There are three stages of hepatitis C: early, chronic, and final. Many people in the early stages of hepatitis C don't even realize they have the disease because occasionally there are no symptoms, or symptoms are so mild that people think they have the flu. Chronic hepatitis C occurs when people cannot get rid of hepatitis C and it becomes an ongoing problem. In the final stage of hepatitis C, liver failure often occurs, sometimes leading to death. There are many people in the early stages of hepatitis C who have it for up to 20 years before experiencing severe and life-threatening symptoms.
The most common symptoms people experience during the early stages of hepatitis C are vomiting, joint pain, and fever. Sometimes these symptoms are also accompanied by a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, also known as jaundice. People with hepatitis C may also notice that their urine is darker in color than normal and their skin is unusually itchy. Many people who get hepatitis C can fight it off and never have problems with the disease again, but some people develop chronic hepatitis C, which is the second stage of the disease. People with the early stages of hepatitis C do not always need treatment if the disease goes away on its own.
During chronic hepatitis C, most people begin to notice severe symptoms. Weight loss, abdominal pain, and serious liver problems are common during the second stage. Many people develop cirrhosis and liver scarring when they have chronic hepatitis C. During this stage, fatigue is incredibly common and may be the first sign a person may experience to alert them that something is seriously wrong. Many people never realize they have hepatitis C until they reach this stage of the disease.
The last stage of hepatitis C is the most life-threatening. Liver failure, intestinal bleeding, and high blood pressure are common during the final stage of hepatitis C. People with this stage of hepatitis C may also develop liver cancer. When the liver has been severely damaged by hepatitis C, sometimes the only treatment option is a liver transplant. Even after a liver transplant is done, hepatitis C is likely to come back, and patients usually have to continue taking antiviral medications to help prevent future problems.