (which is located in the right upper side of your abdomen)

Hepatitis C is detected via a blood test to check for Hepatitis C antibodies.

There is a ‘window period’ to consider – a short period of time when your immune system may not have had time to produce antibodies. It usually takes between six and 12 weeks for these antibodies to develop. However, in a few people it can take up to six months. So if you have the test within this window period and the result is negative, it does not necessarily mean that you don’t have the virus.

A positive Hepatitis C antibody test does not necessarily mean you are currently infected with Hepatitis C as some people spontaneously clear the virus (antibodies will still be present) therefore any blood tested positive for Hepatitis C antibodies will also be tested for Hepatitis C RNA (genetic material) – this is usually done from the same blood sample.

Tests taken within a sexual health clinic are treated confidentially, a unique clinic number being issued and used in place of a name for each person attending.  Results can be accessed by whichever way is most convenient, whether this is via text, email, telephone, mail, phoning into our clinic or via another person (e.g. school nurse, friend)

Those who feel they may be at risk of Hep C are now able to do a test at home as part of the Hep C elimination programme. To find out more information, visit NHS England » NHS rolls out order-to-home hepatitis C tests via NHS website for tens of thousands at risk.

To order your at-home test kit, please visit Home - HepC (hepctest.nhs.uk).

If treatment if chosen, this involves taking regular medication (combination therapy) for either 24 or 48 weeks (depending on the type of Hepatitis C you are diagnosed with).

Current treatment available can lead to clearance in around 55% of those taking it and side effects can be an issue. Therefore consideration is needed before starting treatment, and this will be done with support and information from a team including your consultant and nurse specialist.

One issue with HCV infection is that those infected have very different experiences with it.

While a minority may clear the virus in the early phase, the majority of people don’t, and will then go on to develop a long term or chronic infection. What happens next is very hard to predict as each person is so different.

While after 20 years of being infected one person may have no liver damage, another will develop cirrhosis and sometimes liver failure or even liver cancer. It is important that you look after yourself, avoid excessive alcohol and eat sensibly as well as keeping in touch with health services; this will enable you to keep up to date with new or potentially new medications as well as monitoring the health of your liver and accessing other aspects of health care you may need (e.g. counselling and advice).

You will need to consider ways in which to avoid passing the virus on to others around you. This would include not sharing any injecting equipment, razors, toothbrushes, straws or notes for snorting, care in cleaning up blood spillages and having protected sex.