Hepatitis C is a virus that affects the liver and is passed through contact with contaminated blood. Patients, however, usually do not display symptoms when they first contract hepatitis C. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) notes that when the liver is damaged after years of infection, symptoms begin to display. Due to the delay in the onset of symptoms, hepatitis C patients can live for years with the disease without knowing they have it. Hepatitis C is not a curable condition, though patients can manage symptoms with different medications.
Cirrhosis Symptoms
The NIH defines cirrhosis as permanent scarring on the liver that is caused by a chronic infection of hepatitis C. Symptoms of hepatitis C usually do not start until cirrhosis develops, which can take years. Jaundice, or yellowing of the skin, is one symptom of cirrhosis. Leg swelling can occur, as well as visible spider-like blood vessels. Other symptoms of cirrhosis include bleeding hemorrhoids, confusion, impotence, nausea, vomiting, weakness and weight loss. In some cases, patients may vomit blood. Because of the damage to the liver, patients are hypersensitive to hepatotoxic products, such as alcohol.
Gastrointestinal Symptoms
The NIH states that hepatitis C can affect the patient's gastrointestinal system. Some patients may experience bleeding varices, which are the dilated veins in the esophagus. Abdominal pain can also occur, especially in the right upper region. Another gastrointestinal symptom is ascites, which an excessive accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity. Other symptoms include dark urine and clay-colored stools.
Additional Symptoms
The NIH adds that patients with hepatitis C may also experience fatigue, generalized itching and a low-grade fever. The fatigue may be an isolated symptom or a culmination of other hepatitis C symptoms; for example, the fatigue may be coupled with weakness and weight loss from the cirrhosis.
