Wouldn’t You Want To Know?

Nov 9

Written By Guest User

NASCAR 2021 Coming to a Close

The past weekend at Martinsville was our last race of 2021 to attend with the Race To End Hep C. While the weather was a touch chilly, the turn out was astonishing and we greatly enjoyed interacting with all the fans and being able to spread our message.

We wanted to thank every single one of you that we’ve met over the season for making our first year being a part of the Fan Zones one to remember!

What to Know About Hep C

As many of you know, there is a vaccine for Hep A and Hep B, however, there is not one for Hep C. Hep C can be a very deadly liver disease and unfortunately, rarely shows symptoms until it is too late.

The cause of Hep C is when blood infected with the virus enters the bloodstream of an uninfected person.

The early stage of Hep C symptoms are tiredness, body aches, fever and jaundice. These symptoms usually pop up anywhere from one to three months after becoming infected and typically last two weeks to three months.

It is not until the Hep C virus really starts to damage you liver that more major symptoms appear. Those symptoms are:

Bruising easily
Bleeding easily
Poor appetite
Yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes
Dark-colored urine
Itchy skin
Fluid buildup in your abdomen
Swelling in your legs
Weight loss
Confusion, drowsiness and slurred speech
Spiderlike blood vessels on your skin

Main Risk Factors:

Have ever injected or inhaled illicit drugs
Are a health care worker who has been exposed to infected blood
Have HIV
Received a piercing or tattoo
Received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before 1992
Received clotting factor concentrates before 1987
Received hemodialysis treatments for a long period of time
Were born to a woman with a hepatitis C infection
Were ever in prison
Were born between 1945 and 1965, the age group with the highest incidence of hepatitis C infection

What Hep C Can Cause:

The three main complications that Hep C can cause over time are scarring of the liver (also known as cirrhosis), liver cancer and liver failure.

Good News

There is a cure for Hep C! All you have to do it know that you have it, and wouldn’t you want to know? Get tested! Ask your doctor next time you go for a check-up if they test for Hep C. If not, ask them to do a test. It is quick and easy, and it is your best chance at knowing.

Guest User