suggestions

[titu]

i am ahealthy youngman of thirty three years old.iwas tested positive heptitis bwhen idonated blood to some near and dear . ihave no problem at all. iam sitting in the sleepy town where  i could not get much help or knowledge from them . one interesting point is that ihave been vaxinated three years ago for the same. my querries are
1any effects on wife or any body who is incontact with you
2 is it contagious
3.natureof disease
4cure if any

[whybabe]

A good place to start is The American Liver Foundation.org or the Center for Disease Control.  HAving had Hep C I don't know much about Hep B.  Take care and good luck
Deb

[DownThisRoad]

Go to website:
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/b/.

This information will help to start answering your questions and informing you about Hepatitis B.

[oldhippiechick67]

Ck out the post below from Prometheus titled "antibodies" as he is in the same boat as you.  Yes, if its active its contageous, and I do believe those sites (the CDC.com and Liver something) will tell you more about contacting and spreading it, and cure.  But if you were vaccinated 3 yrs ago you should be ok, maybe its your antibodies from that which are showing up?  Help, where is ERIN???  Like I said in my post down there in Prometheus' post, this Liver/Hepatitis **** boggles my mind.  Just keep cking in here cuz surely some of our Mentors will answer you with better knowledge!!  Best to you!!  OHC67

[GI.PA]

Ah..the joys and tribulations of Hep B.

The screening test done to donate blood is a total antibody.  It will test positive if you HAVE Hep B or HAD Hep B (even if you dont remember actually having it).  It does not test positive if you have been vaccinated to it.  You must HAVE it or have HAD it.

Whatcha need to do is go to your family doctor and have a full panel done for Hep B which will allow them to tell the difference between HAVING it now (unlikely) or HAD it before.

If you HAVE it now, you are contagious to your wife (sexually).

If you HAD it, you pose no risk to anyone.  Needless to say you will always sreen positive for a prior infection and should not try to give blood.

Dont let the fact that you have been vaccinated confuse things.  They routinely give the vaccination without checking for the antibodies to determine if you need it (the cost of checking is greater than just giving it).


Erin
GI.PA

[lackalustre]

if you have positive surface antigen to hepb does that mean you are not a carrier??  that your body got rid of it?   how does that affect the liver health??

[GI.PA]

If you have a positive surface antigen (HBSAG) you most likely have Hep B either in active or carrier form.  When you body fights off the Hep B, the HBSAG is replaced by the Hep B Surface Antibody (HBSAB).

Go to http://129.106.232.27/InterpshUNTER/hepb.html for a great site on interpreting these nasty buggers.

Erin

[BobK]

Here is another site that has some pretty good stuff on HepB.

BobK



http://www.fpnotebook.com/GI66.htm

[Tim in Tenn]

I was vaccinated for hep a & b 4 years ago.When my doctor found the hep c 2 months ago she did a complete hep panel and found that the a & b vaccines didn't "take".So my advice to anyone that gets these vaccinations is to be sure and get tested to see if you have developed antibodies(especially for those with hep c as it is double trouble if you get more than one type of hepatitis)

[BobK]

Great site Erin...thanks for the link!!
BobK