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"Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still." —Chinese Proverb
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Communicating With Family and Friends Whom should you talk to and what should you say to them about hepatitis C and your treatment? Each person's life is part of a complex web of interactions with others. There is no one piece of advice that will fit all situations. However, with thought and planning you can develop a strategy to communicate specific information to the people you choose in a way that is most productive.

Whom Should I Tell About Hepatitis C and My Treatment?

Your condition and your treatment plan could be kept exclusively between you and your healthcare team. However, you may want to let others in your life know about your progress so that you can have support and assistance during this time. Everyone who is close to you should be mindful of household safety concerns, but the level of each person's involvement with your condition and treatment is a choice that you need to make.

When deciding whom you should tell, consider the following questions:

  • Will talking to this person help me feel better? Putting this question first isn't being selfish-it's simply a matter of placing the emphasis on your treatment. The people who care about you want you to be healthy above anything else. Everyone is working for the same result.
  • Will this person's role within my family or circle of friends need to change because of my treatment? Hepatitis C and its treatment often cause changes in the dynamics of relationships. Roles or rules may need to shift-and you may have to ask for what you want or need. Try to keep the emphasis on specific actions ("I need you to go to the store for me" or "Can you stay awhile?") rather than vague requests ("You have to be more helpful").
  • How does this person's approach to health and illness compare with mine? Some people stay in bed when they have a bad cold; others refuse to cancel their 6 AM aerobics class just because they tore a couple of knee ligaments. Which of the people in your life match up well with your needs? Do you want someone who will push you to do more? Someone to help you slow down? Or do you need someone to simply understand and talk with you?

How Do I Explain Hepatitis C and My Treatment?

When telling someone that you have hepatitis C, or that you have begun treatment, you need to give them three things: the facts, time to think and adjust, and the opportunity for honesty. Find a mutually convenient time when you can both be relaxed and not rushed. Don't be afraid to use notes for your discussion-to help you remember all the things you might want to say.

Facts. The people in your life may want more information to help them understand what you are telling them. Review the facts about hepatitis C and about your treatment. You may want to print out or copy some of this information and have it with you during your discussion.

Some important things for people to know about hepatitis C:
  • Hepatitis C is a disease of the liver
  • It is spread by blood-to-blood contact (not through the air or by hugging or kissing)
  • It can lead to a chronic condition, which can be treated successfully, but not in everyone
  • Symptoms are not always apparent (eg, fatigue and joint pain)
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Here are some important discussion points regarding your treatment:
  • Treatment for hepatitis C usually includes a series of weekly injections, often with oral medication as well
  • Treatment usually lasts for a set period of time (usually 24 or 48 weeks)
  • You will need to have frequent lab tests to track your progress
  • During treatment, more symptoms may appear, even as you are fighting to prevent liver damage
  • Hepatitis C and its treatment may cause mood changes that require treatment
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Time to think and adjust. When you tell people who care about you that you have a chronic illness or are about to undergo treatment that may be challenging, they might react in a variety of ways. Don't overanalyze their initial reactions. There may be a lot of emotion tied up in their response—they are trying to process significant information and think about your feelings as well as their own. Give your loved ones time to think, and perhaps read about hepatitis C and its treatment.

Opportunity for honesty. If you want to continue the discussion with your loved one, let him or her know that the door is open. Another conversation may provide useful dialogue—an opportunity to ask and answer questions and to talk about what parts of your relationship may change. Often you can't handle all of these issues in your first conversation.

In addition, direct them to the Family and Friends Checklist for specific tips on what they can do to help you.

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Safety Information

What is PEGASYS?

PEGASYS is a medicine used to treat some adults who have hepatitis C and signs of liver damage. PEGASYS works to reduce the amount of virus in your blood, helping your body fight the virus.

PEGASYS® (Peginterferon alfa-2a), like other alpha interferons, can cause fatal or make life-threatening problems worse (like mental, immune system, heart, liver, lung, intestinal and infections). Your doctor should monitor you during regular visits. If you show signs or symptoms of these conditions, your doctor may stop your medication. In most patients, these conditions get better after you stop taking PEGASYS (see medication guide for more information and warnings).

What is COPEGUS?

COPEGUS is a medicine that works by slowing down the growth of the virus. COPEGUS should be taken with PEGASYS to fight the virus. Do not take COPEGUS by itself.

COPEGUS® (Ribavirin, USP) can be extremely harmful and cause birth defects in an unborn baby. Female patients and the female partners of male patients should avoid getting pregnant. Ribavirin is known to cause anemia (low red blood cells), which can make heart disease worse. Also, ribavirin can harm your DNA and possibly cause cancer (see medication guide for more information and warnings).

Who should not take PEGASYS and COPEGUS?

Do not take PEGASYS alone or with COPEGUS if:

  • You are pregnant or your partner is pregnant
  • You or your partner plans to get pregnant during therapy or within 6 months after treatment ends
  • You are breastfeeding
  • You have hepatitis caused by your immune system (autoimmune hepatitis)
  • You have unstable or severe liver disease before or during treatment
  • You are allergic to alpha interferons or any of the ingredients in PEGASYS and COPEGUS
  • You have abnormal red blood cells (caused by conditions like sickle-cell anemia or thalassemia major)

What if I am pregnant or thinking about having a baby?

If you are a woman who could get pregnant, you must take pregnancy tests before, during and for 6 months after treatment ends to make sure you are not pregnant.

During treatment and for 6 months after treatment, female and male patients must:

  • Use two forms of birth control (one being a condom with spermicide)
  • Tell your doctor right away if you or your partner becomes pregnant. You or
    your doctor should also call the Ribavirin Pregnancy Registry at 1-800-593-2214

What medication should I avoid when I am taking PEGASYS and COPEGUS?

You should not take didanosine with COPEGUS. Talk to your doctor about all medications that you are taking.

What are the possible side effects?

The most common side effects of PEGASYS and COPEGUS are:

  • Flu-like symptoms (including fever, chills, muscle aches, joint pain, headaches)
  • Tiredness
  • Upset stomach (like nausea, taste changes, diarrhea)
  • Blood sugar problems (may lead to diabetes)
  • Skin problems (like rash, dry or itchy skin, redness and swelling at injection site)
  • Hair loss (temporary)
  • Trouble sleeping

The most serious side effects of PEGASYS and COPEGUS are:

  • Risks to pregnancies
  • Mental health problems (such as irritability, depression, anxiety, aggressiveness, trouble with drug addiction or overdose, thoughts about suicide, suicide attempts, suicide and thoughts about homicide)
  • Blood problems (like a drop in blood cells leading to increased risk for infections, bleeding and/or heart or circulatory problems)
  • Infections (which sometimes cause death)
  • Lung problems (like trouble breathing, pneumonia)
  • Eye problems (like blurred vision, loss of vision)
  • Autoimmune problems (such as psoriasis, thyroid problems)
  • Heart problems (including chest pain and, rarely, a heart attack)
  • Liver problems (rarely, liver function worsens). Patients with both the hepatitis C virus and HIV can have an increased chance of having liver failure during PEGASYS treatment. Change in a blood test that measures liver inflammation occurs more often in patients with hepatitis B. If you have a rise in this blood test you may need to be watched more closely with additional blood tests.

Tell your doctor immediately if you think you or your partner may be pregnant or if any of these symptoms occur.

This information does not take the place of talking to your healthcare professional about your medical condition or your treatment.

Please see the medication guides and complete product information for PEGASYS and COPEGUS.

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