Hi Thomas…thank you for creating this community. I was recently diagnosed a few weeks ago after doing bloodwork for my frst pregnancy and I am…so afraid. My world changed in an instant… I feel hopeless and like I am being punished.
So many questions I have had, have been obsessively looking for answers, hope, and clarity online as to what this means for my baby and myself. I only discovered that HBV is not part of the standard STD panel that I’ve gotten in the past here in the US.
A vaccine could’ve prevented me from having this… but now it’s too late. I just got married , feels like I finally got what I I’ve prayed for and it came with this…infection that is slowly killing me… I am scared, I feel alone and I am too ashamed to talk to anyone at the moment. I do have a supportive husband and I am grateful…but I also feel.selfish because he deserves better than me.
I keep thinking about my baby . Please pray for her…that she is spared from my disease with the current plan in place. Please pray that I get to see her grow up.
Thanks for sharing your story and sorry to hear that you have been under so much stress from your recent diagnosis. As you can see from the other posts, it is common to feel overwhelmed by this news when you first get it, but it really does get better (particularly if we see others sharing in this experience).
It may be hard at the moment, but try to not pin your value to the world (and to yourself) on whether you have this condition. Hepatitis B should not and does not diminish anyone’s worth.
I also want to assure you that the measures generally recommended to prevent mother to child transmission during birth are have an extremely high success rate. We have many HBV-positive mothers on this forum who have given birth to HBV-negative children.
Thank you again for sharing your story and please keep us up to date with how you are going on your journey. I hope we can offer you at least some of the support you need.
Thank you, Thomas… I am having high and low moments currently and I trust they will pass with time and I will learn to accept my current reality. I pride myself on being strong and even more now with a baby on the way, it’s the only choice I’ve got. I will fight and will get better.
Hi all. I’m from Ukraine. Sorry, I don’t understand English well, I’m writing through a translator. I’m 30 . Exactly a year ago I was diagnosed with chronic hepatitis. B. My first viral load result was . 16.400 second 3500 third 4400 fourth 6300. Now the doctor wants to give me treatment. I don’t understand if I really need it now? Or my organization will still cope. I believe that he will be able to keep the virus under control. My liver looks normal. Result 9 months ago F-0. I am very afraid of treatment. I am generally afraid of everything. I am very suspicious of my health and my loved ones. I have a wife . We really want children. She doesn’t worry about my hepatitis at all, we gave her a vaccine. And she tells me you’re healthy It’s okay that you have it, take pills, donate blood and everything will be fine. Also, my parents and my friends, who knows, no one really cares too much. They say everything will be fine. But I can’t do this, it seems like death is flowing through my veins. And I won’t last long. It seems to me that I have 5-10 years left to live and then I will die in agony. I love my wife very much and she loves me very much. I often think that she doesn’t deserve to bear this cross. I don’t want us to have children and I died 10 years later (. It’s very hard for me; nothing makes me happy, I closed myself off. Although physically I feel fine. Before I found out, I wanted to live and have fun; I have a lot of plans for business and development, I wanted to create. Now it’s all somehow become gray. Now I’m thinking, why should I build a business if I don’t live long. Every time tests are like the end of the world, it’s a lot of stress for me. Understanding what you’re going to die from is very sad. And also It’s sadder to understand that you won’t last long. And I really wanted to live long. I can write this forever, I’m some kind of pessimist. My life is falling apart. Although with this virus it’s already ruined. (Sorry, maybe I just don’t fully understand this hepatitis virus b. But since childhood I know that this is a very terrible whitening. With which people cannot live for a long time. If only I knew that I could live to a ripe old age with this virus, it would be much easier. Since, thank God, it did not bring me any important discomfort .
Thank you for sharing your story and experiences. I’m sorry to hear that you are having such a hard time with your diagnosis.
