Hi all,
My name is Gourav Rana. You all can call me Rana.
I live in Switzerland Indian born. I got to know about my Hep B around in 2015 but due to lack of awareness and knowledgeable about the disease I ignored it for so long until now when I had a few complications and got to know really about it what is it and what does this sickness do to you.
Life has been a roller coaster since then and I have been to my doctor like 7-8 times and done all kind of test CT scan, colonoscopy, Gastroscopy I mean you name the test and j have done it. Luckily all good though I am taking antivirals and Ayurvedic medicine at the same time and it did a great job, have no idea how but in the first month my viral load dropped from 18900000 to 480 iu/ml.
But somehow recently my KPA shoot up a little from 7to 10 to which doctor said that it will settle itself give it a few moths. Rest is ok with ultrasound and all test, liver health looks good according to my Hepatologist.
I am on Vemlidy currently.
Hi, I’m from Nigeria, was diagnosed with Hepatitis B in 2018, I haven’t tell anyone expect my girlfriend. I haven’t started treatment till date too.
I have been reading a lot of tips from this site but I just joined this forum.
Hi, I’m in Kwara State too, is there a way we can link up?
I wonder if is there any natural ways to decrease viral load? I’m active person, I don’t drink alcohol etc. eat clean. What about add taking curcumin, lactoferin, resveratrol for example? What can I do in terms of my diet to make my health better/decrease viral load?
Hi group,am from Uganda. My doctor seems too reluctant to attend to me should I look for another specialist?
Dear @Temmason,
Welcome to the forum! Glad you found us and are finding it useful. There are ongoing threads for people in Nigeria here:
- Support Group For Nigerians
- Advocacy or help for people with Hep B in Nigeria
- Hepatitis B in Nigeria: discussion thread
Hope these are useful to you!
Hi @BaRt,
Best to browse the supplement thread Lifestyle changes, nutrition, and supplements for hep b for the discussion about these.
Just to note, the Australian TGA (the FDA equivalent) has just recommended that people should not take turmeric supplements due to the risk of liver injury: https://www.tga.gov.au/news/safety-alerts/medicines-containing-turmeric-or-curcumin-risk-liver-injury
Dear @opa,
If you do not feel comfortable with your doctor and do not feel they are taking you seriously, it is worthwhile to explore other qualified doctors that you might have a better relationship with. However, depending on your tests, you may not require further treatment or only need occasional monitoring based on best quality recommendations in the field.
Thomas
Hi @Opa
What makes you say he is reluctant to treat you?
Do you mean, doesn’t want to put you on treatment?
Welcome @Temmason
Thanks for sharing your story.
Fantastic you are reading advice and tips from this forum.
You are in the right place.
Keep reading to increase your awareness of this disease.
Are you seeing a doctor and being monitored every 6 months?
Thanks Thomas for reply. I will definitely study this forum category [Lifestyle changes, nutrition, and supplements for hep b]
Aside form the diet: do You think covid vaccine could trigger higher viral load?
I was so sceptical about this vaxs cause I couldn’t find any study that included people with hepatits B in trials while testing vax or there were 5 people and for me it was like nothing.
So I decided to educate myself in vax and wait for other studies or other type of vaccine I could trust. So I was waiting and waiting. I decided that I will not take mRNA vax or vector ones cause for me it was too many questions without answers and doctors couldn’t give me answers to my questions.
I waited 2 years and pople around me were getting covid from left to right. Even few times the same persons. I wasn’t vax and also didn’t catch covid. Then apperad new type of more traditional vaxine: protein based (just like hepatitis b vax I also had (irony)). I got the vax and 2 weeks after second shot I catch covid. Could You imagine? I was like you gotta be kidding me.
So my questions are:
- Do You think covid vaccine could trigger higher viral load?
- Was it good idea to take vax for covid? Especailly protein based one?
Hi @BaRt,
Some important information to guide your thinking…
Numerous large cohort studies in top tier journals have shown the the majority of SARS-CoV-2 infection is asymptomatic or very mildly symptomatic - just like other respiratory infections like influenza and other coronaviruses (there are at least 4 other coronaviruses we have known about before the recent pandemic which seasonally cause ~30% of the common cold cases reported). You can be infected by the SARS-CoV2 virus and be either asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms. It is impossible to know if you have been infected or not previously with SARS-CoV2.
