Hepatitis C: What You Need to Know

Hepatitis C is a virus that mainly attacks your liver. Some people clear it right away, but most develop a long-term (chronic) infection that can slowly damage the liver over years. The good news: modern treatments can cure most cases with a short pill course.

Testing and Diagnosis

Know your status. A simple blood test checks for hepatitis C antibodies; if positive, a follow-up RNA test tells if the virus is active. Who should get tested? Anyone born between 1945 and 1965, people who’ve ever injected drugs, those with unexplained liver tests, people who got blood products before 1992, and anyone with HIV. Symptoms are often mild or absent — fatigue, dark urine, jaundice, or belly pain — so don’t wait for symptoms.

Treatment and Follow-up

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) changed everything. Combinations like sofosbuvir/velpatasvir, sofosbuvir/ledipasvir, and glecaprevir/pibrentasvir usually cure over 8–12 weeks with cure rates above 95%. Most people tolerate these pills well; side effects are generally mild — headache, fatigue, or nausea. Some situations need extra care: people with cirrhosis, prior treatment failures, or certain drug interactions may need a tailored plan.

Before you start treatment, tell your clinician about all medicines and supplements you take. Some heart and acid-reducing drugs interact with DAAs. Also check for hepatitis A and B immunity — vaccination helps prevent added liver damage. If you have advanced scarring, you’ll need liver monitoring even after cure, because cirrhosis raises long-term cancer and complication risks.

Prevention matters. Don’t share needles, razors, or toothbrushes. Use barrier protection with new sexual partners if one partner has hepatitis C or other STIs. Standard blood screening has made transfusion risk negligible since 1992, but tattoos or piercings in unregulated settings can be risky.

Cost and access can worry people. Ask about patient assistance programs, generic options, or public health clinics. Many community clinics work with manufacturers or local health departments to lower price barriers and sometimes offer free treatment.

Living with a diagnosis? Avoid alcohol and talk to your doctor about weight control, vaccinations, and treating other liver issues. A “cured” test — no detectable virus 12 weeks after treatment — means a much lower chance of liver failure and a better life expectancy.

Drug interactions matter. For example, combining some DAAs with amiodarone can cause problems, and antacids or proton pump inhibitors can reduce DAA absorption. Always check an interaction tool or talk to a pharmacist.

Ready to act? Start with a test, get linked to care, and ask about DAAs. If you need help finding low-cost options, contact your local health service or our site’s guides for medication details and tips on safe ordering.

If you have HIV, ask about co-infection treatment; simultaneous therapy is common. Pregnant people with hepatitis C should discuss timing of treatment, as some drugs are avoided during pregnancy. A liver specialist can help with complex cases and long-term monitoring. Act now.