1. Stick With Your Doctor
Stay under a doctor's care. Although the symptoms of Hepatitis C can come and go, it's important to see your doctor on a regular basis once you have a diagnosis. Hepatitis C is a chronic illness. however, you may not need treatment if tests show the virus isn't circulating in your bloodstream. Although there is no cure for Hepatitis C, new medications make it possible for many patients to live a fairly normal life. However, your doctor should monitor you carefully because it can lead to cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer.
2. Be Careful With Alcohol and Drugs
Stay away from anything that can cause further liver damage. Hepatitis C is a serious and chronic inflammation of the liver, and can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, a potentially fatal disease. You should completely avoid alcohol. Acetaminophen seems harmless enough, but it may actually increase liver damage. There are other over the counter and prescription medications that can speed liver damage. Ask your doctor for a complete list.
3. Live a Healthy Lifestyle
Follow as healthy a lifestyle as possible. Meet with a nutritionist to plan a good diet. Patients with Hepatitis C usually do better if they eat small meals more frequently, and avoid spicy and greasy foods. Drink plenty of fluids and get enough rest. Talk with your doctor to put together a total treatment plan. Since this is a chronic illness, you will have to deal with it on an ongoing basis. Some patients benefit from psychological counseling to help them cope with having a chronic illness. There are also support groups available, where you can discuss your feelings with other Hepatitis C patients. Some of the medications for the illness can cause depression. If you're feeling down, you may need to take an anti-depressant.
4. Take Your Meds
Talk to your doctor about medications used to treat the disease. Although a definitive cure remains elusive, there has been good success toward reducing the effects of Hepatitis C. Standard drug therapy is pegylated interferon alfa and an antiviral agent called ribavirin. Interferon is an injection and ribavirin is oral. You may receive interferon shots up to three times weekly for several months. If the first course of medication doesn't clear the virus from your bloodstream, you may receive a second course. Research shows it is important to start interferon as early as possible. There are side effects from these drugs, including muscle aches, tiredness and nausea.
