Should you get tested?

You may not know you have Hep C because often there are no symptoms and you may feel fine. By the time you feel sick, a lot of damage may already be done to your liver. Some people find out they have Hep C when their doctor tests them during a routine check-up, some people find out when they go to donate blood and their blood is tested for the virus, and some people ask to be tested.

It is recommended that you consider getting tested for Hep C if: 

• You think you have been exposed to the hepatitis C virus either recently or in the past through contact with someone else's blood. 
• You have participated in a risk activity now or in the past, even if it was just one time. (For more information, see Are you at risk?) 
• You are experiencing symptoms consistent with liver disease. (For more information, see What are the signs of Hep C?)
• Your doctor has told you after a routine check-up that your liver enzyme levels are outside of the normal range. This could indicate liver trouble, so you may want to get tested to see if you have a hepatitis infection. 
• You come from a country outside Canada where Hep C is common. 
• You have had a blood transfusion in Canada before 1992.
• You are HIV-positive. It is recommended that all people who are HIV-positive get tested for Hep C at least once. (For more information, see Co-infection with HIV.)

Why get tested?

Getting tested can be stressful because it's tough to think that you might have Hep C. Or maybe you are sure you have it and think you don’t need a test. Maybe you are worried that if you test positive, you will be forced to do things you do not want to do or you are worried that people will treat you differently if they know you have Hep C. 

You can get tested.The important thing to remember is that testing is the only way to know for sure if you have Hep C. You might find out you don't have it. That can be a giant relief and you can learn how to avoid the virus in the future. Or you might find out that you do have Hep C. If this is the case, no one can force you to make changes you do not want to make, but you can learn options that will help keep you and your liver healthy. Who you tell is up to you, and if you know you have it there are things you can do to protect others from getting Hep C. Any way you look at it, it's better to know.

Where to get tested

If you have any of the risk factors for Hep C, or even if you're worried about it, you can get tested. There is no charge for this test. Go to a community health centre, healthy sexuality clinic, drop-in clinic, needle exchange program or your doctor's office. There are many places you can go for help, and your information will be kept private. Some places will test you even if you don't have a health card.

Before you get tested

Getting tested for Hep C infection is an important step in helping you make good choices about taking care of your liver and your health. Before you get tested, your healthcare provider should:

• tell you what each test is for
• explain how the tests will be done and when
• explain that testing is confidential but not anonymous
• ask for your permission to have the tests done
• give you information on what the test results may mean for your health

Always make sure you get this information before going ahead and getting tested.

After you get tested

When your test results are ready, your healthcare provider should take time to tell you about your results and what they mean, including the results of the antibody test and the results of the RNA test. You have the right to this information. If you don't hear from your healthcare provider, contact him or her to make sure you get your test results. 

If the test results show there is no Hep C virus in your body, your healthcare provider should talk to you about:

• protecting yourself from getting infected with Hep C or other infections like Hep A and B or HIV in the future
• looking after your health and visiting your healthcare provider regularly

If the test results show for sure that Hep C virus is present in your blood, your healthcare provider should talk to you about:

• taking care of your liver so you don't cause it more harm
• protecting others from getting Hep C
• protecting yourself from getting another strain of Hep C or another infection like HIV or hepatitis B
• treatment for Hep C and where to get more information about it