People with hepatitis B live essentially normal lives, have children, and indeed thrive as any other person. There are people on this forum in their 60s and 70s without Hep B really affecting them. It is a manageable condition and the fact that you are with F0 is great news; it essentially means there is undetectable liver damage. Hep B should not stop you from following your career; I myself have hepatitis B and am living my dream as the leader of a research lab trying to find a cure for Hep B.
You can find many people on treatment here, including myself. It doesn’t affect my day at all, it’s just a pill in the morning then I don’t think about it. I know that I am doing the best I can to prevent any additional liver damage.
I know it may be hard to accept now, but life does get better and it will weigh less on your mind over time.
Please keep us updated on how you’re going and hope you get the support that you need here and within your networks.
Hello group - Thank you for being part of this community and sharing your stories. I was diagnosed about a year ago with very strange lab work. I live in Chicago and see a very reputable heptalogist. He agreed that the labs were unusual and we both decided I should start antiviral therapy. The plot continues to thicken as now some labs are showing no infection again. I have a follow up appointment with him today and will continue antiviral therapy, well, probably the rest of my life. It’s a very confusing infection with so many moving parts. This community was a very refreshing find after a year of searching for a group.
Hi @RMT,
Welcome to the community. I bet you are more frustrated and have many questions about all this confusion/complexities. I hope you are able to get some clarity soon. Take some time to check out some of the past and ongoing discussions or conversations. There is a lot to get through. Keep us posted and we are here if you ever need our support. Best, Bansah1.
Welcome @Stephanie23
I’m sorry for your anxiety and worry. Be assured it is quite normal but unnecessary.
Your baby will be fine. I had 3 babies with this virus. I am also 63 years old and lived a normal life. Except getting blood and ultrasound every 6months .
My children were vaccinated at birth.
Read the articles on this forum. It is a professional forum and is checked that the right information is being given.
Please keep asking questions. We are here for you.
Thanks for the reassurance Caraline (my sister’s name is Carline) … I must say finding this outlet has been impacful in taking things day by day… I am grateful for the insight and support I’ve seen here. Thank you so much
Thank you for your answer) I hope I will live to be your age. I am glad that you managed to live well with the virus and for a long time. But probably not everyone is able to control the virus well (((
Hi @Berserk123,
If you go to hepb.org, under Treatment and Management, there is a physician directory that you can use to find doctors that specialize in treating hepatitis B. I hope it is helpful and you find a provider near you that can help. Thanks, Bansah1.
Hey everyone! Just wanted to post a follow-up message regarding how my interferon treatments have been going the last month. To be honest, it’s been a breeze! I’ve completed four weeks worth of shots with very minimal side effects. So far, I have experienced some increased fatigue, mild body aches, and intermittent nausea. Otherwise, I’ve felt relatively normal and haven’t had any interruptions in my daily life. Feeling incredibly blessed so far as I know this is not always the case for people who take this medication. Hoping my story helps others who may be starting this treatment in the future not feel so scared!
Thanks for the continued support! I’ll keep everyone posted as things progress. One month down, five more to go! @Caraline@Bansah1
Thank you for the update and I am glad to hear that things are going well so far. I pray and hope it stays the same or even get better for you. Keep up the good work and wish you the best for the remaining weeks of treatment. We can’t wait to celebrate with you when it’s all done and goal achieved. Thanks once again for the update. We will be thinking about you and will be here if you need us. Thanks, Bansah1.
Well actually it is very likely most can control the virus well…, If you have access to the medication, one pill a day. Don’t drink alcohol, eat and exercise well . Blood test and ultrasound twice a year.
I hope you have access to these in your country.
Hey there
I have hepatitis b and cirrhosis of the liver and it’s effects your other organs. My kidneys are failing and I have been told 2 different times by different doctors that if I don’t get a transplant I will die
And I’ve been told that they can’t do anything about my liver until it turns to cancer by 2 different doctors and another doctor said that is stupid not to be proactive but none of my doctors work as a team. I hear something different from all of them and don’t know which to believe It’s very frustrating and I have been fighting this battle for almost 4 years now and I’m tired. Thank you for letting me vent.
