Hep C Testing in Sarasota Florida
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Hep C Care - Sarasota FL
What to Know About Hepatitis C Testing in Sarasota, Florida
Living with a serious illness brings challenges, but people diagnosed with hepatitis C now have more options than ever to protect their health. In fact, with today’s treatments, hepatitis C is often curable. Hepatitis C was first identified in 1989, which was around 15 years after scientists suspected its existence.
Back then, this groundbreaking discovery made it possible to prevent the spread of hepatitis C through testing blood before transfusions. Since then, testing has become even easier and more accessible. Today, you can visit LifeLine Health to take advantage of free or low-cost hepatitis C tests to find out your status and take charge of your health. Exploring how this condition impacts your body and what to do if you receive a diagnosis helps you be proactive about managing your health and helps stop the spread of the illness.
How Does Hepatitis C Impact Your Body?
Hepatitis C is a viral illness that is best known by its impact on the liver. The virus is spread by contact with infected blood, and transmission can occur through close contact with bodily fluids or sharing contaminated objects such as needles.
Once hepatitis C enters your bloodstream, it begins causing inflammation in your liver. If left untreated, the damage can progress to cause chronic illnesses that include cirrhosis. Some people with untreated hepatitis C may also develop liver cancer.
While you can’t always reverse the changes that the virus creates in your body, you can halt the progression of the disease. Testing can help you determine if you qualify for treatment that eliminates the virus from your bloodstream.
What Are the Different Stages of Hep C?
Similar to other types of chronic diseases, hepatitis C progresses through several stages. Different symptoms mark each stage as the virus begins to impact your liver health. Taking a look at the three main stages of Hep C can help you understand why early testing is so important.
Acute Phase
This is the first stage of hepatitis C, and it lasts for the first six months. At this point, you might notice common symptoms of viral infections. For instance, you might have a fever, feel fatigued, and experience a loss of appetite. Some people may experience nausea and vomiting.
However, you should keep in mind that many people don’t notice any symptoms at all during this early stage of infection. Although around one-quarter of people with a hepatitis C infection will clear the virus on their own, it’s not possible to know if you fall into this category. Seeking testing can help you monitor your health and receive treatments that reduce your chances of experiencing long-term complications.
Chronic Hepatitis C
After six months, a hepatitis C diagnosis is considered chronic. While you may still be asymptomatic, some people may begin to notice symptoms. At this point, fatigue might be impacting your daily activities. You could also have achy muscles and joints.
Due to the virus’s impact on your liver, it may not be able to clear toxins from your body. This can lead to cognitive symptoms such as brain fog. You could also notice itching skin and increased fluid retention or swelling in your body.
If liver damage progresses, then you could notice yellowing of your eyes and skin. In some cases, you might develop spider angiomas. These are spider-like blood vessels that appear on the surface of your skin.
End-Stage Hepatitis C
By this stage, most people are noticing the symptoms of hepatitis C. Sadly, the only effective treatment for end-stage hep C is a liver transplant. At this point, your body will begin showing the effects of severe liver damage.
Jaundice, or the yellowing of your skin and eyes, will become persistent or recur. You may begin to have bleeding in your digestive tract due to the enlargement of your veins in this part of your body. Many people with advanced hep C also start to develop damage to their brain and nervous system, which is caused by toxins building up in their bloodstream.
What Are the Primary Symptoms of Hep C?
Since many people don’t show symptoms in the early stages, it’s important to remind you that getting tested is the only way to know for sure if you have the virus. However, it’s still important to take note of symptoms that indicate it’s time to find out what might be going on with your health:
- Unexplained fever
- Nausea or vomiting
- Continuing fatigue
- Jaundice
- Abdominal pain
- Unusual abdominal bloating
- Brain fog or confusion
Who Should Get Tested for Hepatitis C?
Approximately 75% of people who have chronic hepatitis C are unaware of their condition, and the number increases when you factor in people with acute versions of the virus.
Currently, the CDC recommends doing universal hepatitis C screening for every adult who is 18 or older and during pregnancy. However, there are other times when you need to seek testing.
If you believe that you’ve been exposed to hepatitis C because someone close to you received a diagnosis, then it’s always a good idea to get tested. You might also choose to seek testing if any of these risk factors apply to you:
- Current or past use of injected drugs, especially when sharing needles
- Having a current HIV diagnosis
- Receiving a blood or organ donation before 1992
- Receiving a clotting factor concentrate before 1987
- Experiencing a needle stick or other exposure as a healthcare worker or caregiver
- Finding out you had abnormal liver test results or have liver disease
You’ll also want to note that you don’t have to have a defined reason to receive a test for hepatitis C. Simply needing to know your status is a good enough reason to request testing. If you don’t want to disclose your reasons for seeking a test, that’s OK. The medical team at LifeLine Health is nonjudgmental, and you can expect us to treat your situation with compassion and confidentiality.
What Should You Expect During Hep C Testing?
The testing process for hepatitis C involves collecting a blood sample for use in two different types of tests. The first one is called the HCV antibody test, and this checks to see if you have antibodies for hep C in your blood. A positive test result shows that you have been exposed to the virus at some point in the past. However, you’ll need a second test to find out if the virus is still actively impacting your body.
