Is My Hepatitis C Really Gone?
Have you gone through hepatitis C treatment and recovery, and wondered "Is my hepatitis C really gone?"In my experience, this is a very common reaction by patients who have battled the hepatitis C virus and gone through treatment. Have you ever felt bad, or extra tired, and wondered, “Could it be my liver? or "Is Hepatitis C back?” Have you experienced anxiety before blood tests? Or waiting for results? If you have, then you’re not alone.
My experience
I’ve worked with many patients over the years and I’ve heard patients talk about this experience. Personally, it took 2 years after my treatment and cure from hepatitis C before I stopped experiencing anxiety right before blood tests.
Every time you feel bad, your thoughts jump to your liver, wondering if there is something wrong. Can you relate? I remember when I was in recovery, if I felt bad, I’d experience worry over my liver.
After a while, I stopped looking over my shoulder for the hep C giant and realized once and for all, it was dead and gone. When someone is diagnosed with hepatitis C, or any chronic condition, it makes you feel out of control.
Taking control
One of the best ways I found to be back in control of my health was to take proactive steps. I took charge and made healthy choices with good nutrition and exercise. When we make healthy choices physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, we’re taking charge of what we can control and release worry over what we can’t control.
Having a can-do attitude and making healthy choices helps boost our immune system toward better health. We’re helping our body fight the good fight. Who doesn’t need that?
Stress less
One of the lessons I learned through chronic liver disease is do what you can with what you have control over. What is not under your control- let it go. Trust more, worry less. The more I stress, the more I worry, which ultimately suppresses the immune system and harms me.
Worry and anxiety robs us of peace. In fighting the battle with hepatitis C and liver disease, we need to be know it’s normal to experience these emotions, but don’t allow them to unpack.
Shifting our thoughts and attitude toward proactive steps helps make a big difference. If you continue to experience feeling bad, make a doctor’s appointment and go over your symptoms with your doctor. Ask your doctor about what tests are necessary. An exam, blood work, or other tests may help you eliminate causes of why you’re feeling bad and give you peace. Get plugged into a support group with others who understand your condition.
Some good news
In the case of hepatitis C and treatment, the new treatments with direct acting anti-virals target the hepatitis C virus cell and prevent it from replicating, which in turn helps eliminate the virus. You have a less than 1% chance of the virus returning, which is great news. You can know that the hep C giant is toast! You're moving forward with life.
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