Off: Hepatitis C

[Tom Clark]

This has absolutely nothing to do with music, but I though it important to pass along, and am doing my part to do spread awareness.

Hepatitis C has become a "silent"  epidemic lately, and people of our age group are mostly affected.  Thought I would use this forum to spread awareness.   I was shocked to find I have it, and only found out when I went for a routine phycical and asked for the test because an ex-girlfriend has it.  I had absolutely no symptoms.

More people than you  realizes has it or knows of someone who does have it.  (People you have heard of include: Dusty Hill (ZZTop), David Crosby, Phil Lesh, Freddie Fender, Pamela Anderson, Naomi Judd.)

Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver, and can  take up to 20-30 years before damage is done or symptoms exhibited.  The virus is transmitted by blood-to-blood contact such as occurs with a blood transfusion, receiving a tattoo from a dirty needle, during intranasal cocaine snorting when sharing razor blades, toothbrushes, even. or when sharing intravenous needles. There are lots of ways to get it.  The virus can have a prolonged asymptomatic period for many months to years and can come to attention through routine screening at the time of blood donation, or when a person infected with the virus develops symptoms of the disease. The symptoms, which are fairly nonspecific, include fatigue and joint aches. Occasionally, the disease is not diagnosed until its end stages at which time liver failure has ensued. 

Testing is NOT a routing part of a physical, and must be asked for specifically.

Millions of people are walking around with it, who do not even know they have it.  I was one of them. (felt a bit of fatigue and tiredness all the time, and did not know why..though I partied too much.)   It can be treated and actually cured these days.  (Am undergoing treatment now with good results so far.)

This is not the "disease of the month", but is very real, and I though it important to pass this along, since it affects our age group the most, partiers and non-partiers alike.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/c/index.htm


Best Regards,

Tom Clark