I’m so glad seeing and other people sharing their stories on this post, and the very insightful and helpful explanations we are receiving from @availlant and @ThomasTu I feel so much better during the last 1-2 weeks, mentally I mean, nothing compared to the panic and shock that I went through when I was first diagnosed.
Now, a little update on my situation. The pain in the right upper abdomen area persists, it’s not sharp but rather dull, when I walk for more than half and hour or lift heavy boxes at work, the pain intensifies and spreads from the right upper side to the lower abdomen and sometimes it hits me on the waist area. The previous week I went to my GP and asked him first, to push things so I get appointment with gastroenterologist sooner and second, to prescribe me something stronger than ibuprofen and paracetamol for the pain. He prescribed me codeine 30mg, which I took for couple of days, but first it made me very sleepy and second, it didn’t do huge difference with the pain, I could still feel it in the before mentioned areas. To mention that, I am very careful with my eating, try to consume as much vegetables and healthy foods as possible, and I drink a lot of water, so the discomfort I feel is not based on bad eating or something.
Also, I ordered a home kit blood test for hep B, and I did it hoping that it might come negative, but nope - I’m still infected and I have the virus. Good news now, I finally got an appointment for ultrasound for next Friday! Of course, I am still worried of what it might show, but at least it’s a step forward for seeing what’s happening inside my abdomen, not knowing is worst. Cross fingers that everything will be OK.
I do like to ask something
If the infection is acute, how can you tell that your body is fighting the virus and recovers? Maybe the pain indicates that my liver or whatever, is battling with the hep b? Also, isn’t the my very low viral load an indicator of slow recovery?
Dear @Javer,
Thanks for keeping us updated and great to hear that you’re getting the support and care that you need to get through this. I hope talking about it on this forum is helping a bit to share the burden.
Unfortunately, I’m not sure there is a 100% dependable way of knowing if there is recovery until it happens (HBsAg becomes negative).
THomas
Thanks. I touching and encouraging. I too soon made a will to my loved ones just because my doctors had less information/ knowledge about hbv.
Thank God this community has helped me much through psychological support without taking medication.
Maybe if I can ask, do you live normal life free from pain?. Do u ever eat fried food most especially meat. Because this is shattered me out a lot since evey food I eat goes through oil.
May Thanks
Hallo @Opa and wellcome into this lovely group. I am sorry to hear that you are going through this too, but trust me, it’s not the end of the world.
Little update on my case. Since I was diagnosed (2-3 months ago), I’ve visited my GP 7 or 8 times, and still haven’t been seen by a hepatologist, in the UK things just work really slow. I had though an ultrasound scan a week ago and it showed that my liver is perfectly fine. However, they couldnt tell where the pain in the abdomen is coming from, the ultrasound didn’t show anything abnormal in the area. Now I’m trying to get and MRI scan to see more thoroughly what is happening in there, however the last time when I visited my GP, he told me to do pilates and didn’t even prescribe me any painkillers. I’ll go back again next week though. Thankfully in the GP I’m seen by different practitioners each time, so I hope that some of them will take things more seriously and will refer me to a specialist who actually can diagnose and help me.
I still hurt tbh, especially when I do some physical activities like walking for a longer time or lifting anything heavy, then the pain becomes acute and no ibuprofen or paracetamol can help me. Otherwise, when I am relaxed and do nothing, the pain is almost gone, just some dull annoyance here and there.
Next week, I’ve booked another blood test to check how the hep b infection is going, if the viral load is up or down etc. I still have that very little hope that the results will be negative all together and I will have cleaned it, because I’m still in that window period of six months since I had unprotected sex (last September it was). But I’m trying not to get my hopes very high and be disappointed eventually. Actually, I’m OK with the new condition and I want to live my life normally as before, it’s just that abdominal pain that annoys me and I hope to resolve this problem soon.
Hello @Javer
I read you took Codeine for pain. I also took only codeine and it did not work, but I was prescribed codeine with paracetamol and found that that worked well. Hope this helps and your pain resolves quickly.
There has been nothing that has helped with pain for me. In the last 4 years my pain has worsened. I’m in the united states and things have progressed very fast but the medical system has not. I have to have a referral then they have to schedule an appointment which is usually a month or so out of my liver was damaged by hep b snow I have cirrhosis of the liver now that’s caused my kidneys to fail and now it’s effecting my lungs. I didn’t know 4 years ago that I had hep b went in for pain and was sent for colonoscopy and endoscopy and came out with these conditions we have a severe shortage of doctors around here and they have not made it clear that this was the road I would be on. I hope you find something that will help with the pain. I haven’t.
LeeAnn
I’m so sorry for your pain. Pain is debilitating.
I wish I could do something to help.
