2018-07-27

Why do I still feel tired after the treatment of hepatitis C?

Despite being cured of hepatitis C, your body, especially your liver, will still need time to heal. Thanks to medical advancements in recent years, many patients have been cured by the hepatitis C treatments. However, in most cases, it does not mean that the liver is fully healed, because very often there is still some degree of damage in the liver before.

Causes of fatigue

Fatigue is a common problem experienced by hepatitis C patients, and it often carries on to the post-treatment stage. The cause of fatigue is still not clear, but it is suggested there are problems of signalling between the malfunctioned liver and the brain. If you also have cirrhosis, you are more likely to get tired. Some hepatitis patients with depression are more prone to feeling tired. In other words, untreated liver damage could interfere with your energy level.

Why post-treatment care for the liver can help with managing fatigue

Improve existing liver damage: Since hepatitis C treatments only remove the virus, instead of the damage that has been done before, patients could still have risks for liver cancer. Caring for your liver after treatment could lower the risk of developing other diseases and also the level of fatigue.
Provide protection for your liver: As hepatitis C treatments only clear the virus in the body without providing immunity at all, there might still be a chance of catching hepatitis C virus again, even though the chance is slow. Protecting your liver could improve your overall liver health.

How you can protect your liver after Hepatitis C treatment

Since hepatitis C refers to the condition where the liver might have a certain degree of fibrosis, it is important to improve liver function even after the treatment. Try limiting, if not stopping, alcohol intake as much as possible, as it has long been known that alcohol causes inflammation in the body.

Engaging in liver health maintenance by taking anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory treatments is also one of the effective ways. According to a research study published in The Journal of All Japan Hospital Association, almost all 195 patients of liver diseases (92% of which had viral liver diseases) were seen having their liver enzymes reduced to a normal level within 10-14 days after taking a natural herbal supplement, suggesting the effectiveness of the herbal therapy. After gradually improving the liver function, your energy level will eventually come back and the quality of life will be improved as well.

Reference:

Disclaimer:

* All research and clinical data should be used as reference purposes only, results may vary.

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