Your treatments for HIV and for hepatitis B or C should involve a network of specialist doctors.

As well as your HIV consultant, this should include the local hepatology team (doctors who are specialists in treating liver disease), virologists and, if appropriate, the regional transplant centre.

This may mean that you have to see several different doctors and nurses in different hospital departments (or even in different hospitals) for your HIV and hepatitis treatment and care.

There should be good communication between the doctors and departments looking after you, but if you are concerned that important information is not being passed between departments, make sure that you tell a member of your healthcare team.

Remember, if you are not happy with the standard of HIV care you are receiving, you can change and receive your treatment and care from another HIV clinic.

Many people with hepatitis use complementary or alternative therapies, either as a treatment for their liver disease, or to help relieve the symptoms or treatment side-effects.

As Chinese medicine has become more popular in the UK, some people with liver disease use herbal treatments such as milk thistle. It’s important to be cautious. The use of complementary and alternative medicines can involve risks. Always inform your HIV/hepatitis doctor and pharmacist of any other treatments you are taking, including anything bought over the counter. Some alternative medicines may interact with other drugs you are taking.

There is no evidence from clinical trials to show that complementary and alternative drug treatments work for hepatitis. Some popular herbal treatments, such as the antidepressant St John’s wort, can stop some anti-HIV drugs working properly (protease inhibitors and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, or NNRTIs). Large doses of garlic supplements stop the protease inhibitor saquinavir working properly and large doses of vitamin C have the same effect on the protease inhibitor indinavir (Crixivan).

There are many forms of complementary therapy, such as massage, reflexology, t’ai chi and meditation, that may be able to help with some symptoms of hepatitis, or side-effects of treatment, such as tiredness and aching muscles. Many people find that these therapies can be very beneficial in reducing physical discomfort or stress. Always search for a practitioner via a reputable agency such as the Complementary Therapists Association (CThA), which is recognised by the Department of Health (www.complementary.assoc.org.uk).