Side Effects of Hepatitis C Treatment
Pegalated interferon plus ribavirin therapy is often used in the treatment of Hepatitis C. This can cause numerous side effects including some which can be very serious and even result in death. Headaches, fatigue and upset stomach are very common but there are other more serious conditions such as lung problems, strokes and depression.
Most patients with Hepatitis C are treated with a combination of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin therapy and there can be side effects that can occur with this treatment. Some of the side effects can be serious and you should speak with your health care provider if you experience any of them.
Some of the more common less serious side effects are:
- Loss of hair (temporary)
- Reduced appetite
- Insomnia
- Rash or itchy skin
- Redness or swelling at injection site
- High or low blood sugar
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Upset stomach/nausea or diarrhea
- Flu-like symptoms such as muscle aches, chills, fever
- Irritability
Serious side effects include:
- High or low blood pressure
- Fast heart rate or chest pain
- Stroke
- Liver problems
- Inflammation of the colon or pancreas
- Inflammation of the pancreas
- Depression or thoughts of suicide
- Aggressiveness and thoughts of hurting other people
- Drop in red blood cells and other blood problems
- Problems with pregnancy
- Lung problems; pneumonia, difficulty breathing, high lung blood pressure
- Blurred or loss of vision, or retinal detachment
- Autoimmune problems such as sarcoidosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease
- Bacterial, viral, fungal infections
- Birth defects if taken during pregnancy (female partners of male patients should also avoid getting pregnant)
- Damage to your DNA
- Cancer