When To Call a Doctor

Call 911 or other emergency services immediately if you have hepatitis C and you:

• Feel extremely confused or are having hallucinations.
• Are bleeding from the rectum or are vomiting blood.

Call your doctor if:

• You think you may have been infected with hepatitis C.
• You have risk factors for hepatitis C, such as IV drug use.
• You develop symptoms of hepatitis C (fatigue, sore muscles, loss of appetite, nausea, dark urine or yellow-gray stools, fever, or jaundice) and you think you may have been exposed to hepatitis C.
• A home test for hepatitis C virus shows that you have hepatitis C. More testing is needed to determine if you have an active infection.

Watchful Waiting

Taking a wait-and-see approach (called watchful waiting) is not appropriate if you think you have hepatitis C. Talk to your doctor if you think you have been exposed to hepatitis C.

Who To See

The following health professionals can diagnose hepatitis C:

• Family medicine physician
• Internist
• Pediatrician
• Physician assistant
• Nurse practitioner
• Gynecologist

The following specialists also can diagnose the disease and provide further care:

• Gastroenterologist
• Hepatologist
• Infectious disease specialist

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.