One needs to be careful when it comes to conditions like Hepatitis C as it doesn’t always have symptoms. It could take weeks or maybe even months for any early warning signs of hepatitis C do show up. In fact, even a doctor could check the liver and see very little damage. And one might not even get diagnosed until they spot an issue with their liver enzymes after routine blood tests. During its acute phase, some people tend to have milder symptoms, while there are others who get very sick. However, when it’s chronic, symptoms might even not be noticeable for years. Here are some early warning signs of hepatitis C that one must be aware of:

Loss of Appetite
One of the most common symptoms of hepatitis C is a loss of appetite. It’s the general disinterest towards food and you don’t end up liking anything, even when your favorite dish is placed in front of you. When you have really lost your appetite for no good reason, it’s a sign of hepatitis C.

Nausea
This is another common sign of hepatitis C. It’s the queasy feeling that one gets in the pit of their stomach, even if their tummy is empty. Sometimes, the tummy can end up feeling like a giant cave, but there’s something that urges you not to eat. It may even happen that one may have just eaten, and it feels like everything is going to come right back up.

Vomiting
Another common sign is vomiting, which is a natural followup to nausea. If one is unable to hold food down, get into a safe position for getting sick. However, if there is a dark brown or red look to the vomit, it could be a sign of internal bleeding and one needs to go to the hospital immediately.

Body Aches
Another sign of a hepatitis C inflammation is an ache that goes down deep to the bones. It is possible that the body could be responding to an inflamed liver.

Bruising
When the liver backs up the blood into the spleen, it hangs onto the platelets. Since there are very few platelets cycling through the bloodstream, there isn’t enough clotting going on. So, if you are bruising very easily, there is a chance you could have hepatitis C.

Fatigue
Rest and diet patterns need to be checked immediately if one is feeling more tired than usual. Insomnia is a sure shot symptom and sign of liver disease which leads to hepatitis C infections.

Dark Urine
Dark-colored urine is related to the levels of bilirubin in the body and is a sign of liver disease and a possible hepatitis C infection.

Jaundice
Bilirubin levels are also responsible for the yellowing of the eyes and skin. Excess bile builds up in the body when the kidneys aren’t able to flush them out well.

Light-colored Stool
Build-up of bilirubin levels in the body could also lead to light-colored stool, which is an indication of hepatitis C inflammation.

Ascites (swollen belly)
When the body retains excess fluids in the legs, arms, and abdomen, it’s a sure-shot sign of progressive liver disease. What starts off as acute hepatitis C slowly becomes liver disease as it reaches the chronic stage.

These early warning signs of hepatitis C must be promptly taken care of. One must always consult their doctor even if it could be a false alarm.