How does your doctor know your treatment is working?

Your doctor will request blood tests to measure the amount of virus in your blood.

At set times during treatment tests will be done to check your response to treatment, to make sure your body is handling the treatment well and to intervene when necessary.

Your virus level will be checked at weeks 4, 12, 24 and 48.

The goal is to get a sustained virologic response (SVR) which means the virus cannot be detected in your blood six months or more after completed Hepatitis C therapy.

Bloodwork and appointments during treatment

It is very important that you keep all scheduled bloodwork appointments and the appointments with your doctor and nurse.

Will you respond to treatment?

There is no way of telling in advance if you will respond to therapy. Over time, on treatment, the virus may be decreased to a level so low that it cannot be measured by blood tests. If the virus cannot be detected in your blood six months after completion of treatment you are considered to be a sustained responder.

What if you do not respond?

Some people do not respond to therapy.  Also, different people respond at different stages of treatment, some earlier and some later.

Sometimes people respond poorly and it is not helpful to continue treatment. With the help of blood tests your doctor will decide if it is best to stop.

It is important to maintain a positive attitude. Remember, Hepatitis C usually takes a very long time to progress and the disease does not progress in everyone.

It is also good to know that at this time scientists are working on new agents for the treatment of Hepatitis C.