# What is Hepititis C and what does it do to you?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hepititis-c-and-what-does-it-do-to-you/222710>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 4, 2004, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hepititis-c-and-what-does-it-do-to-you/222710 "2004-01-04T23:06:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![flapcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@flapcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flapcats)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hepititis-c-and-what-does-it-do-to-you/222710/1 "2004-01-04T23:06:13Z")

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A friend of a friend has been diagnosed with Hep C.  
She’s now a smartly dressed, shrewd businesswoman, but was once a pervitin junkie and shared needles with others.

What could happen to her? I don’t know anything about Hep C - so if any of you know about it, please post it.

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hepititis-c-and-what-does-it-do-to-you/222710/2 "2004-01-04T23:12:35Z")

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[This thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=200736&highlight=hepatitis+c) has some info.

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**Author:** ![flapcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@flapcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flapcats)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hepititis-c-and-what-does-it-do-to-you/222710/3 "2004-01-04T23:24:17Z")

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Interesting answer from Qadgop the Mercotan.

I read it thinking, shit, she drinks loads of alcohol.  
And I know that she’s seeing someone, so hopefully it’s not so likely that you can catch it through sex.

I read people lose their hair when the come off the drugs, is that just blokes or girls too?

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**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hepititis-c-and-what-does-it-do-to-you/222710/4 "2004-01-04T23:32:14Z")

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[www.cdc.gov](http://www.cdc.gov) has a good Hep C info sheet.  
HCV is a blood borne virus that damages the liver, causing dark urine, abdominal pain and yellowing of the skin and eyes. There is no current vaccine. There are drugs available for treatment. Less than 3% affected people die from chronic liver disease although 70% of those infected develop chronic liver disease.

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**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2004, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-hepititis-c-and-what-does-it-do-to-you/222710/5 "2004-01-04T23:35:40Z")

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The hair loss is said to be reversible in the drug therapy.

Cyn, RN