Auckland New Zealand Support Group

General Discussion
1

Hi,

Is there any support group in Auckland, NZ? I am an acute case and I am so depressed.

2

Sorry to hear that, @GodisGood. I’m not too sure about the activities in New Zealand, but do make sure to sign up for our monthly virtual meet ups if you want some support from peers - May Virtual Meet

Cheers,
Thomas

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3

Getting a hepatitis B diagnosis is a shock, I know that from experience! But you say your case is acute? In that case, the likelihood that you’ll clear the infection is very high. In the unlikely event that you won’t clear it, hepatitis B is a very treatable condition. Moreover, researchers are working on a cure. I know it’s hard but try not to worry too much about it.

4

Thanks @Barry for that perspective. Agreed, there are many on this forum here that live close to normal lives with Hepatitis B. Also on this forum, there are multiple examples of people overcoming their acute HBV infection.

Rest assured that there is support, there is hope and it will get easier with time to deal with this diagnosis.

Thomas

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5

Hi Barry and Thomas,

Thank you for your support. I would like to inquire if it would be a good idea to get tested next week.

To provide some context, I suspect that I contracted Hepatitis B during the last week of December 2022. I began experiencing symptoms during the last week of March 2023, and I received confirmation of my acute Hepatitis B diagnosis on April 8, 2023. I am scheduled to see my doctor on July 3, 2023, but the wait has felt quite long. Can I get tested next week?

Additionally, I would like to know when the six-month countdown starts. Does it begin at the onset of the infection or when the symptoms appear? Thank you very much.

Regards,

6

Hi, I’d like to thank you for all your support and for creating this space.

@Barry @ThomasTu @Joan_Block

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7

Dear @GodisGood,

If you are feeling anxious about the wait and/or symptomatic, it would be a good idea to discuss this with your doctor about getting tested again to see if your body has cleared the infection.

My understanding is that the definition of an acute infection is calculated as 6 months from your initial diagnosis.

Thomas