I need your help. I am co-infected HIV/HCV and recently started Hep-c therapy with peg-intron and ribavarin. I am very athletic and work out 5 days a week and use the sauna and steam rooms. I was wondering if the sauna and steam room could shorten the half life of peg-intron in my body.I do my peg intron injection on friday and use the sauna and steam room tue and thurs. My doctor does not know what to tell me. Should I avoid the sauna and steam or do you think it is harmless ? thanks and could you e-mail me the answer asap ?

Thanks Allan

Peg Intron distributes around the body spaces and the blood. The only concern is that it also is excreted through the kidneys and you may have some dehydration associated to the sauna. This could rise the levels in blood, and increase the side effects, or after hydration alter the levels. We do not know, really. You also are at the end of the week on Thursdays, and the level of Peg-Intron is lower by the time. If this is the case will be harmless at that time. I would reccomend you to be sure to be well hydrated on Tuesdays.

Good luck.