An HCV RNA test, or PCR test, can detect whether the active virus is present in your body. The results of this test are a measurement of the amount of the virus that exists in your blood. You might hear this referred to as your viral load.
The process for hepatitis C testing is similar to other types of blood tests. When you arrive at the testing center, a trained healthcare provider will collect a blood sample from a vein in your arm. For most people, this is a quick and relatively painless procedure.
The blood sample will then be sent to a lab where it will be tested for hep C antibodies. The results usually come back within a few days. If your test is negative, then you’ll be able to resume your normal lifestyle. However, you may choose to seek counseling for any lifestyle factors that raise your risk for a hep C infection. For instance, seeking treatment for intravenous drug use can help you prevent contracting the illness in the future.
If the test detects antibodies in your blood, then a follow-up test will be conducted to find out if you actively have the virus. If this is positive, then you’ll move forward with discussing a treatment plan with your healthcare provider.
People with hepatitis C will then undergo treatment and monitoring. Following the completion of your treatment, you’ll have a final test to ensure that all of the virus is cleared from your body.
What Types of Treatment Are Available?
Healthcare providers offer several different types of treatment that are effective for helping you to clear the virus from your body and manage symptoms. If you receive a positive test, then your care team will help select the appropriate medications to fit the stage of hep C you are in, along with other factors such as your general health.
Direct-acting antivirals are one effective type of treatment that has a success rate of 90% for helping people clear the virus from their bodies. Most people will take this medication for eight to 12 weeks, and you can expect to experience minimal side effects.
Interferon-based therapy is another type of treatment that may still be used for some cases. However, the use of this form of hep C treatment is becoming obsolete due to its more intense side effects and lower success rate compared to DAAs.
If you have hepatitis C, then your care team may also recommend lifestyle changes to help preserve your liver health. Abstaining from alcohol is important for helping the liver to recover from a hepatitis C infection. You’ll also need to follow a healthy diet and exercise plan that benefits your whole body and mind.
How Do You Find Support After a Diagnosis?
Currently, around 50 million people around the world have hepatitis C, and approximately one million new infections occur annually. Despite these figures, it’s still common to feel alone with a new diagnosis.
Fortunately, you can find support groups for people who are living with the condition. Your healthcare team is also a major source of support, and you can lean on your testing center to help you learn more about your condition.
If you are nervous about testing, then it helps to remember that the majority of people go on to live healthy lives after hepatitis C treatment. Consider reaching out to a friend or family member to ask them to accompany you to the testing center. Knowing your status helps you begin the process of taking care of your health. Choosing to get tested for hepatitis C is a decision that you can be proud of making.
Schedule a Reliable and Confidential Hep C Test
Receiving an early hepatitis C diagnosis gives you the best chances of preventing long-term damage to your health. At LifeLine Health, you’ll find a wealth of support services that include confidential testing and treatment. You can schedule your appointment by filling out our online form or calling us.
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Most Asked
Is HIV treatable?
How is HIV transmitted?
HIV is primarily transmitted through certain bodily fluids, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk. The most common ways that people become infected with HIV are through:
Unprotected sexual contact: HIV can be transmitted through unprotected vaginal, anal, and oral sex.
Sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs: HIV can be transmitted when needles or other equipment that has been used by an HIV-positive person is reused by someone else.
From mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding: HIV can be transmitted from a mother living with HIV to her baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.
Blood transfusion or organ transplant: HIV can be transmitted through blood transfusions or organ transplants with infected blood or organs.
It’s important to note that HIV is not transmitted through everyday activities like hugging, shaking hands, or sharing utensils.
It’s also worth mentioning that, although the risk of transmitting HIV through oral sex is lower than that of other sexual behaviors, it is still possible to transmit the virus by this way.
I am pregnant and HIV positive. Will my child be born with HIV?
If you are pregnant and living with HIV, it’s important to seek medical care right away. With appropriate medical care and treatment, the risk of mother-to-child transmission of HIV can be significantly reduced. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the most effective method for preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. ART can suppress the virus in the mother’s body, lowering the risk of the virus being passed on to the baby during pregnancy, labor, delivery, or breastfeeding. If you’re pregnant and HIV-positive, you’ll be closely monitored by a team of healthcare professionals, including an obstetrician, an HIV specialist and a pediatrician. They will work together to ensure the best possible care for you and your baby. They may advise you to start the ART treatment or adjust the current regimen during pregnancy. This is necessary to achieve an undetectable viral load, which is critical in minimizing the chance of mother-to-child transmission. It’s also important to know that there is a small chance that your child may still become infected despite all the preventative measures. Therefore it’s important to test the baby for HIV shortly after birth and continue monitoring the baby’s HIV status after delivery. It’s worth noting that mother-to-child transmission of HIV is rare in developed countries due to improved treatment and awareness, as long as the mother is diagnosed and treated early.
Listen To What Our Patients Say…
Cristina Anderson
I am thankful to the nice people at Lifeline Health. I was so scared when I found out I had been exposed. They guided me and made me feel so at ease. I have not had an issues and I know it’s because I went to Lifeline Health first.
Juan Bustamonte
