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Need help to reveal my hep b staus to bf also some general Hep B questions
Hi There,
I am diagnosed half a year ago that I am chronically infected with Hepatitis B ( asian female, 28 years old, DNA 3.7X10 7, positive on HBsAg HBeAg HBcAg negative on the rest, normal C/T scan, level 2 (mild according to the doctor) on fibrosis on the scale 0-4).
I was really shocked and scared because I was feeling good except tired easily. But I am feeling ok now after I started entecair this month.
I asked my doctor how long I will be taking medication and when I will be able to get rid of this virus. His answer is pretty hopeless. He told me I will be taking medicine forever and it is not curable. I am confused. Because this is contrary to what I read online. I read the rate for people who have the same condition as me ,seroconverted (HBSag become negative) after taking entecair for 94 weeks is 8%. Maybe I am not understanding this seroconversion. Can someone help me out here?
My other big concern is I am scared to death to tell my boyfriend about it. I have been struggled every day how and when to tell him. I am afraid that he will be scared and leave me. What should I do?
From a random conversation before, he says he had the vaccinated for Hep B (the instance is my friend is asking who has ever had shot on their butt, he says he had when he got immunized against hep B). So I know I probably won't transfer the virus to him(am I right? how is immunization done here in U.S? He is born here). But I still feel really bad about not telling him the truth and now that I am going through the treatment I will take medicine every day, I don't know if I can hide this anymore. How should I tell him. Would most people scare to death when they hear Hep B?
Your help will be greatly appreciated.
I am diagnosed half a year ago that I am chronically infected with Hepatitis B ( asian female, 28 years old, DNA 3.7X10 7, positive on HBsAg HBeAg HBcAg negative on the rest, normal C/T scan, level 2 (mild according to the doctor) on fibrosis on the scale 0-4).
I was really shocked and scared because I was feeling good except tired easily. But I am feeling ok now after I started entecair this month.
I asked my doctor how long I will be taking medication and when I will be able to get rid of this virus. His answer is pretty hopeless. He told me I will be taking medicine forever and it is not curable. I am confused. Because this is contrary to what I read online. I read the rate for people who have the same condition as me ,seroconverted (HBSag become negative) after taking entecair for 94 weeks is 8%. Maybe I am not understanding this seroconversion. Can someone help me out here?
My other big concern is I am scared to death to tell my boyfriend about it. I have been struggled every day how and when to tell him. I am afraid that he will be scared and leave me. What should I do?
From a random conversation before, he says he had the vaccinated for Hep B (the instance is my friend is asking who has ever had shot on their butt, he says he had when he got immunized against hep B). So I know I probably won't transfer the virus to him(am I right? how is immunization done here in U.S? He is born here). But I still feel really bad about not telling him the truth and now that I am going through the treatment I will take medicine every day, I don't know if I can hide this anymore. How should I tell him. Would most people scare to death when they hear Hep B?
Your help will be greatly appreciated.
Ji Annie. I am sorry you are infected with hepatitis B. There is a forum here that is especially for hepatitis B patients and can be found at http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Hepatitis-B/show/223 . There is also a hepatitis B foundation and they are happy to send literature and answer questions. They are located in Doylestown, Pa. You can find them online.
Interestingly, if an infant acquires hepatitis B, he has a 90% chance of the virus becoming chronic. If it is acquired in adulthood that chance falls to 10%. Fortunately there is a vaccine as you already know. I hope you are vaccinated for hepatitis A, as well.
Wishing you the best.
Interestingly, if an infant acquires hepatitis B, he has a 90% chance of the virus becoming chronic. If it is acquired in adulthood that chance falls to 10%. Fortunately there is a vaccine as you already know. I hope you are vaccinated for hepatitis A, as well.
Wishing you the best.
Hi there!
