Dear all,
I (32 year old male from the Netherlands) was diagnosed with Hep B back in early November. My lab results were:
- Core IGM/HBCIGM: +
- HBCIGG: +
- HBsAg: +
- HBsAg confirmation: +
- HBeAg: +
- Anti-HBe: -
- Anti-HBs: not measured
- ALT: > 3,000 (a week later: 2,018)
- AST: 663
- Bilirubine: 136
Symptoms in the weeks prior to the test: major loss of appetite/feeling bloated, mild joint aches in hands and shoulders, a bit feverish now & then, a bit more tired than usual, eventually jaundice, dark urine, very light faeces. These symptoms all disappeared in the month after the test (because I also stopped drinking then?).
But since the end of December every now and then I go through limited periods of feeling bloated, feeling mild aches in my liver and (continuously) having very light yellow hands and eyes again (depending on the type of light I am standing in). I have taken a few drinks in December, and still drink coffee two times a day, I smoke (of which doctors said doesn't influence the Hep B infection itself) but furthermore maintain a healthy diet.
My doctor tells me the symptoms of October/November are typical of an acute infection. However, I wonder if an ALT of 3,000 may also suggest having been infected years ago, not experiencing symptoms then, but carrying on drinking (2 glasses a day, 6-8 during weekend) without knowing I had Hep B and thus slowly but steadily damaging my liver right to the point (at ALT 3,000) where it said: this is enough! Especially since I have also experienced periods of having diarrhea during the past two and a half years.
Doctors here are quite cool about the situation: you have Hep B, probably acute, and we'll see you back in three months time for a second blood test, have a nice few months. I on the other hand am unsure about how to interpret the test results I got in November and am panicing. Maybe someone can help me out? Thanks in advance.
Marco