Hep B with Liver Cirrhosis

[bee08]

I have been diagnosed with Hep B and Liver Cirrhosis stage 3. I was earlier diagnosed with HEP B and was under treatment for the past 3 months. I have been put on Pegasys and now my doc wants to add tenofovir. Today I got a Fibroscan done and the test result showed that I have stage 3 cirrhosis.
Do you think continuing my hep medications will have any adverse effect on my liver and the cirrhosis?

[panda2526]

Sorry, I see that you have hep B, not sure if this still all applies the same with the info I posted previous...I'm still learning, but I know that chronic B and C Hep have a lot of similarities in diagnosis and prognosis when it comes to liver damage...there are others here with a lot more experience to explain if I have made an error, but as far as I know the staging/grading of liver disease in either case is the same.

C

[panda2526]

Hi there...this is something I had bookmarked due my husband getting a diagnosis of Hep C and finding out about his liver damage...it is a helpful tool when it comes to understanding the progression, stages, and grading systems used to determine the level of liver damage a person has based on their tests and scans and biopsy results...taken from the" Hepatitis C New Drug Research" site...

Staging describes the degree of fibrosis (scarring).

Fibrosis:
Stage 1 none or mild peri-portal fibrosis
Stage 2 peri-portal fibrosis with/without extension and portal-portal bridging
Stage 3 portal-central bridges but no nodular formation
Stage 4 probable or definite cirrhosis

Hepatitis has 4 stages.  Stage 4 Hepatitis = Cirrhosis.

Then-

There's 3 stages of Cirrhosis:
Stage A ("compensated"; not too sick)
Stage B (beginning to decompensate; complications beginning to appear)
Stage C ("decompensated"; end stage)

Doctors use something called a Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score to see what Stage of cirrhosis that a person is in.

The CTP Score is based on FIVE QUESTIONS.
You receive a point value (score) for each of the answers.

Here's how it works:

1. Total Serum Bilirubin
.....if Bilirubin is 3 mg/dl: score 3 points

2. Serum Albumin
.....if Albumin is >3.5 g/dl: score 1 point
.....if Albumin is 2.8 to 3.5 g/dl: score 2 points
.....if Albumin is <2.8 g/dl: score 3 points

3. INR
.....if INR is 2.20: score 3 points

4. Ascites
.....No Ascites: score 1 point
.....Ascites controlled medically: score 2 points
.....Ascites poorly controlled: score 3 points

5. Encephalopathy
.....No Encephalopathy: score 1 point
.....Encephalopathy controlled medically: score 2 points
.....Encephalopathy poorly controlled: score 3 points

Total your score.

Sum total score gives grades of:
5 to 6 points = Stage A Cirrhosis
7 to 9 points = Stage B Cirrhosis
10 to 15 points = Stage C Cirrhosis

A person has to be at least Stage B or Stage C, in order to get referred for an "Evaluation" for a chance at the liver transplant waiting list.  (Stage A Cirrhosis is not sick enough to think about a referral for an evaluation).

CTP scores and MELD scores are two completely different things.

MELD scores are use for allocation of donor livers

End quote...

Hope this helps. There may be other info out there I am not aware of, but this helped me.

Take care...C

[Viktor1000]

Hello I can advise you to read the stem cell treatment. Good luck to you.

[HectorSF]

I am afraid you are mistaken. You do NOT have cirrhosis if the liver. Cirrhosis is stage 4 liver disease. You have stage 3 liver disease. Lesser liver damage.

Yes, if you control your hepatitis B you should be able to stop the progression of your liver disease. Your should focus on this as cirrhosis is a very serious and sometimes fatal disease. The more your liver disease progresses the more ill you will become.

Since you have hepatitis B you should be screened every 6 months for liver cancer.  Patients with hepatitis B have a high risk of developing liver cancer (HCC). Liver cancer if not caught early by screening is a particularly deadly cancer. Something you don't even want to experience. I have liver cancer and it is the most difficult thing I have ever faced. I will need a transplant in the next year to remain alive.

Good luck!
Hector