Not just undiagnosed, a new study reveals that Hepatitis C is underdiagnosed. If you’re Hep C positive and relying on biopsies to watch for cirrhosis, you may miss it.
What’s that? When multiple tests (many of which were non-invasive) were used to monitor for cirrhosis, biopsies—the number one tool used—missed 62%!
It’s bad news, especially when factoring in a few things, like how many Baby Boomers may be walking around with Hep C, undiagnosed. Baby Boomers, as a generation, had the bad luck to have a really high exposure rate to Hep C. If you’re a Boomer and have somehow missed (or ignored) the campaigns to get tested, it’s time. There are lots of different ways to manage and treat Hepatitis C!
And it’s good for Boomers not just to get tested, but to talk about it, too. Fighting Hep c with knowledge, and by helping to remove the stigma.
After all, it’s the stigma that makes it easy for insurance companies to make Hep C treatment hard to get. There are lots of hoops to jump through, including proving active liver damage, which again, is often missed! No other disease has to progress to such serious levels before treatment is offered.
Why? Because.the current cure for Hep C can cause quite a bit of sticker shock at almost 100k. Compared to a liver transplant and other life-long treatments, it’s a bargain, but insurance companies and patients have had a long fight over it anyway.
Hep C is a silent disease, until you start to approach the too late mark—so if you’re at risk, including being a Baby Boomer, find out your diagnosis. Then speak up about your treatment—biopsies apparently aren’t enough monitoring.
While you’re waiting to be eligible, don’t just twiddle your thumbs. Support your immune system with good health habits like enough sleep, good nutrition, exercise (which can also help you keep in touch with your disease—fatigue is a sign of progression), and immune supporting supplements like colloidal silver!
