can anyone tell me what to expect - Hepatitis Message Board

fisherman · 12-07-2002, 12:17 PM

I am 45 with a wife and two kids. Been married for 13 years .A few years ago i went to the doctor complaning of joint pain . They sent me home with artritis med. no help about two years ago i change doctors and have blood work done. They called me a few days later and said everything was fine, a few days later I get a call from the health dept. Telling me I have hep b. I called my doctor and was told,we told you everything is fine. When ask why the health dept told me of a problem they then said oh you have a problem. never have i been told what to eat what not to eat . They tell me im a life long carrier, dad died of cirosis,mom was a carrier. they say im just not contagous , my wife our kids are completely clean and have taken the vacines. are the vacines 100 persent effective? no follow up testing has been done on them . any info would be greatly helpfull as i do not know what to expect ,but have read somewhere i will probly die of cirosis

meanjeanl2002 · 12-08-2002, 07:50 AM

Hi Fisherman, I think there's a cure for both HEP A and B. You should be able to research HEP B on the net to find out more about it. I wish I could give you a more answers, but all my searching is on HEP C...Sorry...maybe someone else can help you...but I really don't think you have to worry about dying from HEP B, if I don't have to worry about dying from HEP C(and there's no cure for HEP C) Good Luck...

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Jeanie

thanbey · 12-08-2002, 08:38 AM

Sean is probably the most knowledgeable guy on this board with regard to hepatitis B.

As I understand it, being a carrier does not mean you will progress to liver disease.

But, stay away from alcohol and smoking, pay attention to being healthy (a heart-smart diet is liver healthy, too) exercise, keep your weight in line and you should be just fine.

I urge you to check with your own physician. There is no rush to do this, but it would be wise.

The part that is tricky is whether you are contagious. I don't think so, but again, this is something you should check with a doctor who knows much more than I do.

I have a dynamite brochure on this that explains the liver and its function. It just came in the mail and it is about hepatitis B. It is also a great educational tool (with pictures of the liver and explainations of cirhosis and stuff) on the liver and its function for anyone who is interested in that.

If you want one, the brochure itself is free with a minimum $15.00 donation. I'm not selling anything, nor trying to hawk any product. This is just a really nice tool to learn about the liver and about hepatitis B.

If you want one, go to the website below my name, click on the netwook for good and make a donation. Be sure to put "brochures" on the designation line. I'll get it out to you before the end of the year. Sooner if I don't get flooded for them (I only have a few, anyway)

I hope this helps,

thanbey [url="http://www.hcop.org"]www.hcop.org[/url]

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[url="http://www.hcop.org"]www.hcop.org[/url]
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LOST1 · 12-09-2002, 09:54 AM

Hey Fisherman-
First like the name and welcome to the board, hope to hear more from you, you say your dad passed away from chirosis, and your mom was a carrier, did they both have Hep B?
CARRIER- that sounds like a nasty word does'nt it.
When you get the Hep A or Hep B [HAV - HBV ]vaccine, you become a carrier of sorts, your will have the HBV ANTI-bodie virus in your system, that will fight the virus.
My wife has the HCV anti-body in her system, we beleive that contacted the virus though blood transfusions, her body fought it and created the anti-body which she now has in her system,and carry all her life, it is that anti-bodie that all of us with HCV want, that would be the cure for HCV.
be well-

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--Get Outdoors-Enjoy Life----Neil

thanbey · 12-09-2002, 12:29 PM

Dear Neil,

There is new technology these days that measures a positive/negative result for HCV.

This is called a Qualitative PCR (Roche). If this is not the test your wife had done, then I strongly urge her to take another of the newer tests, just to be sure that she is antibody positive only.

Many patients tested with old technology are found to be positive after a test with the new technology.

Somebody who is antibody positive but negative by PCR is well advised to stay away from alcohol as alcohol can induce viral load increase and/or activate the virus if it is flying under the PCR radar, as it were.

I hope this helps,

thanbey
[url="http://www.hcop.org"]www.hcop.org[/url]

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[url="http://www.hcop.org"]www.hcop.org[/url]
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