Side effects of therapy

[Vireadeater]

Hi there,

I would like to discuss my Viread "side effects" with you. But first some relevant data.
Got diagnosed with Chronic Hep B in March 2011:

- Hbeag Negative
- Genotype D
- Grading 0-1
- Male

Started Viread (Tenofovir) in April:

- HBV DNA in April: 29.000
- HBV DNA in May: 45
- HBV DNA in August: Undetectable
- Hbsag in August: 30.000 (First time it got measured.)

So far so good, but here comes the "strange" data:

- ALT in April and before: Between 65 and 73
- ALT in  May after I started Viread: 93
- ALT in August: 93

Besides I have some "side effects" since I have been taking Viread that one could sum up as the typical symptoms of acute hepatitis b OR the side effects under Interferon:

- Pain over the location of the liver (on the right side of the abdomen, under the lower rib cage). I never experienced that before taking Viread
- Flu like symptoms: Muscle aches; Headache, Temperature, Tiredness. They come and go. Again I did not experience that before.

My doctor says this COULD be some immune reaction but wants to wait for the next results in November. Because she was also a bit surprised by the rise of my ALT since she figured it should have rather dropped considering the decrease of my HBV DNA.

Any ideas out there? Anyone who experienced something like that in therapy? Would be glad to hear your thoughts and opinions. And thanks for this community here!

Keep it up!

[stef2011]

people that clear hbsag on viread, very very few, have high hbsag like yours and hbeag positive at start of therapy

[Vireadeater]

@stef2011:
Nope, I do not have any other infection. In fact my high ALT was the only abnormal result of my last blood test. Everything else was fine. If I am clearing I would be more than happy. However, I do not want to put too much hope in it because from what I have read this would come close to winning the lottery. But then, someones gotta win it ;)
About my doctor, I do not want to put her into a bad light because she is really competent. She also mentioned that it could be a immune reaction and that she had some rare cases of people clearing it within a year. But I guess she did not want put any false hope in me at the moment. Even though she mentioned there is a chance of clearing considering the count of my hsbag. Anyway, she made it clear that we have to await the results in November...

@Izzy79: I only heard about the rise of ALT in therapy under Interferon so far. But maybe it also happens under nucs. Anyway, all the best for you and keep us informed. The negative PCR will come ;)

@all: Thanks for the discussion. It sure feels good to talk to people fighting the same fight!!!

[Vireadeater]

Since I am new to the topic is my count of hbsag high and therefore good? But I am not hbeag positive I am negative. Speaking of, what I still do not clearly understand because of all the misleading information in the internet. At the end of the day, is it good or bad if your body got rid of the hbeag?

[4est]

ALT in April and before: Between 65 and 73 - do you have 2 ALT measure in April ?
If yes the first one was 65 and the second one was 73 ?

If yes, maybe you should consider and discuss with your doctor that the ALT was "naturally" increasing and the increase is not to Viread.

[Vireadeater]

Both ALTcounts were before Viread:

65 in Febuary
73 in March
First Altcount under Viread in May: 93
Second Altcount under Viread in August: still 93

[stef2011]

At the end of the day, is it good or bad if your body got rid of the hbeag?

better positive because you can respond much better to drugs and also because on hbeag pos hbv usually hasn t escape your immune system by mutations yet...so many more chances to clear

hbsag quant monitor every 3-6 months can clear what is happening with infection and immune system so i'd refer mainly to this test...hbvdna and alt just complementary to hbsag quant