Disease Progression

Chronic hepatitis C damages liver cells. Over time, this damage can lead to scarring of the liver (cirrhosis), which can keep the liver from functioning correctly.

Eat Healthy, Stay Away from Alcohol. Alcohol use and an unhealthy diet can worsen your condition. By eating healthily and avoiding alcohol, you may help prevent damage to the remaining healthy liver cells.

Get Treated. Unless your body has fought off the hepatitis C infection on its own, which happens in only 15% of cases, treatment may be needed to control it. Because the disease can get worse over time, it is very important to seek proper treatment and care from your doctor.

The goal of treatment is to eliminate the virus from your body. The sooner this happens, the sooner progression of liver disease can be stopped. Without treatment, the risk of developing cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease increases. You may want to watch our video "Hepatitis C Risk Factors" for more information.

Consult your doctor regarding your specific nutritional needs before making any changes in your diet.

You can turn to The Be In Charge® Program for a vast amount of additional information and support as you manage your hepatitis C treatment. Sign up now for this tremendous support tool.

To get started, please choose one of the following:   I have been diagnosed with hepatitis C, but haven't started treatment yet I am on treatment for hepatitis C     * Note: If you or someone you know may be at risk for hepatitis C, please visit www.peg-intron.com See Instructions   Select one of the choices above and click "Next"

How did you come to know that you have hepatitis C? Routine physical Symptoms Blood bank Other