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Many people who start treatment for chronic hepatitis C don't make it through the entire course of therapy because of side effects. New antiviral drugs are replacing hard-to-tolerate medications — peginterferon alfa and ribavirin — that were, until recently, the backbone of hepatitis C treatment. Even so, peginterferon alfa and ribavirin are likely to remain in use in parts of the world with limited medical resources.

The new anti-hepatitis C drugs also have unpleasant side effects, including flu-like symptoms similar to those affecting most people on peginterferon alfa and ribavirin. These side effects typically aren't severe enough to lead to stopping treatment, but they may erode quality of life. Fortunately, you can take steps to reduce the impact of hepatitis C treatment side effects. Here are some tips for managing the most common ones.