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181575 tn?1250198786

Our very own HepB forum

It finally happened.  We have our own forum.  I hope posters will stick around.  zelly, jack, come on down :)
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Avatar universal
I am a Hep Carrier and I just recently discovered this forum,I have been living in denial since I was diagnosed but I am beginning to take this very seriously because I now have a little daughter i am very crazy about(who is negative by the way and my wife is negative as well).First thing i like to know is do i need to do do anything special to be part of this community and how do i constantly get updates from the community.
I want to do everything possible to live a healthy life for my little girl.I have recently stopped smoking and struggling with drinking but I hope to totally stop that as well.I look forward to an engaging time on here
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Avatar universal
Hello everyone!

I am also now in processing for Malaysia and I am worried about my Hepa B test which I will be taking soon. I am working now in China and here companies don't take it as a pre-employment screening.

My question is what are the tests for Malaysia immigrant workers and what are the acceptable levels of the tests? I have been tested before HBVdna and HBSag i think then my doctor said I am okay not contagious but she still recommends me to take Livoline everyday.

Guys thanks for this site under MedHelp! I wish I can help too for others...

Best regards to all!
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Avatar universal
I'm on board. Wonderful to find this forum. As Steve says, talking about it takes away its power. To the "vets" amongst us here, thanks very much for doing just that. You don't know what a relief it is for us to have people who understand and are going through it like most of us here are.

I have learned so much from here over the last three weeks, much more than what I have ever known in the last twenty years after discovering my condition. It makes it all the more easier for me to understand my doctor and to ask some pertinent questions my condition and treatment. Thanks again.
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Avatar universal
just checking back to give update.. i was able to get a medical clearance and my papers are now working its way into the government agency for approval.. im bound to malaysia at the end of this month for employment.  
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181575 tn?1250198786
FirstG: Welcome.  Check in from time to time and let us know how you are doing.

Zelly: Still up, wait it may be still early for you.

Me:  Tired, almost 2am, ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
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Avatar universal
Well, that's a good place to be if you have to have HepB...just beware that "inactive" doesn't actually mean inactive...it means you have very low viral activity but it *is* there.  Please continue to regularly check your viral load and liver function as chronic inactive doesn't necessarily mean low activity forever.  You can experience flares or other kinds of activity.  Or not.  You just have to watch.  Best!
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Avatar universal
Thanks for the warm welcome.  Yep no one wants to join this forum but its something that you would be thankful to have when you have this s*it.

As expected my doctor branded me "chronic inactive carrier" by virtue of a low viral count and gave me clearance to be employed as engineer.  I will undergo another series of medical for employment purpose this week and im hoping that the doctor's clearance will get me through the embassy requirements.

I will give another update.  More power to all!
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181575 tn?1250198786
See separate thread that I created for you.
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181575 tn?1250198786
If your partner get vaccinated and develop immunity to HepB, you have nothing to worry about.  You could have unprotected sex with her and have children.  Since she is immuned to HepB and won't have the virus in her system, there is no risk to infect the newborn at delivery.

The question you need to ask your doctor is, if you are taking antiviral(s), should you stop and how long to wait before trying with your partner to conceive.  This you need to discuss with your  doctor.

Good luck.
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Avatar universal
I think I'm seeing your dilemma...your concern is that if you can't have unprotected sex then you can't get her pregnant.  That's a good question and I'm not sure how that works.  The good news is that most people respond to the vaccine and are therefore protected and you would be able to have unprotected sex.
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Avatar universal
i mean, uninfected of course... (?)
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Avatar universal
if she responds to the shots, that means we can still have children?
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Avatar universal
I am a massage therapy student currently researching hepatitis for a presentation in my pathology class and i have a few questions for you guys, if you are up to answering them that would be great! Do you guys enjoy getting massages or do you think it would be helpful, having hep B, to get a massage? Would you tell a massage therapist you have Hep B? do you think it is important/relevant? What could a massage therapist do to make you feel comfortable speaking about this subject? What could a massage therapist do to help you...hot towel's, aromatherapy...ect??? your imput would be so helpful and i promise i wouldn't break any privacy issues.
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Avatar universal
After your partner finishes the vaccination series then she needs to have her titers done to show that she responded to the shots.  It is possible to be a non-responder and have to do the series again.  After you've determined that she has responded to the vaccine then you don't have to use protection.

I was found to have chronic HepB during my first pregnancy.  I have three children now.  All of whom are HepB free.  

