for Veterans and the Public

Sometimes, the act of injecting interferon can bring up memories and feelings of your 'using' days. It might be difficult for you. Here are some tips to make taking interferon easier on you:

• Remind yourself that interferon is working to heal your liver from the damage caused by hepatitis C.
• Try not to isolate yourself while injecting interferon. It may be helpful to inject interferon around people you trust, such as family members.
• Talk openly about your feelings of injecting interferon with your sponsor, fellowship, and other people you trust.
• Remind yourself that being clean and sober is the best thing you can do to keep yourself healthy when you have hepatitis C.
• Get help managing side effects. Remember to talk with your doctor if you are experiencing any side effects from your hepatitis C treatment.
• Don't skip or change doses of interferon. Try to make the injections part of your schedule and routine.