Introduction

Taking interferon and ribavirin treatment requires a significant commitment of time and effort. It is not like popping a couple of aspirin to relieve a headache. It involves a lot of trips to hospital over many months, a lot of tests and you may or may not experience side effects. So, if youre going to put that much into it, youll want to give yourself the best chance of it working. It may also be very difficult to get the NHS to pay for a second course of the same treatment, if the first doesnt work. And as well as trying to ensure that it works, it is worthwhile making it as bearable as possible.

This section looks at how you can prepare yourself for it mentally, physically and practically; at tips for organising your life around it; and at ways of minimising and coping with any side effects.