Side effects are common with hepatitis C treatment, and consideration of side effects must be part of your decision-making process. Making the decision to start treatment involves a comparison of risks and benefits—for example, weighing the potential side effects against the potential results of not getting treatment. Some of the possible consequences of not getting hepatitis C treatment are:
- Fibrosis: scarring of the liver
- Cirrhosis: severe liver damage that may lead to liver failure
You can also use our Treatment Decision Tool to explore some of the issues involved in your decision to start hepatitis C treatment. You'll get a customized list of questions to take to your doctor. For a broader perspective, ask your doctor about how he or she makes decisions about hepatitis C treatment.
The following are some of the most common side effects associated with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin therapy:
- Flu-like symptoms, including fever, chills, and muscle aches
- Fatigue
- Upset stomach, nausea/vomiting
- Headache
- Irritability
- Loss of appetite
- Difficulty in controlling blood sugar levels (which may lead to diabetes)
- Skin reactions (such as rash, dry or itchy skin, temporary hair loss, or redness and swelling at the site of injection)
- Trouble sleeping.
Possible serious side effects, which your doctor or nurse can talk to you about, include mental health problems such as depression, blood problems, infections, and problems with your lungs, eyes, immune system, thyroid, liver, and heart. If you encounter these, your healthcare team may treat these side effects, change the amount of medication you take, or stop treatment.
The most common side effect of interferon treatment is flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, muscle aches, joint pain, and headaches), which can be treated. Also, many patients find that after hepatitis C treatment is stopped these side effects diminish over time. Other side effects for PEGASYS and COPEGUS® (Ribavirin, USP) are discussed in the medication guides in easy-to-read language. If you have more questions, discuss these side effects with your healthcare team. Ask them to help you understand and recognize serious problems that may require medical attention.
Because each person's experiences with PEGASYS and COPEGUS will be different, be sure to talk with your doctor or nurse if you have questions about side effects. Your doctor or nurse will help you understand what you can expect during various stages of therapy, as well as offer advice about how to best address specific side effects.
Sometimes simple steps—such as drinking plenty of water every day or planning the timing of your injection differently—may help some patients feel better. You should always talk to your doctor about how you are feeling—even if you think that a particular symptom is not serious or not related to hepatitis C or your treatment.
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