Side effects of therapy

[Vireadeater]

Hi there,

I would like to discuss my Viread "side effects" with you. But first some relevant data.
Got diagnosed with Chronic Hep B in March 2011:

- Hbeag Negative
- Genotype D
- Grading 0-1
- Male

Started Viread (Tenofovir) in April:

- HBV DNA in April: 29.000
- HBV DNA in May: 45
- HBV DNA in August: Undetectable
- Hbsag in August: 30.000 (First time it got measured.)

So far so good, but here comes the "strange" data:

- ALT in April and before: Between 65 and 73
- ALT in  May after I started Viread: 93
- ALT in August: 93

Besides I have some "side effects" since I have been taking Viread that one could sum up as the typical symptoms of acute hepatitis b OR the side effects under Interferon:

- Pain over the location of the liver (on the right side of the abdomen, under the lower rib cage). I never experienced that before taking Viread
- Flu like symptoms: Muscle aches; Headache, Temperature, Tiredness. They come and go. Again I did not experience that before.

My doctor says this COULD be some immune reaction but wants to wait for the next results in November. Because she was also a bit surprised by the rise of my ALT since she figured it should have rather dropped considering the decrease of my HBV DNA.

Any ideas out there? Anyone who experienced something like that in therapy? Would be glad to hear your thoughts and opinions. And thanks for this community here!

Keep it up!

[stef2011]

after your other comments i have to agree your doctor is good, she is doing all correc tthings

[4est]

so, in my opinion the ALT increase is not do to the Viread, actualy Viread stop the increase (or it was only a coincidence).
65 in May, 73 in March -> a increase without Viread in one month
73 in march -> 93 in may -> a increase but posible not to viread  (we have 2 mouth )
93 in may -> 93 in August -> same level under Viread (2 mounth), no increase, so we can say that viread some how stop the increase.

maybe is to mathematical, but also this option desired to be mentioned  

[stef2011]

At the end of the day, is it good or bad if your body got rid of the hbeag?

better positive because you can respond much better to drugs and also because on hbeag pos hbv usually hasn t escape your immune system by mutations yet...so many more chances to clear

hbsag quant monitor every 3-6 months can clear what is happening with infection and immune system so i'd refer mainly to this test...hbvdna and alt just complementary to hbsag quant

[Vireadeater]

Both ALTcounts were before Viread:

65 in Febuary
73 in March
First Altcount under Viread in May: 93
Second Altcount under Viread in August: still 93

[4est]

ALT in April and before: Between 65 and 73 - do you have 2 ALT measure in April ?
If yes the first one was 65 and the second one was 73 ?

If yes, maybe you should consider and discuss with your doctor that the ALT was "naturally" increasing and the increase is not to Viread.

[Vireadeater]

Since I am new to the topic is my count of hbsag high and therefore good? But I am not hbeag positive I am negative. Speaking of, what I still do not clearly understand because of all the misleading information in the internet. At the end of the day, is it good or bad if your body got rid of the hbeag?