Why You Should Get Tested
The Importance of Treatment
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Myths and Facts About Hep C

MYTH:
If hep C was really harming my health, I would have symptoms.

FACT:
Symptoms of hep C are often mild or absent altogether—80% of people with hep C have no signs or symptoms of the disease—but liver damage can occur with or without hep C symptoms.
MYTH:
If I had hep C, I would know how I got it. Only people who have a history of risky behavior need to be tested.

FACT:
30% of people with hep C don’t know how they got it. And everyone who wants testing and information should have the opportunity to get it.
MYTH:
Since hep C is a long-term condition, treatment will be just as effective if I wait until later to start.

FACT:
Patients treated earlier may respond better to hep C treatment.
MYTH:
Hep C is not as common as HIV.

FACT:
HCV now infects more than 4 times more Americans than HIV.
MYTH:
Only people who use drugs on a long-term basis are at high risk for hep C.

FACT:
IV drug use, even once or a few times many years ago, is a major risk factor for hep C.
MYTH:
The side effects of prescription treatment are always worse than the disease itself.

FACT:
Though side effects of treatment can be harsh, many patients find them manageable. Also, serious side effects do not occur in everybody.
MYTH:
Injection interferon needs to be taken 3 times per week.

FACT:
Pegylated interferon, the current standard for treatment, is only taken once a week.
MYTH:
Only about 40% of people have a positive response to treatment.

FACT:
Response rates are significantly higher for some types of patients. And even if therapy does not rid your body of the virus completely, it may help reduce inflammation and improve the overall health of your liver.
MYTH:
If my liver enzymes are normal, my disease is under control.

FACT:
Although these are often tested and can be useful in many situations, liver enzyme levels alone are not considered an accurate test of the progression of your condition.
MYTH:
Treatment does not work for patients of African American descent.

FACT:
New treatments have shown encouraging response rates in patients of African American descent.
MYTH:
If the level of the hep C virus in my blood is low, my disease is not so bad.

FACT:
Viral load alone does not give a clear picture of the progression of the disease and the health of your liver.