Working through a Hepatitis C Diagnosis

Being diagnosed with hepatitis C can make a person feel out of control, hopeless, and often helpless. Have you ever had those feelings? I remember feeling overwhelmed when I was diagnosed with hepatitis C. It made me feel like I was powerless and that my body and circumstances were out of my control.

I learned some valuable lessons that helped me greatly as I worked through my hepatitis C diagnosis.

Your diagnosis may feel like grief

First and foremost, we need to understand that after being diagnosed we may experience emotions much like the grieving process, working through stages of shock, denial, anger and finally acceptance. We may dig through our past to see what happened and how we contracted hepatitis C, some may know, and some may never know. You can’t change the past, but you can do something about the future. The main thing that matters is: taking care of yourself, seeking medical help for treatment, and getting cured.

You can’t move forward while dwelling on the past. Change what you can in your life. Be proactive, healthy and move forward. This is a big choice that is in our control.

Schedule an appointment with a specialist

Next, seek a liver specialist like a gastroenterologist or hepatologist for medical help, and treatment. If you need financial help for treatment, there are many patient assistance programs.

Connect with people who have hepatitis C

Seek a support group where you can connect to a group of people who understand what you’re going through. There are many online support groups available as well as physical support groups in your area. Seeking professional counselors help is another great way to move forward with working through your diagnosis and beyond.

I personally relied on my faith in God to give me the strength and help I needed as I worked through my hepatitis C diagnosis and journey. If you choose, reach out to others who will pray for and with you. Making proactive choices will help equip you for a better future. Life is full of adversity, but what matters is what you do with it.

We can choose to learn valuable lessons from the past and either allow it to springboard us into new future or drag us down. I hope you choose life, because there’s so much more to your story than what you’re experiencing right now. Look beyond the past into a new life. You will get through this my friend.