It is also important to understand the just like influenza and other coronaviruses, the SARS-CoV2 virus mutates rapidly and can escape the effects of vaccines. This is the reason for the loss of activity with recent SARS-CoV2 vaccines and why the annual influenza vaccine is a mixture of 4 different viral strains which is changed every year and yet is still only effective in 30-50% of adults (based on CDC data). For other viruses where mutation rates are very low (measles, mumps and polio for example), vaccines provide > 99% infection and are effective in preventing disease (not infection) in people. HBV vaccination is also highly effective in preventing the development of chronic HBV infection.
While there are specific issues with overall population efficacy of vaccination with certain respiratory viruses, overall vaccination (especially with technologies proven very safe and effective over more than 7 decades) is an ESSENTIAL AND CRITICAL aspect of community based medicine. Especially in the elderly or otherwise immunosuppressed.
Developing symptoms following respiratory infection is a function of your immune health and exposure to previous closely related infections. This is the reason with the winter season is also called the “flu” season as it corresponds to the period of lowest immune function in the population in general.
With these issues in mind you should not think that there is necessarily any link between your developing symptomatic SARS-CoV2 infection and your vaccination with a standard protein based vaccine.
There is no data suggesting that vaccination in general is associated with increases in HBV viral load. If anything, the immunostimulation provided by vaccination or concomitant respiratory viral infection would be expected to reduce HBV viral load. These “crossover” immunotherapeutic effects have long been known for other respiratory viruses.
I echo Thomas’ comments here that in your case, the chronology of HBV DNA results does not suggest an increase in HBV viral load but normal fluctuation over time in the absence of oral antiviral therapy (which is good). Your liver function and liver inflammation status also appear to be stable over time (the wobble in all of the data you provided is normal) so there is no evidence of liver disease. I suspect this is why your doctor has not placed you on antiviral therapy but I encourage you to continue the discussion with your doctor about this.
Best regards,
Andrew
Hi family, I have always got difficulties in taking medication whenever am attacked with any illness not related to HBV such malaria because my doctor tells me not to take medicines anyhow since they would worsen my already sick liver. Any advice please.
Am also told not to eat any foods with cooking oil yet foods like fish, meat,chapati etc need to be frayed. What then should I eat coz most foods here are frayed?
Hello.
Thanks to every one that share their story, I read almost for 2 year now, and it helped me alot, so I dont freak out.
Sorry for the long post and my english.
My name is Nicklas, im 30 years old and from Denmark. I have been with a girl the 12 April 2023, and 2 days after I got Pain in the "lower"abdominal area.(Not stomach) Then 1 week after I saw a Doctor, he made some test for normal sexual sickness like Klamydia and so on. Notthing came back positive. Then after a total of 2 weeks I got really sick that total lasted 5 days with symptoms like fatigue and poor appetite that lasted 1-2 days. then after that I got it better again, but still had pain in the lower abdomnial area.
I went back to the doctor after 1 more week, so we are now 3 weeks after i was with the girl. They did some re-test of normal sexual sickness and a Hiv test as I asked for it. all came back negative. weeks went by. I still had some pain in the lower area. then about 30 days more I got sick again. lasted for 4-6 days. same as before. heavy fatigue and 2 days with poor appetite and joint pain in the legs. So I WENT back to the doctor again again, did a re test of HIV and some lever test to see what the hell is going on, as im am more and more worry, why im “falling” down again and again.
The HIV test came back negative again, and alot of other test was fine as they “said” (And I dont have any lower abomnial pain)
My ALAT was (22 UL/MG) (wich is fine)?
Lactatdehydrogenase (210 UL) normal is 105-205 in Denmark.
C-reaktivt protein (CRP - 13 (MG/L) “Normal is <8”
even due CRP and Lactatdehydrognease is a little to high if you look on the scale, they said that is notthing to worry about, I dont have a acute HBV or HBV in that fact and wont do more test. I talk with 3 different doctors.
(2rd blood test) was made 11-12 weeks after I was with the girl, if I had acute HBV should ATLAT and stuff like that not be really high?
Then I got better again, but now here 2 weeks ago (so that is 18 weeks later), I got sick again and was sick for almost 12 days.
I did nerver see symptoms of:
Nausea
Vomiting
Abdominal pain "stomach"
Jaundice
Dark urine.
