Hepatitis C Treatment One Step at a Time by Lucinda K. PorterThe following is from Chapter 2, Preparing for Treatment:

I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear. -Rosa Parks

Pretty much everyone is afraid before they start HCV treatment. You may be wondering all sorts of things, such as what side effects will you get and if you can handle them. How will the drugs make you feel? Will they work? Will you be able to work? What will this do to your relationships? Will you be a good mother, father, partner, employee, boss, caregiver, and so on, during this time?

Hundreds of thousands of people have gone through treatment, and I bet most were afraid. I wish I could say something that would make the fear go away, but I can’t. What I can tell you is that for me and everyone I talked to, fear diminishes after you start treatment. It’s like standing on a diving board for the first time, wondering if you are going to break your neck on the pool bottom. Encouraging words don’t remove the dread; it is the act of jumping in that reveals how unnecessary the anxiety was in the first place. Acknowledge the fear, and then try to focus on doing everything you can for a successful treatment experience.

Lucinda K. PorterLucinda K. Porter, RN is an author, hepatitis C advocate and health educator. You can read more of her work on her Hep Blog. Click here to learn more about her book “Hepatitis C Treatment One Step at a Time.”