Hi @Opa,
Just to clarify, most people with Hep B don’t have any obvious symptoms (which is a problem for diagnosis - only about 10% of people with Hep B know they have it). I haven’t experienced many symptoms myself and live a pretty normal life.
Re: food. It might be good to go through these threads: Food, Activity, and habits alternatives guid and Lifestyle changes, nutrition, and supplements for hep b - #34 by Jason_Escalera. It is not necessary to cut out all oil completely (your body does need some fats/oils to survive), but instead the recommendation is making sure that you have a balanced diet that isn’t too much of one thing.
[quote=“Javer, post:34, topic:5210”]
Next week, I’ve booked another blood test to check how the hep b infection is going, if the viral load is up or down etc. [/quote]
Thanks for the updates, @javer and @Davis2267. Sorry to hear about your experiences, but please keep us posted about your results. Wishing you both the strength to get through this rough time.
Thomas
Hi everyone, I hope you are doing well.
Today I received my blood test results and I would like to hear your opinion, if I should be concerned. For the record my previous blood results were the following
My new results are almost the same 1
Hepb Surface Antigen :positive
Hep B core antibody :positive
Hep B e antibody :positive
Hep B e antigen : negative
Viral load 2770 iu/ml
3.44 (log 10)
I still don’t know if the infection is acute or chronic, should I assume that this is granted and that’s why they don’t bother to mention it? I’m slightly worried that the viral load has gone up since my last test two months ago. Is that increase worth worrying?
My GP told me (actually texted me) that I’ve been referred to a gastroenterologist, but I don’t know yet when I will get an appointment. It might take up to 6 months.
Thank you in advance for your help. 
How do you know what your viral load is
It says so in the results I received today. 
Dear @Javer,
Thanks for sharing your story. The most robust way of determining if your infection is chronic is still testing HBsAg-positive 6 months after your initial diagnosis.
Your viral load is still relatively low and your liver damage marker (ALTs) is in a normal range, so it is not worthwhile worrying about this if you are feeling physically OK.
It’s great that you are being referred to a gastroenterologist. They will be able to get you more specialised tests (e.g. fibroscan to assess your liver health).
Thomas
Thomas
Hi Dr . I have a question I would be grateful if you could assist me. 7 months ago I had an unprotected sex. I had jaundice, weakness , red pimples and vision problems that gone after 3 months. I tested hcv and hbv several times all of those were negative. Last month I took another blood test for hbv and the related results were as follows:
Anti hbs 1000
Hbsag negative
Total core hbc negative
Hbv pcr negative
I was vaccinated 3 doses of hbv when I was child.
Considering the value of anti hbs and symptoms, am I resolved from acute hbv? Can I get married?
Thanks a lot
The test results that you have posted shows no HBsAg, and high levels of antibodies. You should be cleared of HBV if you even had it to begin with.
Hi @ryan,
I agree with @A7xImpulse here. From the results you shared you do not have hepatitis B and even better you do have a very high level of antibodies. Nothing should stop you from getting married. Please just a friendly advice, if possible try using protection because there are other diseases out there that you might get exposed to. I hope this helps. Thanks, bansah1
Dear @Ryan,
I agree with the assessments from the others that these results suggest no current infection with Hep B. Given that your anti-HBc antibody levels are also negative, this suggests you were not infected in the first place and those symptoms may have been caused by another condition.
Hope this helps,
Thomas
Thanks, for your comments.
I did full STI all of them were negative.
If I assume that was self- limited acute hbv, does this situation infect other people? Such as my future wife?
If your HBsAG is negative and stays negative, there should be no way to infect anyone.
Hi @ryan,
Yes, @A7xImpulse is correct that the HBsAg-negativity (and HBV DNA negative) means that the risk of infecting anyone is negligible.
The only situation where it becomes an issue is if you become severely immunosuppressed (e.g., receiving an organ or treatment for severe autoimmune diseases) where the disease may reactivate. However, this is very rare and can be controlled with appropriate measures (e.g., prophylactic treatment with antiviral meds).
Hope this helps,
Thomas
Hi everyone, im a singaporean male age 27 and i was tested reactive for Hep B Antigen and non reactive for Hep B Antibodies. Im currently waiting for the subsequent blood test to reveal if im acute or chronic, viral load etc.
Previously, i experienced no symptoms and the only reason i discovered this is thru a routine STD test. I had unprotected sex earlier in the year & im guessing thats how i got it.
Would like to check if i am asymptomatic, is it more likely that i will develop chronic hep b?
Also, i have seen online that 90% of adults are able to fully recover from this. Is this really true? or is this only for case where the person experiences symptoms?
I also have a new gf. we’ve been together for 2months. We didnt have sex but we make out & she did her wisdom tooth extraction last month. What is the likelihood she will catch it from me?