Celebrities With Hepatitis C
Chronic hepatitis C affects over 3 million people in the United States alone. Celebrities are no exception.
This potentially life threatening virus infects the liver. The virus is transmitted in the blood and can be passed from one person to another.
Some common ways people get the virus are through blood transfusions, injecting drugs, tattooing, and piercing. Many of those infected with hepatitis C dont know how they got it.
A major concern for people with hepatitis C is liver damage. Over time hepatitis C can can cause liver inflammation and swelling, and that may lead to cirrhosis.
Sometimes, the immune system can ward off the hepatitis C virus on its own. There are also various antiviral medications that can cure hepatitis C.
If you have hepatitis C, leading a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a comfortable weight through diet and exercise can greatly help your body heal.
Read on to see how these celebs have managed their hepatitis C diagnosis.
Japanese Actor And Oscar Nominee Ken Watanabe
The Japanese actor Ken Watanabe fought leukemia in 1989, and though he was successful in defeating the blood cancer, he contracted hepatitis C from a blood transfusion he received during that time. Routine screening of the blood supply for hepatitis C didn’t begin until 1992, and Watanabe was among the many people who contracted the hepatitis C virus from blood products or organ donations before then. That’s one reason that hepatitis C screening is recommended for everyone born between 1945 and 1965 the baby boom generation as the virus was unwittingly being spread through the blood supply in the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. Watanabe began hepatitis C treatment in 2005, according to TV Guide.
Musician David Crosby Of Crosby Stills And Nash
In 1994, David Crosby, of folk-rock supergroup Crosby, Stills, and Nash, learned that he had hepatitis C. He was sober at that point, but his early years of IV drug use may have led to his hepatitis C infection. Youre down to 20 percent on your liver function now, and youre going to die if we dont get you a transplant, he recalled his doctor saying, as he discussed his condition in an interview with CBS Sunday Morning in 2008. He worried that he would die before seeing his youngest son grow up, but he received a transplant and evaded that fate. In January 2014, Crosby told the Washington Post that he was still healthy.
Liver transplants are necessary for people whose hepatitis C infection has damaged their liver so severely that the organ can no longer function. However, a liver transplant is not a cure medication is still needed to treat the hepatitis C infection.
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Pamela Anderson’s Son Dylan Is The Hunkiest Guy Alive Today
Pamela Anderson has succeeded in many areas throughout her lifetime. She is an actress, model, television personality, author and activist. One of her proudest achievements is motherhood. Anderson had two beautiful children with Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee. The couple both had extremely successful careers and were constantly in the spotlight, but wanted to raise their children away from everyone. Anderson did her best to keep her children away from the paparazzi despite the list of controversies that surrounded their mother and father.
The multi-talented woman was born July 1, 1976 in Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada. Anderson has citizenship in both Canada and the United States, and has also spent some time living in France. Her list of accomplishments and list of relationships is lengthy. By the 1990s, Anderson was a household name.
The star grew up in Canada, going to secondary school in Comox, British Columbia. She played volleyball in high school, graduating in 1985. Anderson made the decision to move to Vancouver in 1988 to pursue a career as a fitness instructor. A year later, she attended a sports game at the British Columbia Place Stadium in Vancouver where she was featured on the jumbotron while wearing a Labatts Beer t-shirt. The company loved her and hired her shortly after as their spokesmodel. This launched Andersons modelling career, helping her get featured on the cover of Playboy in October 1989.
‘baywatch’ Actor Pamela Anderson
Best known for her Baywatch beach babe role, actress Pamela Anderson was quite open about contracting hepatitis C because of a tattoo needle she shared with her former husband, the rock musician Tommy Lee, according to her retelling of the incident in 2002 to magazine.
Although hepatitis C can be associated with sexually transmitted infections, the risk of contracting the virus this way is relatively low. Hepatitis C spreads through blood-to-blood contact, which makes sharing needles used for tattooing, IV drug use, or any other purpose the biggest risk factor for hepatitis C infection today. Anderson told People magazine in November 2015 that she underwent a new hepatitis C treatment and is now cured of the condition.
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Pamela Anderson is relieved to be free of Hepatitis C but she is also excited for her ex-husbands clean bill of health.
The Baywatch star exclusively revealed to ET that Tommy Lee, the founding member of the heavy metal band, Motley Crue, has also been cured of the disease.
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The 48-year-old star also revealed that it was her ex-husband that recommended the three-month treatment.
You know Tommy did it first so he got cured first, Anderson explained to ET. He had a different kind of treatment because he did it a year earlier than me. And he was always pushing me, you got to do this.
Its a good thing she listened to Lee, 53, who she said gave her the disease after sharing a tattoo needle, because the treatment ended her 20-year health battle.
