Hello all
First contributor here. Apologies for not reading all the previous posts.
I’m a 43 year Chinese male living in Beijing. I was first diagnosed of HBV when I was 12/13 years old. Back then the doctor said no treatment was needed as: i) there was no cure. ii) many patients could live with it without serious consequence. In retrospective I regretted that I may have missed the best opportunity for treatment. But it was in the early 1990s and China was a very poor nation which meant the medical staff in a small town where I grew up lacked the proper training and I even doubt there was a guidline available to the medical staff like today. So as much as I regretted it, I could understand. Though no proper treatment from the said doctor, my parents did buy some Chinese medicine from a private firm for me that was proclaimed effective only to be proved later as a scam. Then in 1996 my condition was discovered to worsen after a medical check conducted by my university. This time I received a treatment suggested by a new doctor which was thymopolypeptides injection(I don’t know if it was the correct English translation). I cannot remember how long this treatment went on. I think it was probably three to six months before it ended. My condition was stabilized but without any material improvement. Suggested by my uncle who is a surgeon I turned to the Chinese herbal medicine afterwards. After taking the herbal medicine for probably one year my HbeAg turned negative. I believed those herbal medicine was working then but was less sure about it now(my attitude towards Chinese medicine in general has changed a lot during this period of time due to the fact that their working mechanism is not clearly scientifically defined). Around 1998/1999 I stopped the herbal medicine and have been off treatment of any kind till the Aug of 2021, during which I did do a regular blood test and ultrasonic scan annually though. The ALT has been within the normal range though what should be defined normal is open to interpretation among countries as I later found out. I just carried on as a normal healthy person without giving it a second thought only with the exception of drinking(I don’t drink. The most was a few cans of beers and one or two glass of red wine per year). A few doctors suggested I should take antiviral therapy which I declined. It was during this time my grandfather and a uncle both from my mother’s side died of cancer. One of them may have died of liver cancer.
Then last June my results showed that my ALT was abnormal. The MR result showed there were multiple small hydatoncus/cystis (I don’t know if it was the correct English translation) which my doctor said were fine, no need to worry about them. Later I reflected on what might cause the worsening of my condition: i) being over 40 years of age may statistically mean that my body is not as strong as it used to be. I read quite a few papers on HBV which placed patient older than 40 years of age as high risk. ii) I was on medication for a short period of time before the HBV test to relieve body pains after I got injured when doing some heavy lifting at GYM. And I also took a medicine a few times for insomnia as well. Those drugs may contribute to the results. And iii) the HBV inside my body is re-activated now more than before.
With those results and my medical history, my doctor strongly urged me to take antiviral treatment with Entecavir to begin with then interferon injections. She recommended the latter as a means to reduce the likelihood of progression to HCC after she learnt my grandfather and an uncle died of cancer. I also sought advice from a second doctor about the interferon. He seemed not so keen on it as the first doctor. Both doctors work in hospitals that are in the top ranks in China in terms of treating HBV patients. I have no reason to doubt their expertise on the said subject.
Now I have been taking Entecavir since then but undecided on whether I should take interferon later on. My primary goal, if I decide to go ahead with interferon, is to reduce the risk of HCC considering my age and my family medical histories.
That’s my story. English is not my native language. So please let me know if my words confused you. And I wish all the best to you all!
Li