My diagnostic has been a weird one, I dont know if I should call it bad luck or not, as. I mentioned before, I was diagnosed with hep B 2 weeks ago.
My tests show positive S antigen, positive total core antibodies, negative e antibody and positive IGM core antibody, all the symptoms of a regular acute infection right?
Well I tried checking old physical exams and in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic I had my last physical to check my overall health, in the results I see that the hep b core antibody total came back positive, but let me tell you whats funny about it, my doctor then, never called me to inform me of this… I know, but it gets better, I have been vaccinated 3 times in the past against HepB, although the timeline of vaccines was not the best, my doctors scheduled those vaccines, and yes these were administered in New York.
I will attach pictures of all 3 below, tell me your thoughtss guys, I dont know whether to cry or laugh, this is the reason why I assume I was infected somewhere between 2018-2020, all physicals examns show no virus prior to 2020.
I forgot to mention here that @nina.le.bert did a great study on the immune system as it is exposed to HBsAg (Effects of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen on Virus-Specific and Global T Cells in Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B Virus infection - PubMed). The study here suggested that the longer you have hep B (and have the immune system exposed to HBsAg), the weaker it became towards the virus. This would predict that if you acquire it during adulthood, the immune system has a better chance of clearing it down the track compare to if you acquire it during childhood and your body has been exposed to the HBsAg for so long. Is this a reasonable interpretation of the study, @nina.le.bert?
Hi @many723, these seem to be vaccinations with the pediatric dose, which is about half the dose as the adult dose. If you were an adult during this time, it may not have provided the appropriate amount of protection and you may not have known if anti-HBs tests were not done. Even if you were given the appropriate dose, a decent proportion of people do not raise protective antibody levels after the full course (5-15% of adults - Hepatitis B Foundation: Vaccine Non-Responders).
Yes, a positive HBc IgM would suggest recent exposure, but would normally not be hanging around for 2/3 years. Perhaps some @HealthExperts could give a comment here.
Yes Thomas I was on TAF but I stopped because of lactic acidiosis shortness of breath and the rest. Now my GP is telling me to start taking it. Is it safe to start again without my liver suffering? Please respond
Antiviral treatment is much more likely to protect your liver than harm it, so it is something you should definitely consider. If you are having effects from TAF, then you should perhaps talk to your doctor about alternatives such as TDF or ETV.
I am also currently considering starting treatment (35F diagnosed in 2010 but probably had it from birth/as a baby/toddler). I live in the UK and the recommended drug here is TDF for females planning on having kids. I have read some posts here saying that there are no side effects from TDF for years on end but I am absolutely terrified nonetheless as 35 is still very young. Are you aware of any studies around TDF/TAF/entecavir side effects? I have a million questions and I cannot seem to easily find the answers I’m seeking.
These drugs have been in use for many years now and the safety of them has been well-established. I myself am on TDF for many years with absolutely no problems so far (I am 36). We do have a thread discussing side-effects here (Possible side-effects from antiviral therapy) that may answer some of your questions.
It’s also important to keep in mind that the virus also causes effects (liver inflammation and injury) that are prevented by these medications, so not taking them is also a decision that can affect your health.
AncaSD
It is my first time to interact with you and am happy you are here. Parhaps very important for you to note is that our bodies are unique and as such react to deseases and treatment in an unique manner. What we normally have are general guide, ie how majority of the people are affected/react. I myself have an upside story with Hep B infection and am still here strong for others.
Kinoti
Hello @Godsaveme
It is extremely important for you to be on anti-viral treatment, if the doctor says you should be. If the doctor says you should be on it, it means that the virus is attacking your liver and it is being damaged. So, the sooner you get back on antiviral medication, the better for your liver.
Speak to your doctor. There are alternative anti-viral treatments that do not have side-effects, as you have experienced.
Keep Ask informed on how you are going and what you decided to do.
Blessings
Dear Thomas Tu.
I thank you and the forum for the experience sharing.
I am still NOT under any treatment.
I am damn tired.
Extreme numbness of my feets and hands and needle like pain on both.
Chest and back pain.
Coughing sometimes.
Itching body specially head.
My HBV DNA is below 20 IU/ML and AFP increases by the day. 22 IU/ML
7. No concentration at all and my brain seems empty.
The doctor would not let me start treatment still!.
Mild liver fibrosis still exist.
ALT and AST are slightly on the upper limits.
Direct bilirubin is always high while total bilirubin is normal.
I fully understand the purpose of the forum and not to be substituted as a doctor.
But I would really appreciate your traditional support/ experience sharing on the above. I am confused and almost to give up.
Thanks for your question and I’m sorry to hear about your suffering. There is no evidence that starting on treatment will solve these issues as 1) these are not generally symptoms caused by Hepatitis B and 2) your HBV DNA levels so low already. As you say, this forum is not for specific medical advice and the best plan would be to visit your doctor to investigate the potential sources to your symptoms.
Hello everyone kindly asking if I am in a right truck or wrong, have noticed that the guild line of starting treatment is when someone have the viral load of greater than 2000 u/ml and hepatitis b antigen was positive
But in my case my first initial viral load was 825 u/ml and liver function
Creatinine - 116.2
Urea - 2.80
Asat - 34.3
Alat - 31.4
Total protein - 72.4
Ggti - 23.1 u/l
I also did liver scan and kidney which all the tests was Okey but I was put on treatment for TDF/3TC (Truvada) when I asked the doctor why I was put on treatment I was told that ’ it’s difficult to tell if I had the virus for a long time or short time and I was told to take the drug for 6 months and do a retest again’ 'now looking at my viral load and the guild line is there anything that I need to worry about. I will appreciate a lot for your response
I also don’t know but when I asked the doctor I was told it’s difficult to tell how long have been with the virus in my system but looking at the viral load 825 u/ml the doctor conclude that I should start treatment in old to avoid the progression of the virus and take the drug for 6 months which am still taking
In some areas, hiv medications may be more accessible or cheaper, due to strong advocacy and funding in the hiv field.
Dear Stephen,
Sounds like your doctor has decided that given your history, the advantages of taking treatment is greater than the risks. However, guidelines advise continuing to take the treatment if you are hbsag positive and not just stop after 6 months.
This recent research seems to indicate that the extra weight gain in TAF versus TDF users may well be related to increased metabolic impairment due to mitochondria toxicity in TAF versus TDF if I’m understanding things correctly? I mean it’d be an assumption but seems perhaps reasonable: https://www.metabolismjournal.com/article/S0026-0495(22)00273-6/fulltext
General disclaimer: This post is full of my own assumptions that I’m just trying to discuss and is not what the article itself says. Anyone else interested would just need to read the article and discuss their thoughts here
I think this test-tube study may not necessarily reflect what is happening in a person and I don’t have access to the article to see if the amount of change they are observing would have any reasonable effect in people (particularly compared to other drivers of oxidative rate change like eating a meal). Moreover, there’s no evidence that taking that supplement would help anything in people (as mentioned in the article). I would take both with a grain of salt.
That’s terrible that one would be prescribed hiv med for hep b. Maybe it’s the same. I don’t know if hep b meds that are first line of prescription are also used for HIV patients as their first line.
