HEPATITIS E

Symptoms usually last for about 2 months and usually appear 2 to 7 weeks after you’ve been exposed to the virus.

Common symptoms may include:

• Fever
• Dark Urine
• Sore Muscles
• Yellow Skin (Jaundice)
• Feeling Very Tired
• Clay-Colored Stool
• Nausea and Loss of Appetite
• Losing Weight Without Trying
• Pain on the Right Side of the Belly, under the Rib Cage

DIAGNOSIS

After your doctor have ask you series of questions about your symptoms or where you have been possibly get the virus, he or she may perform a blood test. These tests can tell if your liver is inflamed or if you have antibodies to the hepatitis E virus. The presence of these antibodies in your blood proves that you have been exposed to the virus.

TREATMENT

In most cases, Hepatitis E goes away on its own. To help yourself get better faster, you should:

• Slow down on your daily activities until you have enough energy to do the tasks.
• To avoid dehydration, drink plenty of water. Other good sources of liquids are fruit juices and broth.
• Eat healthy foods.
• Don’t drink alcohol or use illegal drugs because they make liver problems worse.
• Notify your doctor about all the medicines you are taking, including herbal products. Always ask for your doctor’s approval before stopping or changing any medicine you are already taking.

Talk to your doctor if your symptoms are severe or if you’re pregnant. In that case, you may need to be treated in a hospital.