The First Year: Hepatitis C An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed

by Bruce, Cara; Montanarelli, Lisa; Wright, Teresa

• ISBN13: 9781600940286
• ISBN10: 1600940285
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-11-23
• Publisher: Da Capo Lifelong Books

Summary

The fifth-year anniversary of the book ushers in a new phase of treatment and information, including protease inhibitors (which have been so successful in treating HIV), split-liver transplants, and prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines for HCV. Bruce and Montanarelli also offer updated information on medications that are toxic to the liver; Eastern and Western approaches to healing; nutrition guides; the types of hepatitis that have been identified and what is known; and living with coinfection (HCV and HIV, HBV, and HAV). Alarming statistics: Hepatitis C is the most common bloodborne virus: It has infected 300 million people worldwide (4.1 million in the U.S.) and kills 8,000 to 10,000 Americans each year. About 26,000 people in the U.S. are infected yearly. Chronic hepatitis C is the number one cause of liver transplants. Key lifestyle issues: The book offers emotional support for newly diagnosed patients, helps them navigate and overcome insurance obstacles, as well as providing suggestions for making necessary changes in diet, exercise, drinking habits, drug use, dating, and sex life. Bruce and Montanarelli also debunk common myths and offer ideas for coping with depression, fatigue, and the side effects of medications.

Author Biography

Cara Bruce is an accomplished writer who has served as senior editor for three on-line magazines and has edited three fiction anthologies. Her work has appeared on Salon.com and in the San Francisco Bay Guardian, and more than a dozen anthologies. She was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 2000.
Lisa Montanarelli, a freelance writer and sex educator, received her B.A. from Yale and her Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from U.C. Berkeley. Her work has appeared on AFP.com (Agence France-Presse), on HIVinsite.com and in the San Francisco Bay Guardian and other publications. She was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 1990.
Cara and Lisa both live in San Francisco.

Teresa L. Wright, MD, is Chief of the Gastroenterology Section at the San Francisco Veterans Administration Medical Center and Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. A prolific author in peer-reviewed journals, she has lectured nationally and internationally on hepatitis C and B. She has been a visiting professor at sixteen universities in the US and Canada. Dr. Wright is a member of the Council of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. xiii
Introduction	p. vii
Living: So You Have Hep C. What Now?	p. 1
Learning: What Is Hepatitis? What Is Hep C?	p. 8
Living: What You Need to Do Right Away	p. 16
Learning: Transmission: How Did I Get This? How Can I Avoid Giving It to Other People?	p. 21
Living: Telling People about Your Hep C	p. 30
Learning: Communication Tips for Talking about Your Diagnosis	p. 35
Living: Symptoms You Might Be Experiencing	p. 42
Learning: Your Test Results and What They Mean	p. 48
Living: Taking Care of Yourself: Minimizing Commitments and Responsibilities	p. 56
Learning: Finding a Doctor Who's Right for You	p. 61
Living: Diet: Eating for a Healthy Liver	p. 65
Learning: Your Liver and Its Functions	p. 71
Living: Getting Exercise and Overcoming Insomnia	p. 74
Learning: The Effects of Different Drugs on the Liver	p. 79
First Week Milestone	p. 91
Living: Prioritizing Lifestyle Changes	p. 93
Learning: Insurance and Financial Planning	p. 98
Living: Dealing with Depression and Coping with Illness	p. 112
Learning: Building a Support System	p. 118
Living: Thinking about Your Treatment Options	p. 125
Learning: Introduction to Conventional Western Treatments	p. 130
First Month Milestone	p. 149
Living: Complementary and Alternative Treatments	p. 151
Learning: Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and Homeopathy	p. 158
Living: Hep C Can Affect Your Long-Term Relationships	p. 164
Learning: Trends in Research and Treatment	p. 167
Living: Rebuilding Your Social Life Without Drugs and Alcohol	p. 177
Learning: Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs, Oh My!	p. 183
Living: Yes, You Can Have Sex!	p. 190
Learning: Talking to Dates and Sexual Partners	p. 194
Living: The Stigmas Surrounding Hep C	p. 198
Learning: Protecting Your Rights at the Workplace and Your Medical Records	p. 203
Half-Year Milestone	p. 211
Living: Keeping Up to Date and Doing Research	p. 213
Learning: Severe Liver Disease: Stages and Symptoms	p. 219
Living: Finding a Counselor	p. 227
Learning: Demographics of Hep C and Travel Tips	p. 231
Living: Networking with Others: Get Involved!	p. 242
Learning: Become an Organ Donor: Liver Transplants Save Lives!	p. 245
Living: Children and Hep C	p. 252
Learning: Teaching Kids about Hep C	p. 258
Living: Living with Coinfection	p. 269
Learning: HVC with HIV, HBV, and HAV	p. 273
Living: Your Future-Yes, You Have One! Why You Don't Have to Forget Your Dreams	p. 277
Learning: Keep on Learning!	p. 283
Glossary	p. 285
Notes	p. 293
For Further Reading	p. 305
Resources	p. 319
Acknowledgments	p. 329
Index	p. 331
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