A Guide to Hepatitis C - Treatment Side Effect Management - PDF

[Guest guest]

A Guide to Hepatitis C - Treatment Side Effect Management - PDF

Foreword

Hepatitis C treatment has dramatically improved in the past few years with the introduction

of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin therapy. It is now possible to eradicate the virus

in about 50% of people who receive HCV treatment. However, HCV medications have

many side effects, which can lead to dose reduction or discontinuation of therapy. According

to the National Institutes of Health Consensus statement on HCV infection, successful

HCV treatment requires staying on the prescribed dose of medications for the prescribed

period of time. Side effects that interfere with quality of life can hamper this goal, so it’s

important to manage side effects early, aggressively, and appropriately. The good news

is that the management of treatment-related side effects has also dramatically improved,

thus making treatment easier to tolerate.

Fortunately, there are many simple and practical steps you can take to avoid or reduce serious

side effects. A Guide to Hepatitis C Treatment Side Effect Management provides useful

tips to help handle the side effects of HCV therapy. One of the most important strategies

is to manage any side effects before they become serious.

Important Note: Report all side effects to a medical provider as soon as possible. Treatment

side effects should always be evaluated and managed by healthcare professionals.

It is important to remember that not everyone experiences the same side effects, nor are all

side effects necessarily severe. In fact, some people may experience few or no side effects.

However, it is important to be prepared for the worst, and hopefully your symptoms will

be less severe and easier to manage.

Another important component of successful side effect management is to establish a good

support system prior to starting HCV therapy. Peer support groups, family, and friends can

help most people get through the most difficult times during HCV therapy.

Many people have completed therapy and remain free of HCV. Just completing treatment

is a success in and of itself. I hope that this guide will help give you the tools to make a

difference in your life.

Alan Franciscus

Executive Director, Hepatitis C Support Project

Editor-in-Chief, HCV Advocate

Lucinda Porter, RN

more:

http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/factsheets_pdf/Treatment_Side_effect_Guide.pdf