Aa
Maybe you can enlighten me.......Please!
I stumbled onto this website and started reading the post. You seemed very educated on Hep B so I figured I would come to you with some of my questions. I was first told I tested postive for Hep b roughly 12 years ago. I didn't have any further test done because I was told that since I wasn't sick and couldn't remember being sick I might have been a carrier and had nothing to worry about. Well fast forward to last year...I got pregnant and was told that my bloodwork came back positive for Hepb. I am assuming that since it is still there 12 years later I am obviously chronic. What I am so scared in regards to what this means for my future, especially since I have a little one. I have read that if you were infected as a child you are in more risk of getting sick later and your liver going bad. I read that if you were infected as an adult you will probably be fine but always test positive. I really have no idea when I was infected. I am african american that was born and raised in Texas. I asked my mom about it and she said she is not positive so I don't believe I was born with it...I could have acquired it thru sex as an adult. I have never engaged in any risky behavior such as alot of partners or needle use. I am just wondering what are my chances of developing liver failure or liver cancer? If I should ever need a transplant are the chances good for that? Are there some things that I can do naturally to keep my liver healthy? I read on one of the post that if you exercise too much that isn't good...is that true? I do exercise quite a bit but I thought I was being healthy. Are there any supplements that I can take? I already take garlic tablets, vitamin D, omega three pills and a multi-vitamin. I do have high blood pressure and take meds for that and thryoid med. I just am really worry and want to be around a long time for my family. Any advice would help. Sorry so long.
Glad your decided to re-direct your message to the forum. Knowing when and how you were infected is not that important. It doesn't really change how you monitor your disease.
The chance of liver failure and cancer are low and lower if you monitor your disease and treat it when appropriate. The reason why people infected at birth are at a higher risk for bad outcome is because the virus have more years to build its army and have a longer time to do damage. This is true of any disease, if you ignore it, it gets bad over time. HepB usually take decades to accummulate significant damage to the liver. So the further away from an "at birth" infection, the better. But you know this. HepB just became "new" to you again and you just in panic mode. We've all been there. But in the end, it's nothing you don't already know.
Once you learn the stage / status of your disease, you learn to monitor it and things will fall into place. It doesn't have to change your life. But do be friendly to your liver, like no OD-ing of certain pain-killers since they are hard on the liver, no alcohol, no smoking, keep a healthy diet, usual (even competitive) excercise is good, everything else in moderation. As for vitamins / supplements, ask your doctor to see how they are processed and affects the liver. If you are not sure, don't take it yet until you know. Lastly, enjoy life as you have another reason to.
The chance of liver failure and cancer are low and lower if you monitor your disease and treat it when appropriate. The reason why people infected at birth are at a higher risk for bad outcome is because the virus have more years to build its army and have a longer time to do damage. This is true of any disease, if you ignore it, it gets bad over time. HepB usually take decades to accummulate significant damage to the liver. So the further away from an "at birth" infection, the better. But you know this. HepB just became "new" to you again and you just in panic mode. We've all been there. But in the end, it's nothing you don't already know.
Once you learn the stage / status of your disease, you learn to monitor it and things will fall into place. It doesn't have to change your life. But do be friendly to your liver, like no OD-ing of certain pain-killers since they are hard on the liver, no alcohol, no smoking, keep a healthy diet, usual (even competitive) excercise is good, everything else in moderation. As for vitamins / supplements, ask your doctor to see how they are processed and affects the liver. If you are not sure, don't take it yet until you know. Lastly, enjoy life as you have another reason to.
Hi Texas,
It sounds like you are chronic if you tested positive for it 12 years ago. However you should definitely get more details from your doctor about what came out exactly on your blood tests. I would suggest you get yourself a liver specialist as they know the story and the regular PCP you have will not be up to scratch on the topic. The specialist will be able to test for certain things in the blood to tell what sort of chronic you are.
If you are chronic it's all to do with you wanting to keep your HBe antigen at negative. And to get your HBe antibody positive. This will ensure that you are less likely to have complications further down the line. You will also want to ask the doc about your viral load or HBV DNA. This is where the virus makes copies of itself. If this is low then this is another good sign. It should be negative or UND undetected.