I only saw clay-colored stool 1-2 day. and then it went back to normal. (and that was about 2 weeks time)
Is now 31/8/2023 and im feeling better again after the 12 days sick. “is 15 days” now but not fully recovery.
So is a total of 20 weeks now since I was with the girl. If I had Acute HBV, should My ALT and Lactatdehydrogenase not be much higher? Is it normal for HBV to have symtoms that come and then is gone, and then come back?
Hope you have time to reply.
Thanks alot.
(I saw alot of your videos and I leaned alot about HBV-HCV-HDV)
Forgot to send to more test.
Albumin 46g/L (normal 36-48)
Bilirubiner 9.5 (umol/L)
Hi @opa,
Thanks for the questions. The Hepatitis B medications are safe for your liver, even when you have other illnesses (they are even given at higher doses in people with failing livers because it helps protect the liver).
The type of oil you eat can matter: it is healthier to use non-saturated oils (e.g., olive oil, canola oil) than saturated fats/oils (butter, ghee, tallow). It is all a balance and you do necessarily have to cut out all oils whatsoever, indeed our bodies need some oils/fats to stay healthy.
Dear @nick0912,
The only way to make sure about whether you have been exposed to Hep B is having the blood panel for hep B done (that is, Hep B surface antigen, Hep B surface antibody, and Hep B core antibody). Anything else is only circumstantial and is not conclusive.
Hope this helps,
Thomas
I understand, and i Will Call My doctor again.
But is it normal to get sick again and again if is a new/acute hbv?
Not yet on treatment. New complications keep on emerging every now and then. Feeling body itching, my abdomen not comfortable with what seems like water sounds and feeling like vomiting.
Am real scared coz my dr seems not bothered at all. Am within Uganda could anyone please help to connect me to the best liver doctors within the country?
Dear @nick0912,
If you have cleared the infection within 6 months (the definition of an acute infection), then it is unlikely that you will have ongoing sickness from it. You will need to have the test to see if it 1) is a HBV infection at all; and 2) to see if it is a chronic infection.
Dear @opa, I think @Kabagambe is from Uganda. Other places to ask would include these groups:
- Great Lakes Peace Centre - World Hepatitis Alliance
- Save Your Liver Foundation - Uganda - Consent - World Hepatitis Alliance
- lUGEI FOUNDATION UGANDA - World Hepatitis Alliance
- Hepatitis Aid Organization (HAO) - World Hepatitis Alliance
- The National Organisation for People Living with Hepatitis B (NOPLHB) - World Hepatitis Alliance
Hope this helps,
Thomas
Hello Thomas.
Thanks again for reply.
Yes, I know. I have talked with my doctor and they will try to make a time for me within the next 2 weeks… Anyway at this point in time we are not even at the 5 months yet… The only date I could be inficted was 12 April, so that means 5 months is 12 Sep, and 6 months is 12 Okt… so a little time left yet… I have now been sick for almost 3 weeks. on and off. I have some Liver pain and loss of appetite + heavy fatigue and joint pain, but joint pain is gone now.
Anyway I dont want to jinx tings, But I will feel that im getting better and better each day, I eat alot more food today than I used to, and I even took some food now before bed time. So I hope what ever this is that I wil clear it. But if the things dont turn out that way, I know now that this is not the end of my life. It will go on, and then Im thankful for being in Denmark as medic, scanning and so on are free, I wish that all people could have that 
Do you know if people can be chronic before the 6 months? I read from the Danish “State Serum Institute” that → The duration of the illness is from a few weeks to several months, but can continue for up to 6 months. Most patients who experience symptoms subsequently become healthy and immune.
Dear @nick,
Great to hear that you are being proactive about it and it sounds like you’re getting the appropriate care that you need.
The definition of a chronic infection is one that lasts more than 6 months, so it really is just part of the definition and you can’t really know. That said, the majority of people who are exposed to Hep B as an adult (~90%) clear the infection (i.e., it is an acute infection), so the probabilities are on your side.
Hope this helps,
Thomas
Thank you for your time Andrew. I will definitely continue to monitor my results.
Is it possible to live with viral load like mine without any needed therapy like ,healthy person" without any side effects in my 40s, 50s,60s etc.?
I have this virus for several years at the level I gave in previous threads. Could this mean that my body has learned to live with it without damaging me?
Can I do any sports? I prefer strenght training, running and Im overall active