People do not associate symptoms such as fatigue, depression, or abdominal discomfort to HCV, especially when they were stuck with a needle so long ago. The same is true for ANY needle stick, be it in the health care profession, a tattoo several years ago, a blood transfusion before 1985, or just sharing an intravenous needle only once. It is better to be safe and to protect liver health. Because poor nutrition status is common among people who have liver disease, it is important to maintain a healthy diet. A person should not reduce any category of foods, such as dairy, protein, fruits, vegetables, or grains unless they have been instructed by their doctor.
Protein is an important nutrient, especially when the body is in a disease state.
While low protein diets were the rule among encepholapathic patients, it is not today. In fact, it has been found that medication therapy with lactulose may provide enough benefit without sacrificing protein intake. Normally, blood circulating from the intestines travels through the portal vein to the liver, transporting nutrients. The enlargement causes a thinning of their walls, like a balloon being inflated. As the cirrhosis increases, the pressure in the varices increases, while at the same time their walls are weakened.