treatment of chronic hepatitis c varies depending on the individual. a person with chronic hepatitis c may not need or benefit from treatment. some people may not be able to tolerate treatment because of side effects. currently the fda has approved the following treatments for hepatitis c: pegylated interferon alfa-2a pegylated interferon alfa-2b ribavirin standard interferon alfa interferon is a naturally occurring protein that fights infection. injecting more interferon helps the body fight the hepatitis c virus. pegylated interferon is usually preferred as it only requires a single shot every week and has been found to be more effective. this is usually combined with ribavirin a medication that combats certain viruses and is taken orally in capsule form along with interferon. a third class of drugs known as protease inhibitors is awaiting approval by the fda. if approved these may be added to the existing combination in future treatments. this combination therapy usually lasts between 24 and 48 weeks. many people do not experience side effects when taking the treatment but it is possible you may feel fatigue and flu-like symptoms. your doctor may stop the treatment if you experience too many side effects. other common side effects of interferons include fatigue muscle pain headache nausea vomiting weight loss and depression and changes to your blood cell counts. side effects of ribavirin include anemia skin rash fatigue and nose/sinus congestion. prior to starting the treatment you may wish to organize medical leave or reduce working hours in case it makes you feel ill.
what treatments are available for chronic hepatitis c?