Service Coming Soon. Check Website For Updates

At AR Pharmacy Lyndhurst we are able to offer Hepatitis C testing to our customers. It is important that you get tested if you have any of the below symptoms.

Symptoms

Hepatitis C often has no symptoms at the early stages however symptoms may appear as a persons liver becomes more damaged. If left untreated, the infection can eventually cause the liver to become scarred (cirrhosis).

Early symptoms can include the following:

• A high temperature of 38C (100.4F) or above
• Appetite loss
• Tiredness
• Pain in the abdomen
• Feeling and being sick

Later symptoms include:

• Feeling tired throughout the day
• Joint and muscle aches and pains
• Feeling sick
• Problems with short-term memory, concentrating on things, and performing complex mental tasks
• Mood swings
• Depression or anxiety
• Indigestion and/or bloating
• Patches of itchy skin
• Abdominal pain

Who should get tested?

As Hepatitis C often has no overt symptoms you may be infected without realising. The following groups should consider getting tested to ensure they are not unknowingly infected:

• Current and previous drug users
• Those who live in areas where Hepatitis C is high risk, such as North Africa, the Middle East, and Central and East Asia
• Sexual partners of people with Hepatitis C
• Those who had a blood transfusion before September 1991, or UK recipients of organ transplants before 1992
• Children whose mothers contracted Hepatitis C
• Anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to Hepatitis C, or have the above symptoms

At AR Pharmacy Lyndhurst we have two blood tests available, the antibody test and the PCR test.

The Antibody Test

The test determines whether you’ve been exposed to the virus in the past by testing for antibodies. Antibodies are the bodies natural defence and are produced by your immune system to fight off germs.

If a test is negative but you still have symptoms then this may be because not enough time has elapsed for your body to produce the necessary antibodies. In this instance a second test is advisable.

If your test comes back positive this does not mean you necessarily have the virus, but that you were infected at some stage in the past.

The only way to tell if you are presently infected is to have a second blood test, which is known as a PCR test.

The PCR Test

The PCR blood test checks if the virus is still present in your system by detecting whether it is currently replicating within your body.

A positive test means your body has yet to fight off the virus and the infection has progressed to a long-term stage.

Still got questions?

Our team at AR Pharmacy Lyndhurst would be happy to talk to you about Hepatitis C, any symptoms you might be experiencing, and what tests and treatments you need. Contact us online, call us, or visit us in-store to talk with our experienced team. In addition you can find further information on the NHS website here.