Most people (about 70% – 80%) with an acute Hepatitis C infection do not experience any symptoms or show signs of the infection. If Hepatitis C symptoms do occur, they usually appear within two weeks to six months after being exposed to the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). If you do develop symptoms related to Hepatitis C, they’re generally mild and flu-like and may include:
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Feeling very tired
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Sore muscles
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Joint pain
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Fever
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Nausea or poor appetite
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Stomach pain
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Itchy skin
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Dark urine
A yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes, called jaundice. Since most people with acute Hepatitis C go on to develop chronic Hepatitis C – meaning the virus has remained in your body for 6 months or longer – and still have no Hep C symptoms, it’s common to have the infection for 15 years or longer before being diagnosed.
