Talking to Your Healthcare Professional about Treatment

Before visiting your healthcare professional to discuss treatment options, it’s a good idea to prepare a list of questions so that you make the best use of your time during the appointment.  Some questions to ask include:

• How much Hepatitis C virus do I have in my body?
• What is my genotype?
• Has the virus damaged my liver?
• With treatment, can I be cured of the Hepatitis C virus?
• What treatment options are available?
• What are the benefits and risks of each option?
• Do I have any conditions that affect my options?
• Which option do you think is best for me and why?
• How long will treatment last?
• What side effects will I have? Are the side effects different between the treatment options?
• Will my past medical history have any impact on how I will react to the different treatments (be prepared to tell your doctor of all the medical conditions that you have had or currently have, including any allergic reactions)?
• How will treatment affect my daily life?
• Will treatment affect my ability to work?
• What will the treatment cost and will my insurance cover it?
• What else can I do to keep healthy and minimize damage to my liver?
• What is the next step?

Download this list and take it to your doctor’s appointment.