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"Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still." —Chinese Proverb
Taking Care of Yourself
Eating and Nutrition Contrary to what you may hear, there is no "Official Hepatitis C Diet." For one reason, nutritional needs change with the course of the disease. Also, what may work for one person may not work for another. Factors such as appetite, weight, and extent of cirrhosis must all be considered.

Should you go on a special diet? Healthcare providers generally advise steering clear of crash diets and food fads. The best diet is a healthy one that contains the right amount of essential nutrients and calories. But a healthy diet is more than just vegetables, lean meats, and fruits. A healthy diet should be balanced to provide you with the right combination of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

People who have hepatitis C with cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) have some special dietary considerations. If this includes you, then see Nutritional Needs If You Have Cirrhosis. Otherwise, you can follow these tips for eating a healthy diet:

  • Eat a variety of foods. If you eat a variety of foods, you are more likely to get the vitamins and minerals your body needs. To get a sense of how much carbohydrate, fat, and protein equals a balanced diet, explore the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. The food pyramid provides the basic food groups and recommended servings.
  • Stop drinking alcohol. Alcohol is a toxin (poison) to your liver. Drinking alcohol can lead to serious liver damage in people with hepatitis C.
  • Limit junk food. Every once in awhile, you might get the urge to visit the vending machine. However, everyone—not just hepatitis C patients—would be better off without foods that offer few nutrients and are high in fat. In general, the USDA recommends a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and moderate in total fat.
  • Cut back on caffeine and sugar. Some people reach for sugary foods or a caffeinated beverage for a burst of energy when they feel a sudden attack of fatigue. Caffeinated beverages and sugar are all right in modest amounts. However, caffeine can be dehydrating, and sugary diets—like fatty diets—can lead to other health problems, such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. If you don't want to give up your morning cup of coffee, then try following that with a couple of glasses of water.
  • Don't restrict your protein. Some hepatitis C patients believe that they need to restrict their protein intake to "help" their livers. However, protein restriction is recommended only for certain patients with cirrhosis. Eat plenty of protein in the form of meat, eggs, cheese, or fish, and do not adopt a low-protein diet unless you're following your doctor's advice.
  • If you are concerned about fat content, then choose low-fat sources of protein. While red meats are a good source of protein, they also tend to have high fat content. You may want to limit the amount of red meat you eat to once or twice a week.
  • Drink plenty of water. Drinking water throughout the day keeps your body hydrated. Drinking water before and after an injection may help you reduce certain side effects.

Talk to your healthcare team about your specific dietary needs, and don't make major changes in your eating habits without letting your team know.

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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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