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Managing side effects

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As with all medications, peg-interferon and ribavirin can cause side effects. Most side effects are mild and become easier to tolerate as treatment progresses but, occasionally, side effects can be severe enough to make it necessary to stop treatment. Once the decision has been made to start treatment, having a doctor monitor and manage the patient's side effects becomes a primary concern because it can help maximize the patient's chance of completing treatment. All side effects should be reported to healthcare providers, as some may indicate the presence of serious medical conditions. 

Click on a side effect to find out more about the condition, including cause and management.

• Depression

• Dry mouth (xerostomia)

• Extreme tiredness (fatigue)

• Flu-like symptoms

• Hair loss (alopecia)

• Headache

• Itchy skin (pruritis)

• Loose or watery bowel movements (diarrhea)  

• Loss of appetite (anorexia)

• Lowered platelet count (thrombocytopenia)

• Lowered red blood cell count (anemia)

• Lowered white blood cell count (neutropenia)

• Nausea

• Needle irritation (injection site reactions)

• Sores (ulcers) in the mouth

• Taste changes

Note: Side effects from the medications can be similar to symptoms of Hep C and/or liver damage. Check the information on Symptom management for more tips on how to help people manage specific symptoms. 

Revised 2011.

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