Tips to Help with Treatment Length

Standard hepatitis C treatment length is 12 weeks. Depending on the treatment and certain conditions, some treatments can be completed in 8 weeks. Some treatments - depending on the patient’s genotype and liver condition, along with certain medical conditions - can last 24 weeks.

No matter how long your treatment lasts, it’s hard to look at the long haul. Since treatment experiences are unique for each patient, many patients deal with anxiety, wonder if they will experience side effects, and ask how they will get through treatment.

Trying to maintain normal routines and thinking about possible treatment side effects can be challenging. There are some tips to help with hepatitis C treatment length.

Focus on "mile markers"

In my case, my hepatitis C treatment was 24 weeks. I knew it was important not to focus on the long haul, but to focus on small segments or weekly target goals I called "mile markers".

The day I started treatment was a Monday, so Monday became my mile marker day of the week. Each week of treatment, I checked off one day at a time on my calendar. My focus was only on getting to my next mile marker day - the following Monday.

Before I knew it, I was checking off the first 4 weeks of treatment, and so on. Another mile marker was finishing a package of treatment meds. Blood work also became another great mile marker to focus on. After the first 4 weeks, I had my first RNA viral load test. My results came back to show I was making great progress with treatment being effective.

I continued focusing on weekly mile markers. One day at a time added up to complete another week of treatment and before I knew it, the finish line and the goal (being cured) was in sight.

In summary, focusing on mile markers helped break treatment down into doable segments, allowing treatment time to pass more quickly.

Where to start

I recommend designing treatment mile markers to help you...

• Whatever day of the week you start treatment is your mile marker day. Focus on getting through the day and check it off. Focus on one day at a time. Before you know it, you’ll be at your next mile marker day. Days turn into weeks, and weeks turn into months.
• Finishing a box of meds is a great mile marker. One down and less to go before you complete treatment.
• Blood work means you're charting your progress, which also takes you closer to finishing treatment.

The goal of being cured of hepatitis C is closer than you think when you focus on treatment mile markers. Remember, by an inch, it’s a cinch, by a yard, it’s hard. Focus on those incredible inches. Each one gets you closer to the cure! You can do it!