However it's a clever and smart virus and can make fools out of all of us by changing. This is why you will find that you will need to monitor this condition regularly with a specialist. This is simply to check that it isn't doing anything differnet In UK we see doc every 2/3 months for blood labs etc. Even if it comes to be that your labs at present are not good then the doc has medication he can give you to get all your levels down to what they should be. HBV has come on leaps and bounds in the last 12 years since you were diagnosed. Don't worry too much, although I understand it's not easy. I have just been diagnosed last year and it takes some time to get used to all the info and jargon.
All I can say is that there are some very knowledgable people on this site. I hope they don't mind me naming them....but StevenNyer, Cajim, bberry, Nashpred are the guys who I have been talking with recently and they have been great at spelling all the details out in real idiot fashion. There are many more who if you read around you will begin to see know loads.
To put a more sensible light on it maybe, let me tell you this. My doctor at home here in UK doesn't seem to be at all worried about my condition. He is very matter of fact about it. He says 'you will get this down to negative levels and be no problem',
I would double check about your daughter's situation last year and that she received all the shots she was meant to have.
The basic details about HBV is that if you are infected as an adult, you have a 90-95% chance of clearing it naturally and becoming immune to the virus. If not then you are classed as chronic. Where as newborns have a 90% chance of developing chronic if not vaccinated within 12 hours of birth.
Britgirl
It sounds like you are chronic if you tested positive for it 12 years ago. However you should definitely get more details from your doctor about what came out exactly on your blood tests. I would suggest you get yourself a liver specialist as they know the story and the regular PCP you have will not be up to scratch on the topic. The specialist will be able to test for certain things in the blood to tell what sort of chronic you are.
If you are chronic it's all to do with you wanting to keep your HBe antigen at negative. And to get your HBe antibody positive. This will ensure that you are less likely to have complications further down the line. You will also want to ask the doc about your viral load or HBV DNA. This is where the virus makes copies of itself. If this is low then this is another good sign. It should be negative or UND undetected.
However it's a clever and smart virus and can make fools out of all of us by changing. This is why you will find that you will need to monitor this condition regularly with a specialist. This is simply to check that it isn't doing anything differnet In UK we see doc every 2/3 months for blood labs etc. Even if it comes to be that your labs at present are not good then the doc has medication he can give you to get all your levels down to what they should be. HBV has come on leaps and bounds in the last 12 years since you were diagnosed. Don't worry too much, although I understand it's not easy. I have just been diagnosed last year and it takes some time to get used to all the info and jargon.
All I can say is that there are some very knowledgable people on this site. I hope they don't mind me naming them....but StevenNyer, Cajim, bberry, Nashpred are the guys who I have been talking with recently and they have been great at spelling all the details out in real idiot fashion. There are many more who if you read around you will begin to see know loads.
To put a more sensible light on it maybe, let me tell you this. My doctor at home here in UK doesn't seem to be at all worried about my condition. He is very matter of fact about it. He says 'you will get this down to negative levels and be no problem',
I would double check about your daughter's situation last year and that she received all the shots she was meant to have.
The basic details about HBV is that if you are infected as an adult, you have a 90-95% chance of clearing it naturally and becoming immune to the virus. If not then you are classed as chronic. Where as newborns have a 90% chance of developing chronic if not vaccinated within 12 hours of birth.
Britgirl
First, read:
http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Hepatitis/HepB-Introduction--Welcome-Page/show/34?cid=153
Second, tell us your lab readings.
Then, we try to help.
http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Hepatitis/HepB-Introduction--Welcome-Page/show/34?cid=153
Second, tell us your lab readings.
Then, we try to help.
Well like most vets on this site they would probably ask you to give some more details about ur condition such as liver panel test results and hep b profile. If your not in pain or no symptoms associated with hep b then your considered a healthy carrier with low viral activity. But confirmation from ur liver function test would show that for sure. Most chronic carrier live normal lives while other require antiviral to help control the virus. You should get your little one checked for hep b. If you informed your doctor that you had it. After birth your child would of recieved hep b shots to help her body develope immunity and defend from hep b. You can look into milk thistle supplements. Those are supposedly healthy for your liver. Believe it or not dandelion supposedly provide good health. How true this is I am not sure. Ciao
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