About 10 years in they said that you could live your whole life with this disease and you may not die from it, the actress, 48, said. You could more likely die from something else, but you could get liver cancer. You could get all these horrible other things.
The fear of dying so quickly affected the way Anderson chose how to live her life and raise her sons.
Now I’m going to go crazy, she jokes. I’m going to do every single thing I can. Every minute counts so.
Watch Andersons full interview with Entertainment Tonight on Monday. Check here for local listings.
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Male Celebrities With Stds
Although the news of celebrities fighting with sexually transmitted diseases is less known yet we were still able to compile a short list for our readers:
David Hasselhoff
He is considered as the punch-line of the modern day generation. Hasselhoff was considered a total hottie on big screen and television and earned a lot of recognition for his hot body and great skillset. His infection became public after his divorce in 2006 when his wife told out loud that Hasselhoff have genital herpes from the time before their marriage that took place in 1989.
Greg Louganis
Gold medalist of 1984, Louganis hit hard on the Olympic diving board. Later that year it was revealed that he was HIV positive. However chlorine is capable of killing HIV virus and his blood got diluted in thousands of water gallons, eliminating the risk for other divers. He became a public face for two things: being a gay athlete and being an HIV positive sports personality.
Tommy Morrison
Hes an extremely successful boxer who supposedly had AIDS. Morrisons test results were positive for HIV in 1996. The same year in February he disclosed in a press conference that he contracted HIV due to a reckless, fast and permissive lifestyle. Morrison founded KnockOut AIDS Foundation to promote recognition and fund raising. In 2007 his results were negative for HIV. He passed away in 2013 and his death may be associated with HIV/AIDS because his mom claimed he was HIV positive whereas his wife denied it altogether.
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How To Prevent Hepatitis C
Cured of hepatitis C, however, doesnt mean immune. Hepatitis C is not a one-and-done illness like, say, the chickenpox. If you engage in the same behaviors that led to your hepatitis C infection the first time, you are likely to find yourself back in the same predicament.
Prevention, then, is all about avoiding that list of things that cause the viral infection. That means being super cautious with any activity that involves blood contact, including not sharing needles if you use drugs, avoiding tattoos and piercings at places that do not practice proper hygiene with the equipment, and only using your own personal items like razors and toothbrushes at home. Safe sex is recommended .
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‘orange Is The New Black’ Actor Natasha Lyonne
Natasha Lyonne told Entertainment Weekly in March 2012 that she discovered she had hepatitis C in 2005, when she was admitted to a hospital with a variety of health concerns. The actress has been open about her past heroin abuse, and says she’s been clean and sober since attending rehab in 2006. Lyonnes experiences have helped inform her performance on the Netflix show Orange Is the New Black, on which she plays a character who struggles with addiction.
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Soap Opera Actor Christopher Kennedy Lawford
Christopher Lawford, the son of President Kennedy’s sister Pat, is an actor who’s appeared on soap operas such as All My Children and General Hospital. He also authored a book, Symptoms of Withdrawal: A Memoir of Snapshots and Redemption, that detailed his recovery from addictions that most likely led to his hepatitis C infection. Lawford was treated successfully with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Until recently, these were the only drugs approved to treat hepatitis C, and the treatment strategy was successful for many people, says Dr. Jacobson. He notes that people battling both addiction and hep C can be treated successfully.
Can It Really Be Cured
Yes, it’s now possible, but there are barriers. The FDA approved a pill that can cure hep C in December 2013, which has been considered a major medical breakthrough in recent years. Known as Sovaldi , the pill can cure up to an estimated 80 to 90% of Hep C patients in a matter of eight to 24 weeks when it’s used in combination with another newer drug, Olysio , which was approved a month before Sovaldi.
However, the pill cocktail comes at an extremely high price, which has sparked a lot of controversy. For a full course of treatment of just one of the pills alone, it costs more than $80,000.
Anderson didn’t disclose the exact drug treatment that she took to clear the virus, but she did raise an important point about how few people have access to the new treatments.
Will the drugs become more accessible in the future, as Anderson suggests? The answer is unclear, although drug companies and insurance providers appear to be working tirelessly to lower prices.
The New York Times explained in a September op-ed that government-run programs, like Medicaid, have placed certain restrictions on the drugs in an effort to control costs. For instance, some restrictions require that patients already have advanced liver disease before they can get the medication, or that the treatments can only be prescribed by specialists, like infectious disease experts.
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Aids And Other Activism
In March 2005, Anderson became a spokesperson for MAC Cosmetics‘s MAC AIDS Fund, which helped people affected by AIDS and HIV. After becoming the official spokesmodel, Anderson raised money during events in Toronto, Tokyo, Dublin, and Athens. Anderson became the celebrity spokesperson for the American Liver Foundation, and served as the Grand Marshal of the SOS motorcycle ride fundraiser.
