Hi @ThomasTu
I always trying to find a good open place to discuss this virus. Unfortunately it is difficult to find one except paying to doctor visit. But the conversation was very limited. Most of my question can’t be asked due to I think their busy schedule.
I found this forum and it really give me a space to express and ask about anything related to the virus.
I wish everyone healthy and got a cure once the drug is found.
Thank
Hi @PuallyHBV
Thank for welcome messages. My condition is not seriouse but things has been little bit elevated like ferritin (732 ng/mL) level and total bilirubin (1.1 mg/dL). Everything else is normal. I am trying to get this number down as fast as I could by strictly control my diet. Hopefully I got everything back to normal.
Thanks
Hi dear I’m also from Nigeria dealing with hbv, I’m sorry for your medical conditions, may God Almighty heal what’s sick in us. If there’s no problem i will like to have your contact as you might be of help to me being you a medical doctor.
Good day folks.
I am Swaliho M. Fofana from Liberia. In February 2022, I was tested positive with Hepatitis B Virus after several medical examinations performed in Liberia and Guinea. Before these tests, I had never heard about Hepatitis B Virus after those examinations, few family members and I harbored the mythical beliefs that someone in my Family who was trying to bring me down by using African witch.
After another test at the ELWA Hospital in Liberia, an other Doc took his time to detail me about HBV and its treatment plans and I was also told to control my diet. Since then, I have been placed on tenofovir treatment which is NOT 100% effective but it’s helping me a bit. Though I am on the drugs, I still feel pains in my body sometimes which last for a while and I also experienced burns in my legs. The burns in my legs has been occurring since my diagnosis was done.
I need everyone’s help especially for additional education on medication, diet control and food or nutritional supplements for my health.
Good to be here.
Welcome to the community Swal459,
I don’t have answers for you as I am not an expert, but just wanted to let you know that one of the experts will respond as soon as they are available.
Until then, welcome and I encourage you to read and gain as much information from the forums as possible,
-Paul
Hi @Swal459,
Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing your experiences.
Regarding your queries, there are several threads on these:
Please feel free to contribute in each if you have further questions.
Hope these help,
Thomas
Thanks for your prompt response.
Dear Julieta, you are going to be fine, I just discovered my illness 3 years ago after having lived 65 and only by chance, not even my PCP had suspected, I almost died of the blow I lost 10 pounds in 2 months my world collapsed I could not understand how no one had seen it before I didn’t even have the possibility of knowing if it was really when I was born because my mother had died and of 3 more brothers only me. I thought it was a death sentence and although it is hard if I could still live so many years Without knowing it and without special care, you will overcome it. I am sorry that you do not have insurance that covers the needs of keeping your health under surveillance, but my advice is to investigate in this country there are many nonprofit and charitable institutions that help a lot, you just have to search and you will also find some I don’t know if even studying and with a study visa you will be able to do a few hours of work that will allow you to acquire insurance or a medical plan. I do want you to know that when you feel bad, all the hospitals Itals have to receive you in an emergency and they have plans from zero payment to a tiny payment fee. I hope everything goes well for you and you are not alone and this is a great country you just have to seek help
Hi swal459
Welcome to the forum.
You have said tenofovir isn’t helping you alot. Mark you, you need to take it for some time in order for you to have a good story to tell.
Thanks for the information.
I will stick to the medication 
. Thank you so much.
Welcome to the community. Never feel embarrassed here, we are all here to support and try to help each other.
Thank you Thomas. This is making me really emotional. Hello there, Im from the Philippines. I tested Hepa B reactive when I was 18yo, 15yrs ago. Now as per my recent diagnosis, I have a “chrome Hepatitis B - inactive carrier” with 98 IU/mL. To be honest this infection has been making me so so emotional these past few months. I really want to do masters in Australia and eventually work there. But this infection is such a hurdle, fear of rejection and fear that this dream would never come thru. As someone who has this infection half of my life (I didnt even know how I got this and informed by my mom that I did not had any hepa b vaccines before) this is too much, insecurities all over… 
is there someone here that can help reg immigration? I work not in healthcare but in construction industry.
Dear @Riya,
Thanks for sharing your story. I know a few people with Hepatitis B who have come from overseas to study and it hasn’t been an issue. This has been discussed in other threads: Hepatitis B and Immigration/visa issues.
Hope this helps,
Thomas
Hello, my name is Shoshana. I’ve had HBV my entire life but was always told I was a “carrier” and it was “dormant” until earlier this year at age 40. I was born in 1981 in the United States. My mother was Hep B and Hep C positive due to her IV drug use. My parents failed to vaccinate me at birth however I’ve read 1981 is when the vaccine was actually FDA approved. What irony! Fortunately, I knew this and vaccinated my own son when he was born in 2013. Both he and my husband are negative.
Anyway, I have active chronic Hep B but my viral load 4,873. My ALT 15, AST 27. My first liver ultrasound in Feb 2022 was normal with “fibrosis stage” 0-1. My liver doctor said that medication was not warranted at this time but that I do need to see her every six months for labs, exam, and ultrasound. She will perform my first Fibro Scan at my next follow-up as well. She wasn’t very good at helping me understand these values and numbers despite my many questions. Do these sound healthy and stable to the professionals in this forum? I can’t really tell from my hours of searching doctor google. : /
I’ve had a lot of feelings. Namely grief and rage that this is another inheritance of childhood trauma and neglect. But there’s nothing I can do about other’s choices in the past. It’s further motivation to abstain from alcohol and take exquisite care of my health.
I’m terrified of my disease progressing and reducing my life expectancy or causing an awful slow death to liver cancer! I’m encouraged to read the posts on her and the important work Dr. Tu is performing to find a cure one day! Thanks again!
Welcome to the community, @Shosh. Thank you for sharing your story, hope you find the support you need here.
To answer your question, your viral load is relatively low (meaning you’re less likely to pass it on to others) and your ALT/AST levels are within normal range which shows that there is no liver inflammation. Your fibroscan shows no obvious liver damage. All of these are good signs that the infection isn’t causing liver disease and that you have a good prognosis. You should maintain monitoring so that you can respond if things change, but you should rest easy.
Cheers,
Thomas
Hello all,
I just discovered this forum recently and I’m very pleased it exists. My situation is this: I was diagnosed two years ago with hepatitis B. It was initially an acute infection (and I have never had any symptoms) but unfortunately my infection didn’t clear so it looks like I’m now a chronic carrier. Psychologically it’s a huge burden to bear. I’m disappointed with myself for getting infected and for not getting vaccinated. But there is so little awareness about the vaccination for adults. Why is it that kids are vaccinated against hep b almost as a matter of course but doctors never speak with adult patients about this vaccine? Having said all that, I’m grateful for the medication, which has lowered my viral load to around 900 IU/ml. My liver values are in the normal range.
Hi Barry welcome to the forum.
You are right, adult vaccine awareness campaigns are woefully in adequate in many countries and this is a recognized problem. You can of course feel disappointed that you were not vaccinated but please do not feel disappointed in yourself. You will find other people on this forum who also were not aware about adult vaccination.
You will also find others on this forum who lead very happy healthy lives with their chronic HBV infection as we have good medicines to control the infection and associated liver disease. These seem to be working well in your case. Try to give yourself a break…
Best regards,
Thanks Andrew for your kinds words.