My Gut Feeling: Nausea & Digestive Issues with Hepatitis C
Have you suffered from nausea and other digestive issues connected to your hep C? I am one of the unlucky ones myself, and it was bad for years before I was finally diagnosed. Sound familiar, anyone?
How many people with hep C experience digestive issues?
I have heard this complaint from a lot of people in the hep C community... It’s not at all rare. Has your hep C care professional helped you to better deal with these things? There are some things that we can do, and while I am not prepared to give medical advice, I believe that stomach troubles can be (at least in part) an issue that is made worse by the things we eat.
What can you do for digestive issues?
What we use to combat nausea and gut pain is, once again, dependent on what we find useful, whether prescribed or otherwise. What worked for me may not help you.
For years, I have tried to eat well, and have read about nutrition, but I will leave the diet suggestions to the experts and those who are better versed in the area.
One thing that I have used as a general rule is to monitor how certain foods, and that includes snack and drinks of any kind, effect how I feel. If it makes me feel sick or make the nausea or gut pain worse, I try to avoid. However, I understand that even some foods that are good for us may in fact cause us grief and I have an example to share. This past year, I have had some recurring and chronic bouts with severe abdominal pain that is related to pancreatic woes. It may be connected to living with hep C for years, I am unsure to be honest, and my GI doctor says it is a medical mystery... hmmmm, not all that great, but it is what it is.
What my doctor told me
At last visit, she suggested I avoid fiber... Yes, fiber. Is that counterintuitive or what? She also suggested I avoid raw vegetables like salads and uncooked vegies. Weird or what? I thought so, but she says that my condition makes those foods unhelpful to my digestive health and comfort. You are not me, and vice versa, so what you experience may be entirely different, and we know how different doctors have different opinions just like the rest of us.
Your doctor may be able to help
In talking to people who have lived experience with hep c, digestive issues are one of the top complaints that they have. There is a whole range of conditions and health concerns that some of us endure, and in no way am I suggesting you will have even one of them, because you may have none of them, and that is great! If you have persistent pain, nausea, or any other gut-like problems, make sure you talk to your care professional, they may well be able to help you.
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