Hep B and C treatment differances

[NashPred]

I am new to all this and have HepB and HepC. My Dr. said we are going to treat the HepC with interferon and Ribavirin. After or if, I clear the hepC, we will see how the hepB has responded to the tx and decide whether or not to continue with interferon of go to an oral med for the hepB.

My question is: What kind of tx is normal for HepB? What kind of oral med is used for HepB? Is interferon normally used for HepB also?

My hepC is genotype 2a with VL of 5.8 million and hepB is type A with VL of 189,000.

So much more info out there about Hep C than B and plus the HepC is going to be the one that I stand a good chance of getting rid of so I tend to know more about HepC at this time.

Thank you for any info you can give me.

[NashPred]

Thanks guys,

I'm sure I'll have more questions during tx.

Yeah, I just went last week to a bookstore and bought "Living with hepatitis C for dummies" they had about 10 different books on HepC, but surprise.....not 1 book about hepatitis B.

Thanks for the support. I hope to be more helpful as I learn more.

[stevenNYer]

Yes Nash, hope you stick around.

Your comment reminds me of what William F. Green wrote in his book, "The First Year: Hepatitis B".

He wrote:

>>>I decided to be proactive.  I went out to find a book about Hepatitis B.  The local library had nothing.  Then I went to several bookstores.  Nothing.  It felt like a conspiracy.  There were a few on hepatitis C  - but none for B?  I imagined the bookstore sold out.  After all, the total number of those with Hepatitis B in the world outnumbers those with hepatitis C by roughly 10 to 1.  Perhaps the books on hepatitis C were useful for those diagnosed with hepatitis B?  I was confused and felt alone.<<<

By the way, the book is a good read.  Although dated, it still contains lots of valuable insight and information.

[zellyf]

Stick around NashPred and keep us updated.  We're working to build up a community for Hep B patients and your input as you go through tx will be so helpful to someone else.  Best wishes!

[NashPred]

Thanks for the advice. I'm hoping to have minimal side effects from the interferon and glad to hear the treatment for B should be easier.

I'll let yall know how it goes. I should be starting tx in a couple of weeks.

Thank goodness for this board. There sure is alot more info out there about HepC than HepB for some reason.

[stevenNYer]

Well if you are treating with interferon, that will likely work with B too.  So you may be able to kill (rather control) 2 birds with 1 stone.

Once you treat C, check your HepB markers and go from there.

Chronic HepB is usually managed with anitviral, comapred with your C treatment, antivirals for B should be a piece of cake.

I did hear that there tends to be a dominate specie, B and C are fighting for territory on your liver.  So if you kick C's out, B may try to move in.  So you may have to monitor this.  So if your C goes down and B goes goes up, ask about treating B at the same time.

[zellyf]

I'm bumping this because I want stevenNYer to see it right away.  I don't know as much about treatment as he does.