The Hepatitis C virus is considered “cured” if the virus is not detected in your blood when measured with a blood test 3 months after treatment is completed. This is called a sustained virologic response (SVR) and data suggest that you will stay virus free indefinitely.

Can Hep C come back after being cured?

Its possible, but rare, for hepatitis C infection to reappear after apparently successful treatment. Relapses usually occur in the first few months after blood testing to confirm that the virus is no longer detectable. Sometimes, however, a relapse becomes evident much later.

Can Hep C be totally cured?

Well, the good news is hepatitis C is curable. Though it is a chronic infection, recently developed drugs can clear the virus completely from the system.

What is the success rate of Hep C treatment?

Todays pills have double the viral cure rates—90% to 100%—in just in 12 weeks time. Reducing the treatment from a year to three months is a huge advantage for people with hepatitis C, especially because its easier to swallow a pill than to get an injection, Murray says.

Do most people recover from Hep C?

Summary: Twenty to fifty percent of HCV infected patients recovers spontaneously. Scientists have investigated 67 spontaneously recovered patients and found that co-infection by hepatitis B virus is associated with a higher possibility of self recovery.

Does Hep C stay in your body forever?

Chronic hepatitis C can be a lifelong infection if left untreated. Chronic hepatitis C can cause serious health problems, including liver damage, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), liver cancer, and even death.

What does hep C pain feel like?

Pains in the upper part of the abdomen Many people with chronic HCV suffer from aches and pains in their joints. A variety of different joints can be involved but the most common are in the hands and wrists. These pains are often minor but occasionally the pain can be quite severe.

Does Hep C weaken your immune system?

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) poses a major health problem globally and, when the immune system fails to fight the virus, can lead to cirrhosis and cancer of the liver. This results in the immune system becoming exhausted.

How does Hep C make you feel?

Acute hepatitis C usually goes undiagnosed because it rarely causes symptoms. When signs and symptoms are present, they may include jaundice, along with fatigue, nausea, fever and muscle aches. Acute symptoms appear one to three months after exposure to the virus and last two weeks to three months.

What happens after hep C is cured?

Heres an amazing fact: Once youre cured of Hepatitis C, liver damage stops. And over time (different for everyone, but possibly five years or more), your liver can heal itself through regeneration. Thats right, the thing grows back!

Can Hep C make you gain weight?

Substantial weight gain is common after hepatitis C cure, an analysis of a large cohort shows, and around one in five people with normal body weight became overweight within two years, US Veterans Affairs researchers report in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Can Hep C make your hair fall out?

Hep C-related skin conditions can cause bumps, blisters, hair loss, itching, and patches that look light or dark.

How long does it take for Hep C to damage the liver?

On average it takes about twenty years for significant liver scarring to develop. The symptoms experienced and the damage done to the liver vary dramatically from person to person. Some people will have few, if any, symptoms for many years.