Choosing to treat your hepatitis C is one of the most significant decisions you will ever make. For many people, treatment helps reduce the amount of hepatitis C virus in the blood to a level where it can no longer be detected. Combination therapy using pegylated interferon and ribavirin can render the virus undetectable in up to 5 out of 10 persons with genotype 1 and in up to 8 out of 10 persons with genotypes 2 and 3. Often, treatment can have a positive effect on the liver—an impact that your doctor can see within a few weeks.
It may be tempting to put off treatment. The course of treatment can be difficult for many people, and it always seems easier to do nothing—to wait until a better, more convenient time in the future. But ask yourself these questions:
- Have there ever been better, more successful treatments available for hepatitis C?
- Will I ever be stronger, healthier, more ready to take on prescription treatment than I am right now?
- Is there a way to accurately predict how fast my hepatitis C will advance?
- What can happen if hepatitis C is not treated?
The answer to the first question is easy. There has never been better treatment available. We know more about hepatitis C than we ever have, and treatment has made truly significant progress.
The answer to the second question is up to you and your doctor. Make sure you ask the tough questions and get helpful guidance from your healthcare team. They may tell you what they have probably told many of their patients: that you'll never be stronger than you are right now—today.
The answer to the third question is difficult. You can have a liver biopsy to determine the damage that hepatitis C has done to your liver so far, but there is currently no way to accurately predict how fast your disease may advance. This is something that you should discuss with your healthcare provider.
The answer to the fourth question is straightforward. If left untreated, hepatitis C can result in liver damage, which can lead to serious conditions such as cirrhosis (in which healthy liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue) or liver cancer.
Read on to find out more about hepatitis C treatment, your decision, and its effects:
Treatment Options
Basics of Hepatitis C
The Course of Treatment
What Is Successful Treatment?
Test Results and What They Mean
PEGASYS and COPEGUS® (Ribavirin, USP) Treatment Video
Support During Treatment
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