HepB

[PennieLane]

I had a possible sexual exposure... about 2 months afterwards i developed symptoms that lasted weeks: sore muscles, nausea, loss of appetite, headache..... I tested at 5 months for all forms of Hep and it was negative and liver enzymes were normal, now a year later I am feeling very ill again with SORE muscles, nausea, loss of appetite, headache, fatigue and Right upper quadrant pain... tested the liver enzymes, still normal.  Should I get tested again, is it normal for symptoms to appear a couple months after exposure and then disappear and reappear later on?  How reliable would a 5 month negative test be (considering i developed symptoms around 2 months if that is what was causing it...) I tested neg for HepC at one year, but they didnt test me for HepB....

Should I retest again?

Please help, im very concerned!!!

[congm]

HbSAb means in most cases that you had vacceinated against it ....Did u?

[meki]

Pennie --- I realize that you have had a sexual contact that you're feeling uncomfortable about. But you have to realize ---- NOT EVERYTHING that goes wrong with your body is a disease...

And not every sexual contact causes a disease.

Not everyone passes on diseases --- and not every disease is "catchable" through sex.

Sometimes your own body fights a war within itself - and it loses.

You need to seriously get your doctors motivated into looking at your symptoms and comparing notes.

I wish you the very best of luck.

And I hope that you let yourself forgive yourself for the sexual contact that you had --- and let it rest - because now it's all about getting healthier.

Meki

[PennieLane]

Thanks Meki! You were right once again, I got tested AGAIN and Positive HepB Surface Antibody, everything else was negative....

I guess it IS time to start looking else where!  Do you think whatever is causing it could have been sexually transmitted?  I never had symptoms before this?  I dont know what else i could even possibly test far as far as that goes, ive done basically everything....
maybe CMV? or maybe syphyllis, i tested at 8 weeks maybe that was too early for syphyllis, i heard that can cause liver problems if left untreated?
I just really tend to think it is some type of infection because i was completely fine before that event and now im not.... whats the chance its just coincidence?

Im seeing a GI doctor, so hopefully she'll be able to help me, the only thing is that all of my lab enzymes are normal for my liver, (except globulins were a little elevated, so not sure what that means) so no one seems to think that my liver is what is causing my problem at all, even though that is where all the pain is.....

I got a sono yesturday of my abdomen, I'm actually kind of hoping they find SOMETHING to fix, maybe a gallstone? who knows!  still waiting on the call....

Thanks again for everyone's help, you have no idea how much it helped me through this whole process, I couldn't have done it without you guys!!

[congm]

You can have HbeAg, the HBcIgM, HbSAg and HbC Total
And will come back negative and then have vccinated and foregt forever
My best wishes

[stevenNYer]

That's sound feedback by Meki.

Pennie:  If you can't get past the fear that there's something wrong, discuss it with your doctor.  Sometimes these could be symtpoms of anxiety itself.

[meki]

Pennie - I really think you're not infected with ANY of the HEP viruses.

I can't guarantee ANYTHING --- because I am not God.

But I can say - from your test results - you don't even have any ANTIBODIES in your blood.

I would keep checking in other directions --- and stop focusing on this one ---- Because you're wasting your precious time that could be spent getting the right information... and giving yourself the right clues or leads.

In all honesty - regardless of what you find - I'd get myself tested again in a couple of months if that is your fear ---- And sometimes the FEAR... The belief that you HAVE the disease will incur the symptoms of the disease.

Know that the mind is a very powerful thing.

BUT... I don't think --- with the results you've given that you have anything VIRUS --- HEP VIRUS, that is - Related.

That does NOT mean your liver is functioning properly -- Because HEP is not the end all to beat all reason for liver problems or symptoms of liver symptoms.

SO make sure you talk with your doctor.

There are other diseases or disorders out there that can affect your liver and make you ill.

Many hugs - love you.

Meki

[PennieLane]

Thanks congm.... that makes me feel better, my fear is that my body ALMOST cleared it at 5 1/2 months, but not quite and it reimerged now (a year later).... is that even possible at all?  Maybe i'm just being ridiculous.....

If i had been infected would Hep B core antibody (total) be detectable now?
I read it shows up right before the acute infection develops and persists for years after?

The doctor tested for that and the IgM antibody (which of course would be gone considering its been a year, dont know why he ordered that!!)

I think im going to get tested for the whole Hep B panel..... just to be on the safe side, and if nothing else just to make sure that i got the vaccine and am immune (if im not currently infected...)

what do you think?

[congm]

I have read in http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/b/faqb.htm#b7 that "HBsAg will be detected in an infected person’s blood an average of 4 weeks (range: 1–9 weeks) after exposure to the virus" ..... so that sounds that you have to forget about HBV as you tested at 5.5 onths which is mor and more than enough.

[stevenNYer]

Correct.  If your HBsAg is negative or non-reactive, you don't have HepB.

[PennieLane]

So the absence of HbsAg would rule out infection with HepB?

[stevenNYer]

Yes.  HbsAg means HepB virus replication in your system.

[PennieLane]

Do all people infected with HepB have a positive HbsAg?  Is that a reliable indicator?

[zellyf]

I'm not a physician so I couldn't begin to speculate and neither should you.  At the end of all the speculation you will still be left without real answers.  The answers are available to you in the form of the test.  Taking active measures to put this to rest will actually make you feel better than circular worrying. Best wishes.

[PennieLane]

what do you think though? im just worried about what the test will say...do a lot of people test neg at 5 months and then later pos?

[zellyf]

Because you are so concerned, you should test again.  If after 6 months you are still negative then you are fine.  I think you are likely having some kind of unrelated bug.  

Lots of things cause right upper quadrant pain.  Your other symptoms are also pretty non-specific.  

Get the test, if you are negative now then you don't have to worry about it anymore.