Last year (Feb 2014) I came to know that I got hep B when I took the annual health check (paid by my company). I was a bit panic at the first time, actually, we are not well
educated about help B in Vietnam. I told my manager and workmates about my positive on hep B. I was totally shocked as they told me this is not a big deal. It is popular in Vn. Then I felt better. I came home and told my mom about my test result, and I came to know that she also got Hep B but got over it already (my uncles also got this). This made me think that I am alright. I didn't really care about this. To make sure I was in good condition, I went to see a doctor once per 6 months and took the virus loading test as well. I got around 300,000,000. This is the huge number but the doctor told me my liver is very in good condition. It means that the virus is not harmful therefore I don't need too kill them yet. It is a big deal when I came to Australia. There was a time I almost forgot I was a Hep B carrier. I am in a relationship and I didn't tell my boyfriend about it because I didn't think it is a big deal until I accidentally saw a post in a health forum about Hep B, I was panic as it is serious in Western society (my boyfriend is English) I felt so bad and guilty. For his good sake, I told him I got Hep B and didn't tell him on our first date. He was angry and had no word for me. I thought that my relationship would end here. But he told me he tried to accept this terrible truth. He got Positive on Hep B and the virus load is 3,000,000. He was panic as this exceeds normal. I don't know if he can get rid of hep B within 6 months and become immune to it or not. What I need to do right now is take care of his eating diet and help him overcome pressure in his life. I cannot get over my mistake. I feel so bad whenever I face him. I hope that your boyfriend doesn't experience the same as mine :(
Last year (Feb 2014) I came to know that I got hep B when I took the annual health check (paid by my company). I was a bit panic at the first time, actually, we are not well
educated about help B in Vietnam. I told my manager and workmates about my positive on hep B. I was totally shocked as they told me this is not a big deal. It is popular in Vn. Then I felt better. I came home and told my mom about my test result, and I came to know that she also got Hep B but got over it already (my uncles also got this). This made me think that I am alright. I didn't really care about this. To make sure I was in good condition, I went to see a doctor once per 6 months and took the virus loading test as well. I got around 300,000,000. This is the huge number but the doctor told me my liver is very in good condition. It means that the virus is not harmful therefore I don't need too kill them yet. It is a big deal when I came to Australia. There was a time I almost forgot I was a Hep B carrier. I am in a relationship and I didn't tell my boyfriend about it because I didn't think it is a big deal until I accidentally saw a post in a health forum about Hep B, I was panic as it is serious in Western society (my boyfriend is English) I felt so bad and guilty. For his good sake, I told him I got Hep B and didn't tell him on our first date. He was angry and had no word for me. I thought that my relationship would end here. But he told me he tried to accept this terrible truth. He got Positive on Hep B and the virus load is 3,000,000. He was panic as this exceeds normal. I don't know if he can get rid of hep B within 6 months and become immune to it or not. What I need to do right now is take care of his eating diet and help him overcome pressure in his life. I cannot get over my mistake. I feel so bad whenever I face him. I hope that your boyfriend doesn't experience the same as mine :(
We were all new to Hep at one time. It's about getting yourself educated to make informed decisions. For HepB, most find out by doing some test for something unrelated. I found out because I needed clearance to join the company gym. So you could think of it this way, we are the lucky few to know about our HepB and could do something about it instead of leaving it up to chance.
Once you learn more about HepB, I hope you hang around here to take a few questions. Try to build a support community. HepB individuals are the minority here. It feels lonely sometimes because most do fly by questions and don't return. I do this because I learned so much from this forum and I want to return and support the next person desperately looking for answers. Otherwise it's a scary road to take as a newly diagnosed.
Frankly, I don't know what will happen in 10 years. I'm just hoping to reach the status of an inactive carrier myself. I'll be happy with that.
Once you learn more about HepB, I hope you hang around here to take a few questions. Try to build a support community. HepB individuals are the minority here. It feels lonely sometimes because most do fly by questions and don't return. I do this because I learned so much from this forum and I want to return and support the next person desperately looking for answers. Otherwise it's a scary road to take as a newly diagnosed.
Frankly, I don't know what will happen in 10 years. I'm just hoping to reach the status of an inactive carrier myself. I'll be happy with that.
Yeah, that is correct. I am HBsAg +, HBsAb -, HBeAg +, HBeAb -, DNA is 37,000,000 copies. Sorry for the typo in my first post. Someone need to rename them something like 1,2,3,4,5 so it's much easier.
My ALT is 118, AST 77. It has been like this for half a year. I am on entecavir since Dec 2007 and will see my doctor again in March, hopefully it will get back to normal soon.
Thank you for your explanation. The doctor I am seeing didn't explain any of this to me. He just says I need to be treated otherwise I will be in trouble later my life. I am so thankful to the existance of this forum. I have read a lot of the answers you and others have posted. You guys are doing such a wonderful thing here. Thank you so much! I am much better educated of this topic than before. The more I understand it, the less scared I am.
Yeah, my doctor does mention from second year he will add another antiviral medicine to my current one. I am not sure which one he will add at this moment. I will ask him on my second appointment.
