I recently have been diagnosed with hepatitis C. I had protected sex with a lady and had a condom breakage. Sounds like my chances were very slim to get hepatitis C that way, but I guess that is my luck. I started getting weird night sweats about 3 weeks after exposure and I started thinking it was HIV. I had an STD panel screen that included an HIV antibody test(I requested antigen, but no one listened to me). The test came back positive for the hepatitis C antibody. I am scheduled to see a gastroenterologist in a few weeks. Lately the night sweats seem to be disappearing, but my lymph nodes in my armpit and groin have been inflamed. I didn't see this listed as a symptom of hepatitis C and that makes me still worry that the wrong HIV test was done since I was in the window period. I do not seem to be running a fever though, so that is good.

I was diagnosed with hepatitis C 12 years ago. I was told it was dormant, but now 12 years later I was told I have it again. I am so sick sometimes I feel like giving up. I am so tired and no one understands why I just want to sleep. People are afraid of me and my 'disease.' I also have horrible sores in my mouth, does anybody else have this? I am tired and in pain constantly. I am a 56 year old female and have no idea how I caught this.

Almost two years ago my upper hands began to blister (like if were burns, filled w/clear liquid) and were itchy. Prompting by an old girlfriend I had a physical exam with blood work that I hadn't had done for 50 years. I was diagnosed healthy but with hepatitis C. Never had a transfusion or used needles, can't figure out where it might have came from. I have had to give up my beer drinking. Now at 61 years old, I am on Peginterferon alfa-2a (weekly), with Ribavirin (100mg daily) for 5 weeks with only insomnia and occasional minor headache and cotton mouth as side effects. I am to start the Incivek (2,250mg daily) today. I feel fine, drinking excessive water that hinders my appetite. I am hoping to be cured. My hepatitis C in blood is low >700K units, when the doctor sees it in the millions in others.

I was diagnosed and treated in 2002. Unfortunately the treatment failed and there is nothing else the doctors can do. They basically just told me to go home and take care of myself. So I make sure that I live a very clean life and try to do the best I can.

I was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 1989. The only symptom I had was extreme fatigue. As I was a regular blood donor, the Red Cross sent me a letter to say thanks for your contributions, but don't give blood anymore and see your doctor because of elevated AST and AGt. A liver biopsy found I have genotype 1. I am a non-responder but still living.

I was diagnosed in 2005 but had been feeling exhausted for years. I put off treatment until 08 because my son was 9 at the time and I wanted to be sure I could still take care of him. Interferon/ribavirin was the absolute hardest test of endurance I have ever known but worth it. Yes the side effects are awful and yes a year is an extremely long time but the relief of being in remission was worth it. I did develop long term side effects from treatment such as ibs and fibromyalgia but I urge people to ponder this. Those things are NOT potentially fatal. The amount of anxiety I had while still infected knowing I shouldn't even place my toothbrush next to my child's was much worse than setting aside one year to get well. Not to mention it is nearly 3 years later and new better treatments are available every year along with physicians understanding that treatment significantly affects your life. I fought for disability during treatment and won.