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Symptoms of Chronic Hepatitis (It's not in your head after all)

Although all symptoms do not occur in any one case, many combinations have been documented. Interestingly, in many people the presence of symptoms does not bear any relationship to the extent of the illness. In other words, someone with very mild Hepatitis can describe many of the symptoms, while another person who has much more advanced liver disease may have few or no symptoms at all.

Appetite/weight loss
Arthritis or Rheumatoid arthritis
Chills, sweating, hot/cold flashes
Depression, anxiety, irritability, etc.
Excessive bleeding
Eye or eyesight problems (blurred vision or dry eyes)
Fatigue, weakness, tiredness (mild to debilitating)
Fever
Flu like symptoms
Gallstones or Gallbladder trouble
Grey, yellow or light colored stools
Headaches
Indigestion, nausea, vomiting, gas
Inflammation in the joints (particularly hands, wrists & elbows)
Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)
Joint, muscle aches and pains
Loss/decline of sex drive (not directly related to Hepatitis, but most likely due to
stress, discomfort and exhaustion caused by the struggle of dealing with Chronic Illness)
Low light vision problems
Mood changes or swings
Memory loss, mental confusion
Menstrual problems
Oral or mouth sores/problems
Pain or discomfort in abdomen (most often upper)
Red palms (can occur in any Chronic liver disease and are not specifically caused by the virus. Cause is unknown but is speculated that it may involve upset hormone metabolism or microcirculatory changes)
Sensitivity or intolerance to heat or cold
Skin problems; dry, itching, rashes, spots (often caused by build up of bilirubin in the skin.)
Sleep disturbances
Slow healing and recovery
Succeptibility to illness/flu
Swelling of stomach, legs or feet
Urinary problems; odor, discoloration
Vertigo, dizziness, coordination difficulty
Weight gain, water retention

* Most (if not all) of these can also be symptomatic of other conditions, and it is very important that you maintain appropriate medical care, regardless of your course of treatment.

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