Anderson has also shown support to the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces.
In December 2015, Anderson, a close friend of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society founder Paul Watson and a longtime supporter and advisory board member of that organization, became a full board member in order to further its efforts in opposing the hunting of whales.
In November 2016, Anderson starred in a video public service announcement produced by the National Limousine Association and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center as part of the Ride Responsibly initiative, titled The Driving Game, which aimed to shed light on the lack of universal driver regulations in the private ground transportation industry.
Anderson once again starred in a video public service announcement produced by the National Limousine Association in January 2018, this time in partnership with Promoting Awareness | Victim Empowerment , as part of the Ride Responsibly initiative. Titled The Signs, the PSA aims to continue to push for passenger safety and universal driver regulations in the private ground transportation industry.
List Of People With Hepatitis C
The infectious disease hepatitis C is caused by the hepatitis C virus , which affects the liver. During the initial infection, people often have mild or no symptoms, and there is typically no symptoms early during chronic infection. This condition can progress to scarring of the liver , and advanced scarring . Over many years however, it often leads to liver disease and occasionally cirrhosis. In some cases, those with cirrhosis will develop complications such as liver failure, liver cancer, or dilated blood vessels in the esophagus and stomach.
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What’s The Connection Between Hep C And Hiv
Both hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus are blood-borne viruses that can be transmitted through injection drug use. Because of this, a high proportion of adults at risk of HIV may be at risk of infection for both diseases. According to the CDC, about a quarter of all HIV-positive people in the U.S. are “co-infected” with hepatitis C.
The hep C infection also tends to progress more quickly into liver damage in HIV-positive individuals.
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Pamela Anderson’s ‘death Sentence’ May Be Over As Doctors Prescribe Drug To Cure Her From Hepatitis C
The delighted Baywatch star said she felt ‘blessed’ after hearing she could finally win her 16-year battle with the disease next month
Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson could be cured of hepatitis C within a month thanks to a new drug.
The 48-year-old actress, who has battled the disease for the past 16 years, contracted it from sharing a tattoo needle with her ex-husband Tommy Lee.
Her doctors have prescribed a new FDA-approved drug regimen that eradicates the virus and has given her new hope.
She said: Im very fortunate that Ive had Hep C for about 16 years. Sixteen years ago that was a death sentence. I think it really worked on my self-esteem.
Even though I may have looked confident on the outside, I think it really was a dark cloud that lingered over me.
Thanks to the new drug I could be Hep C free within the month.
I dont have liver damage and I dont have any side effects. Im living my life the way I want to but it could eventually have caused me some problems and so it was a real blessing that I was able to get the medicine. Im half-way there.
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Female Celebrities With Stds
Jessica Alba
Alba is one of the most desirable, riches but at the same time infected celebs. It is thought that she got her herpes from the partner Derek Jeter. It has been rumored that that her ex-boyfriend, Cash Warrens employee used to get Albas Valtrex prescription filled regularly .
Pamela Anderson
Anderson is struggling hard against Hepatitis C. Back in 2003 she opened up about how she wasnt expected to live greater than 10-15 years after she contracted the disease from Tommy Lee, her ex-husband. However recently she showed determination to fight it back and get rid of the virus once and for all.
Victoria Beckham
Former band member of Spice Girl, Victoria Beckham is considered to be a Richie with the estimated $7 million ring on her finger. It is rumored that Vic contracted her herpes from one of the countless groupie of her husband and so she is amongst the top females celebrities with STDs.
Paris Hilton
Who is not aware of the glamorous and ravishing Paris Hilton? A prescription of Valtrex, used for the treatment of herpes, was found in Hiltons storage locker. Paris was the former professional heiress but was erased from the will thanks to her questionable behavior. Obviously it cost her 50 million dollars plus! And she dropped 2 spots in the richest celebs list.
Britney Spears
What Are The Signs Of Hepatitis C
Heres the thing about your liver: Its a strong, stubborn bugger. It takes a lot to knock your liver off its gamewhich is why it isnt easy to spot the signs of hepatitis C. The liver is a huge organ and it can compensate well, says Dr. Menon. Until you lose 50 to 60 percent of your liver function, you cant detect hepatitis C that easily. In fact, he adds, you can take half a liver from someone who is healthy and give to someone with liver failure and both people can go back to their regularly scheduled lives without a hiccup .
For that reason, many people do not start showing symptoms of the virus until hepatitis C has progressed to an advanced stage. Sometimes people come in and theyre in bad shapethey have liver failure or even liver cancer, says Dr. Dieterich. But most of them dont have symptoms at all. Instead, during a routine exam or while screening for another health problem, a doctors blood panel may show signs of elevated liver enzymesand early indication of the hepatitis C virus.
When there are signs of hepatitis C, heres what you can expect, according to the Cleveland Clinic:
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