After all the effort needed to remember to take your medications, you deserve a reward now and then.

(Patient:) "Taking my peginterferon and ribavirin hasn't been easy, but I take it day by day, week by week. In fact, at the end of the week, I reward myself for taking all of my doses of medicine. I usually treat myself to a scoop of my favorite ice cream. It's my own personal way of saying 'job well done.'"

Consider rewarding yourself when you take your doses as prescribed. At the end of each week or month, you might choose to have a piece of chocolate or your favorite candy, a night out at the movies, a nice dinner, or something else to reward yourself for sticking to your medication plan.

By giving yourself small rewards for your efforts, you may find it's easier to stay on schedule with your medications.

Of course, drugs or alcohol cannot be used as a reward. They will just do more damage to your liver -- and who wants to celebrate that? Both alcohol and drug use can also interfere with the effectiveness of your medications.