Home » Testing

Newly diagnosed

|  Print Page  |  Font Size + -

If you have tested positive for Hep C, you should know that treatment is available and that there are also many things you can do for yourself to stay healthy and well.

First things first

Give yourself time to let the news sink in before you start packing in information and making decisions. Think about talking to someone who has or has had hepatitis C and can understand what you are going through. (See Organizations in Canada to find peer support groups near you.)

When you are ready

There are people such as healthcare providers and counsellors and also information on this website to help you figure out the next steps. Learning more about living with Hep C will help you make healthy decisions.

For starters:

  • Learn what you can do to take care of yourself and protect your liver from more damage. Some ways to live well with Hep C are to:
    •  Eat a well-balanced diet that includes food from all of the different groups (proteins, carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables).
    • Avoid or reduce the use of alcohol. The liver is the main organ that breaks down alcohol in the body. If you have Hep C, your liver may not work as well as it used to and alcohol causes more damage to it.
  • Learn what you can do to protect others. There are steps you can take to prevent people around you from getting Hep C from you. Some ways to reduce the risk of spreading Hep C are to:
    • Not pass on, lend, give away or sell any drug equipment you have used. This includes injection drug equipment (such as needles, syringes, cookers, spoons, filters or cotton, ties or alcohol swabs) and other drug equipment (such as crack pipes and straws).
    • Not pass on, lend, give away or sell personal things that might have your blood on it (such as razors or toothbrushes).
    • Not donate blood or other body organs.
    It’s OK to kiss, hug and shake hands with other people when you have Hep C.  Hep C is not spread through casual contact.
  • Learn about how the disease is affecting your liver and about your treatment options.
  • Think about the people you want to tell and how you can tell them.
Revised 2011.

Related content