Exercising The Human Spirit!

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Exercising The Human Spirit!

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Objectives Liver Function Liver Disease What is Hepatitis

Signs and Symptoms How is it Transmitted Treatment for Hepatitis

Nutrition Exercise

My Personal Experience with Hepatitis C Support Group

Why should I care about my liver? The liver performs many important functions:

Stores energy Helps build muscles Helps make bile to digest foods Stops cuts from bleeding Kills germs Removes substances that are harmful to the body Processes everything we eat, drink, breathe and absorb

through our skin

When your liver is not healthy, it cannot keep you healthy

Healthy Liver

Unhealthy Liver

Liver Disease Impact

Over 30 million Americans have liver related diseases and certain liver diseases are on the rise such as: Fatty Liver Disease Hepatocellular Carcinoma (type of liver cancer)

You can help to stop the spread of liver disease

What causes liver disease?

Liver diseases are primarily caused by one of the following: Genetics Viruses Unhealthy lifestyle choices Reactions to medications or chemicals

There are more than 100 different liver diseases

What is hepatitis?

Hepatitis means inflammation (swelling) of the liver

Many conditions can cause hepatitis such as: Autoimmune disease Viruses Alcohol and toxins Fatty liver

Hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C are the most common forms of viral hepatitis in the U.S.

The A’s, B’s and C’s of Hepatitis

Hepatitis A Hepatitis B Hepatitis C

Not chronic Chronic in about 5% of cases

Chronic in about 85% of cases

Transmitted through feces due to poor hygiene or contaminated food or water

Transmitted through bodily fluids

Transmitted blood to blood

Vaccine available Vaccine available No vaccine available.

Prevention is key.

Action Steps for Hepatitis A Talk to your healthcare provider about the hepatitis A

vaccine and get vaccinated before traveling to countries where hepatitis A is common

Always wash your hands after using the bathroom or changing a diaper

Always wash your hands before preparing and eating food

Avoid consuming contaminated water or foods

Avoid sexual behaviors that expose you to fecal matter

Avoid eating uncooked shellfish

Action Steps for Hepatitis B

Talk to your healthcare provider about the hepatitis B vaccine and get vaccinated before traveling to countries where hepatitis B is common

Get screened if you are pregnant

Get tested if you are at high risk for hepatitis B

Practice safe sex

Do not inject drugs or share needles

Do not share personal items such as razors, toothbrushes, or nail clippers

Make sure only clean equipment is used when getting tattoos or body piercings

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) that causes the liver to swell.

Chronic hepatitis C can cause cirrhosis (scarring), liver failure and liver cancer

Most people have no symptoms and have the disease for many years before it is diagnosed

Currently, over 4 million people in the U.S. are infected with the hepatitis C virus

How is Hepatitis C transmitted? Hepatitis C is transmitted blood-to-blood

You may be at risk if you Have ever used drugs (even once) Received a blood transfusion or organ transplant before July 1992 Received a clotting factor made before 1987 Have ever been on hemodialysis Have had abnormal ALT levels several times on blood test results Have ever worked or come in contact with infected needles or

blood Have ever worked or been housed in a prison Were born to an HCV-infected mother Have ever had unprotected sex Have ever had a sexually transmitted disease Have ever had tattoos or body piercings

Hepatitis C is not spread by… Casual contact

Hugging

Sneezing

Coughing

Sharing food, water, eating utensils or drinking glasses

Breastfeeding

Hepatitis C Testing

Antibody Test Blood test that indicates if the body has

developed antibodies to the hepatitis C virus

Confirmatory Test Second test may be done to confirm the results

of the first antibody test

Hepatitis C Tests and Procedures Liver Enzyme Test

Measures the amount of enzymes in the blood

Viral Load Test Measures the concentration of HCV in the blood

Genotype Test Determines the HCV strain (or genotype)

Liver Biopsy Provides detailed information on the condition of the liver

Global Distribution of Hepatitis C Genotypes

Prevent the Spread of Hepatitis C

Cover cuts and sores on skin

Do not share razors, toothbrushes or other personal items

Do not share needles, cookers, water, cotton, ties or crackpipes

Do not share straws used to sniff cocaine

If you are HCV-positive, practice safe sex and tell your partners

If you are HCV-positive, do not donate blood or sperm

Living Healthy with Hepatitis C See a healthcare provider regularly

Get vaccinated against hepatitis A and hepatitis B

Avoid alcohol Get support

Consider attending a risk reduction program or a drug treatment program

Diet/Exercise and Hepatitis C

Talk to your healthcare provider or nutritionist about the best diet for you

Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet

Maintain a healthy weight and exercise

Talk to your healthcare provider before taking any medications (over the counter, prescription, vitamins, or natural supplements) Learn about your medicines and how they affect your liver Follow dosing instructions

Treatment/Management Options Treatment options and success vary by person.

Be sure to consult your healthcare provider when considering treatment options. Medical Treatment

Antiviral medication Pegylated interferon Combination therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin Clinical trials

Alternative Symptom Management Holistic remedies

Treatment/Management Considerations Side effects of HCV medications include fatigue,

depression, muscle pain, headaches, weight loss, nausea/vomiting, anemia, skin rashes, itching, flu-like symptoms and fever

Pregnant women should not take interferon or ribavirin due to birth defects

Herbal supplements that are good for your liver may not necessarily be good for other conditions

Treatment Success

Medical Sustained Virologic Response (SVR)

Treatment for hepatitis C is considered successful when the virus can no longer be detected in the body six months after the medication has been completed.

SVR varies by individual SVR varies by genotype

SVR for genotype 1 is between 40% – 55% SVR for genotypes 2 and 3 is between 70% – 80%

Treatment Costs For Hepatitis C Costs include

Doctor Visits Blood Tests Liver biopsy Medications

$50,000 plus

Education Communication Support

Family Co-workers Friends

Continue on with your daily routine Positive attitude

My Personal Experience With Hepatitis C

For More Information

ALF Helpline at 1-800-GO LIVER www.liverfoundation.org

Center for Disease Control www.cdc.gov

Other resources Department of Health National Institutes of Health Contact Your Physician Contact a Hepatitis C Survivor

Hepatitis C Support Group

PROBLEMS SEEM SMALLER WHEN THEY’RE SHARED WITH A GROUP

Meets 3rd Monday of each monthBismarck's Medcenter One’s Outpatient Services Building 414 North 7th Street7:00 PM For information contact Lynn at 701-222-4136

Family Support Is Number One! My Support Team.

106th Boston MarathonApril 15, 2002

Exercising The Human Spirit!

You don’t have to win the race to be a winner.

A New Race Begins !I Run The Race Not For Myself, Instead I Run The Race For All Those That Will Struggle With Hepatitis C.