Hair loss

[shadow83]

is hair loss one of the symptoms of Hepatitis C?

and my last question...is it possible to coinfected to both Hepatitis B and C...

and if someone is coninfected what would happen to him or her?

Thank you

[IAmTheWalrus]

I have not heard of HCV causing hair loss, just the treatments.

HCV causes liver damage and compromise of liver function. If a liver is already compromised by progressive liver disease then subsequent infection of HBV, while not usually life threatening, can be very serious indeed. I have been told by my hepatologist that anyone with HCV should be innoculated against hep A and B to prevent this.

[CoWriter]

Even though Hepatitis C can cause many extrahepatic conditions, you can't always assume that Hep C is causing all your symptoms, because other conditions may then go untreated.

For example, low thyroid can also cause hair loss.  

I have heard several hepatologists say that in the presence of both Hep C and Hep B....it is Hep C that takes over and Hep B sometimes hides.  

[Andiamo1]

Many people contract HCV from IV drug use.  HBV and AIDS are spread the same way, so coinfection with the other two does happen.  HBV often resolves with the bodies own immune system, so the question becomes if both become chronic what will happen.

I don't know the answer to that, but since both attack the liver, I assume progression towards cirrhosis would occure more rapidly than with just HCV.  I am guessing though.

I don't think HCV causes hair loss, but some people will probably disagree with me on that.  My own experience with advanced liver damage (stage 3) is that it definitely changes hair growth.  I reached a point where I was barely shaving.  Now that I am SVR and my liver is healing, my hair and beard are growing much faster.

The drugs used to treat HCV, Interferon and Ribaviron, do cause hair loss.

[sfwandwow]

it is a symptom if u have it..i lost quite a bit