I'm a little cautious about sharing a spoon or fork that I've *just* had in my mouth but I have no concerns about an implement that's been washed after I've used it.  Don't share things that are likely to have trace amounts of blood like toothbrushes, nail clippers, razors etc.

Fight the good fight, Airwind, and keep stopping by to keep this new community active.
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Avatar universal
thanks guys. by the looks of it, as long as my partner gets vaccinated, we can have unprotected sex? im just wondering, what if we want to have a child? what are the chances? and is it safe to use spoons and forks that the whole family are using?

thanks guys, this group keeps my spirit up! God Bless us all! And I won't stop praying for all of us and our loved ones... :)
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181575 tn?1250198786
I think by talking (well posting in this case) about the disease, you take its power away.  You feel in control again.  That's how I feel.

That's why I think mutal support and community are so important.

Hopefully when this forum takes off we could say, hey we were there in the beginning to help start that process.  And not for money or even a pat on our own back but to take back the control that the virus tried to steal from us.
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Avatar universal
I appreciate your postings Steve. You've earned yourself our respects. And for all you great guys contributing on this forum, i say thank you.

With your help, i have come to accept my status and working hard to live a full and happy life. Every little post contributed by you guys has greatly enhanced my coming to terms with this ugly virus.

What could we have done without Medhelp giving us this opprtunity to interract.
Bless you all.  
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181575 tn?1250198786
"Guys lets stick together and make good on this."

For sure.  It's always good to take part of something new, something worthwhile.
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Avatar universal
Welcome! Its a club none of us wanted to join but the company is actually pretty good.  How were your lab results?
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Avatar universal
Hi Everyone.  Still a newbie in this forums and Im already looking forward to reading as much threads as I can to gather info about HepB.  BTW im HBV positive also and I just got all my lab result two days ago(HBVDNA, ALT/SGPT, Sonograph etc) and will be seeing my gastro tomorrow.  I hope to be able to work overseas so I will be asking my doctor if I can be given clearance as im not working in a highrisk field.  (im an engineer working involved in design stages)

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181575 tn?1250198786
Good post by zelly and jack.  Glad to see you both on board!

I think zelly and jack gave you the feedback you asked about.  If those around you are vaccinated and immune, you don't have to worry about being infectious.  As long as you have HepB (surface antigen positive), you could infect those who are not immuned.  The disease cycle usually reach a point of being an inactive disease, which is LESS infectious.

What is the specific reason why your doctor and you decided to treat?

What are your other HepB markers, DNA count, and ALT ?

And why with just lamivudine, since most don't use as a monotherapy anymore due to resistance concern?

Reason why I ask is that there are situations where lamivudine shouldn't be used.  Such as , if you are in immunotolerant stage and have a huge viral load and normal ALT, you shouldn't treat with lamivudine.
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Avatar universal
You stated your first goal is to become non-infectious coz you are scared for your love ones. Good thought man! Our love ones and all people we come into contact with must be protected.
The goodnews about this disease is that, it can not be spread through casual contact and more importantly not by way of sneezing too.

I pray that your treatment works-out perfectly.

Hep B has no cure. Treatment is aimed towards reducing viral load to minimum levels, if possible to undetectable.

Zellyf has spelt it clear that about 1% of chronic infectected people will clear the virus.  It is very important to help a disease liver function better by not stressing it.
Avoid alchol, cut down on meat and dairy products, smoking and seek your GP's advice on over the counter medications. Medication that digest and stored  in the liver can be harmful. Check on the long list on the web.

Having said this monitring your liver with your hepatologist is mandatory. If  we do all the right things, we might live to be a hundred.
Good luck.


  
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Avatar universal
I'm  on board! This is great, feels like being at home. Great job Medhelp. Guys lets stick together and make good on this.
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Avatar universal
Who are you concerned about primarily?  Children? Parents? Spouse? Siblings?

There are a lot of factors that would affect how infectious you are but in general you will not infect people through casual contact.  I was married for a few years before I learned I had chronic HepB and my husband was not infected.  My parents and grandparents, with whom I lived (I was likely infected as a child) and who cared for me from in birth through adolescence, are not infected.  To the best of my knowledge, my brother is not infected either.  My three children are not infected although in that case I was able to do things to decrease the likelihood of infecting them.

About 1% of chronically infected people will clear the disease.  There's a flicker.  Even better...most chronically infected people lead full and happy lives and die of something other than liver related problems. Careful monitoring and well considered treatment options increase the odds of a happy outcome.  Why settle for a flicker when you can have the whole flame?  

Best,
zellyf
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