If you have HIV and hepatitis C, you're not alone. About 1,000,000 people in the United States have HIV—1 out of 3 of these people also has hepatitis C. With the major improvements in HIV therapy in the last 2 decades, hepatitis C-related illness has emerged as a major health problem for people with both infections.
Information brochures for people with HIV and HCV
Combination therapy with PEGASYS and COPEGUS® (Ribavirin, USP) was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat hepatitis C in a group of people with HCV and HIV coinfection. This approval was based on a major clinical study that found that a significant percentage of people with clinically stable HIV, liver disease from hepatitis C, and no previous treatment with interferon responded well to hepatitis C treatment with PEGASYS and COPEGUS.
Your doctor and other members of your healthcare team who treat you for HIV can make recommendations about whether (and when) hepatitis C treatment should begin. Be sure to talk to them about your options and the advantages of hepatitis C treatment for your overall health.
What should you do? The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says:
People who are HIV+ and also have HCV infection should:
- be given information about prevention of liver damage
- undergo evaluation for chronic liver disease
- be considered for treatment (if indicated).
Why is the liver so important to my health?
- Filters toxins and waste products from your blood
- Manages cholesterol and other chemicals in your body
- Makes protein, bile, and agents that clot your blood
- Helps your body process HIV medicines
- Stores vitamins, minerals, iron, and sugars
- Keeps your hormones at the right level
You need your liver to stay alive, just as much as you need your heart to keep pumping blood to stay alive.
Why it is important you talk to your doctor about treatment today:
- Liver-related disease is the # 1 cause of death in coinfected patients.
- Liver disease progresses fast and you cannot predict how fast your liver disease will advance.
- On average, it can take approximately 7 years for some people's livers to develop advanced scarring.
What should I ask my doctor about treatment?
Hepatitis C medication is available for people with HIV. If you have chronic hepatitis C, ask your doctor about treatment. Find out if there is any medical reason why you cannot try hepatitis C medication. Also, let your doctor know if you have any worries about taking medication for hepatitis C.
What are the possible side effects of treatment?
Side effects of treatment with PEGASYS and COPEGUS were similar for people with and without HIV. Want to know about side effects?
A few side effects were more common in people with HIV, including anemia, other blood disorders (neutropenia and thrombocytopenia), weight decrease, and mood alteration.
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