Come and have a yarn about hepatitis C treatment. Treatment for hepatitis C has changed and is easier than it’s ever been before. It’s a cure, all it takes is one to three pills a day for 8-12 weeks to live free of hep C. Curing your hepatitis C means you don’t have to worry about passing it on to your partner, friends or family. Look after your mob.
Treatment has changed and is easier than it’s ever been before. All it takes is one to three pills a day for 8-12 weeks to live free of hepatitis C – No more injections.
The treatment also has way less side effects. Over 95% of people clear hepatitis C from their body with the new treatment (a cure). A doctor or nurse can prescribe treatment, and support is available from start to finish. Treatment costs are covered under Close the Gap too.
Treating hepatitis C earlier rather than later can stop the liver from being damaged.
Every person’s experience of treatment is different. Some people don’t know that hepatitis C can make them feel foggy and have low energy. Being cured can help to make them feel better. Some people feel like they have more energy after being cured. Other people just love not worrying about hepatitis C because they can’t pass it on.
The good news is, if you get hepatitis C again, you can be cured again (and again). Simple as that. It’s good to know that once you are cured, you won’t pass it on to anyone else. You’ll be looking after you and your mob.
If you have already been cured, it’s important to stay blood-aware because unlike some other infections, your body doesn’t protect you from new infections. Hepatitis C treatments are not a vaccination and do not protect you from getting hepatitis C again.
The only way to know if you have hepatitis C is to have a blood test. You can ask your Aboriginal health worker, nurse or doctor for the test, or you may like to have yarn about a hepatitis C test at your annual (715) health check. The health check is free of charge and can be accessed by all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
If you have hepatitis C the next step is to have a yarn about treatment and cure. The cost of treatment is covered under Close the Gap.
