The level of virus in your blood may predict the risk of damage to your liver. Since there is no vaccine for Hepatitis C, the most important way to keep from becoming infected is to avoid behaviors that may put you at risk. Use clean needles if you use intravenous drugs. Latex condoms during anal or vaginal intercourse may help protect you from sexual transmission of Hepatitis C. Also be sure to use new or sterilized needles for tattooing, body piercing and acupuncture. The bad news is that the traditional treatments for chronic Hepatitis C often do not work very well.
Studies show that the combination works better than alpha interferon alone.
Side effects of Rebetron include anemia, flu-like symptoms that disappear after the first few weeks, emotional or behavioral problems, insomnia, and reversible hair loss. Rebetron can cause abortion and birth defects therefore, men should not father any children and women should not become pregnant while taking Rebetron and for at least six months afterwards. Generally studies are showing that it is safe to prescribe protease inhibitors for people infected with both HIV and HCV as long as liver function tests are done frequently. Of the protease inhibitors, Norvir tends to cause more liver inflammation.