You may not know you have hepatitis C because often there are no symptoms and you may feel well. By the time you feel sick, a lot of damage may already be done to your liver. Some people find out they have hepatitis C when they are tested by their doctor during a routine check-up, and some people find out when they go to donate blood, and their blood is tested for the virus.
It is recommended that you consider getting tested for hepatitis 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 (see Are You at Risk? for more information.)
- You are experiencing symptoms consistent with liver disease (for more information, see Signs and Symptoms.)
- You have been told by your doctor after a routine check-up that your liver enzyme levels are not normal. This may 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 before 1992.
Getting tested can be stressful because it’s tough to think that you might have Hep C. On the other hand, some people think they automatically have Hep C because they use drugs and they don’t need a test.
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 may find out you don’t have it and can take steps to make sure to protect yourself and others from possible Hep C infection. You might find out that you do have Hep C and then you can make choices that will allow you to stay healthier before there is serious damage to your liver. Either way, 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 through public health, 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 hepatitis 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 here from your healthcare provider, contact him or her to make sure you get your test results.
If the test results show there is no hepatitis 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 hepatitis 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 hepatitis 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
Remember to ask for this information if it is not offered at the time you get your results.
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