My boyfriend's parents are from asian country as well. So I guess he might be aware of the Hep B prevalence there and really all I can do is tell him the truth and hope for the best at this point.
I am really thankful that I am being treated while there are a lot more people who still don't know even if they have it. And also it seems like the field of research for hep b is promising. Can we hope 10 years from now some medicine will come out and cure us all?
My ALT is 118, AST 77. It has been like this for half a year. I am on entecavir since Dec 2007 and will see my doctor again in March, hopefully it will get back to normal soon.
Thank you for your explanation. The doctor I am seeing didn't explain any of this to me. He just says I need to be treated otherwise I will be in trouble later my life. I am so thankful to the existance of this forum. I have read a lot of the answers you and others have posted. You guys are doing such a wonderful thing here. Thank you so much! I am much better educated of this topic than before. The more I understand it, the less scared I am.
Yeah, my doctor does mention from second year he will add another antiviral medicine to my current one. I am not sure which one he will add at this moment. I will ask him on my second appointment.
My boyfriend's parents are from asian country as well. So I guess he might be aware of the Hep B prevalence there and really all I can do is tell him the truth and hope for the best at this point.
I am really thankful that I am being treated while there are a lot more people who still don't know even if they have it. And also it seems like the field of research for hep b is promising. Can we hope 10 years from now some medicine will come out and cure us all?
Is this correct: You are HBsAg +, HBsAb -, HBeAg +, HBeAb -, DNA is 37,000,000 copies.
How are your ALT? Is it consistantly elevated, normal range, or does it fluctuate?
Just from what you wrote so far, you are probably in the immuno-tolerant stage where the virus just replicates and doesn't do too much damage. Or heading to immune-clearance stage where your immune system finally recognize the virus as foreign and attack it and killing liver cell in the process. If in this immune-clearance (ususally takes place 30-40yo) goes well you sero-convert to HBeAg - and HBeAb +, or what most call inactive carriers. You may be able to get off meds at this point. But yes, your HBsAg is still + and although you are less infectious, you could still infect others. Chronic carriers almost never seroconvert to HBsAg -
If you are treating, with that high viral load, you may want to ask about combo treatment. Taking 2 anitvirals will cross-protect against resistance. Once the virus develops resistance to a antiviral is not good. It will limited future treatment options. Important since you don't know how lng you will be on meds.
Tell your boyfriend that it's very very common in the Asian community. You probably have more than several friends who has HepB and don't know it. Tell him that you you will be fine and he should take measures to protect himself. Check to make sure he is HBsAb + from his vaccination. And for future consideration, you will be able to have healthy children and that will not get the HepB virus if they get a couple of shots at birth.
Most people are not scare of HepB if they are educated. And educating other has to start with you. Take care and good luck.
How are your ALT? Is it consistantly elevated, normal range, or does it fluctuate?
Just from what you wrote so far, you are probably in the immuno-tolerant stage where the virus just replicates and doesn't do too much damage. Or heading to immune-clearance stage where your immune system finally recognize the virus as foreign and attack it and killing liver cell in the process. If in this immune-clearance (ususally takes place 30-40yo) goes well you sero-convert to HBeAg - and HBeAb +, or what most call inactive carriers. You may be able to get off meds at this point. But yes, your HBsAg is still + and although you are less infectious, you could still infect others. Chronic carriers almost never seroconvert to HBsAg -
If you are treating, with that high viral load, you may want to ask about combo treatment. Taking 2 anitvirals will cross-protect against resistance. Once the virus develops resistance to a antiviral is not good. It will limited future treatment options. Important since you don't know how lng you will be on meds.
Tell your boyfriend that it's very very common in the Asian community. You probably have more than several friends who has HepB and don't know it. Tell him that you you will be fine and he should take measures to protect himself. Check to make sure he is HBsAb + from his vaccination. And for future consideration, you will be able to have healthy children and that will not get the HepB virus if they get a couple of shots at birth.
Most people are not scare of HepB if they are educated. And educating other has to start with you. Take care and good luck.
He said he has vaccinated for Hep B when my friend asked who has ever had shot on their butt. But I am not sure if it's a general practice here to check people's anti-HBsAb turn positive or not after the vaccination.
I have hep C and was never vaccinated for A or B until this liver specialist told me too. As a child that is not a common vaccine that is given. I don't know what state you are in but you might need to check with the Health Dept. there. I know that my neice didn't get one until just here 8 years ago and I don't have a profile on you.
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