What is the outlook like for hep b with cirrhosis? I believe I might have progressed to this state due to some new lab findings. I believe the most of this progression due to taking a medicine that made my liver hurt pretty bad. I take an antiviral that has all my labs normal every time I check them. Other than my platelets at this point. Biopsy showed “relatively sparse” inflammation and stated no “significant fibrosis,” but I’m uncertain of my confidence in those results with having my spleen a bit larger than four years ago and my platelets below the 150,000 threshold. I think I’ll end up having to just wait and see if it all stays stabilized. I have been researching new medications that might be available soon to add to the NA I’m on. I’ve only found one that looks like a possibility in a reasonable time frame. My mental health has taken a massive hit, which has me not really living my life right now because I’m spending a lot of time in thought and much of it pretty negative. I know I’m feel both depressed and anxious. I am taking Buspar which I hope is safe to take.
Hi @MeDNP ,
I have been diagnosed with cirrhosis since 2017. Although it’s been a rough ride, I am still kicking 5 years later. I think a biopsy is supposed to be pretty accurate. Nowadays, it’s usually preceded by ultrasounds and fibroscans because biopsies are more invasive and have possible drawbacks. If your lab numbers (HBV DNA, ALT, AST and the like), your ultrasound and fibroscan are lining up with the results of your biopsy, then I wouldn’t rush to a diagnosis of cirrhosis, even if your spleen is a little enlarged. What do your doctors have to say about your overall liver health? As always, I am not an expert and I am just responding with accumulated knowledge as a lay-person.
When it comes to Buspar, I use drugs.com and I have a profile where I put all the information about what meds I take, name, dosage, etc. I also enter in what medical conditions I have and the site will tell me interactions between medications and conditions and give you a rating of how severe it is. One of my doctors had mentioned trying Buspar and after doing some research, I opted not to take it. This is what drugs.com has to say based on my profile:
Major Potential Hazard
busPIRone - Liver Disease
BuSpar (buspirone) interacts with Cirrhosis and Hepatitis B and Liver Cirrhosis and Liver Disease and Portal Hypertension.
Buspirone is primarily metabolized by the liver and subsequently eliminated by the kidney. In one study, steady-state area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of buspirone increased 13-fold in subjects with hepatic impairment and 4-fold in those with renal impairment compared to healthy subjects. Therapy with buspirone is not recommended in the presence of significantly impaired hepatic or renal function.
Dear @MeDNP,
Thanks for your question. I think if the biopsy is showing that you have sparse inflammation and no significant fibrosis it is very unlikely to be cirrhosis. Perhaps you might also consider a fibroscan to confirm, but a biopsy is known as a “gold standard” in the diagnosis of cirrhosis - they are generally very trustworthy.
Regarding drug interactions, it is best to consult your doctor or pharmacist about this.
Thomas
Thank you for the thoughtful response!
Thank you for the detailed response!
Hello Ms. Joan!
I have been reading all of your stories here and it is such a relief for me and my husband, who’s recently diagnosed with Fibrosis and had a second opinion and found out that his numbers in fibroscan were showing that he’s on level of cirrhosis.
He has been taking Tenofobir 300 since April 2022- thats the only time we and He knew he had this type of illness.
It is very devastating up until now, we would wake up at night and cry while helding our 2 kids (4 years old & 1 year old boy). We’re just both 31 years old
It was been days and nights of questions, are we counting days, how are we gonna combat this.
And so i searched for an online support group because this is too hard to discuss even with close family members or friends.
I hope my husband could get well and reach long good years even with this type of health issues.
Your stories and this group is a blessing.
Hello, Sir!
Would like to ask on having Biospy, is it not dangerous or risky at all?
We’re not given that option yet tho, i am just a bit curious if it has any alternative option instead of checking through biospy.
Hi Elasorous,
I read your previous post and I wanted to provide some information before Thomas as you seem quite distraught.
Whether your husband has fibrosis or cirrhosis, long term treatment with TDF works to improve liver function and help heal the liver. A landmark study which addressed this is Long-term clinical outcomes in cirrhotic chronic hepatitis B patients treated with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate for up to 5 years | SpringerLink.
I urge you to take hope from this study, which shows that the fibrosis / cirrhosis improves in most patients taking TDF (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) as your husband has been doing for the past several months. It may take some time but his liver should experience at least some reversal of disease and almost certainly stop progressing to more advanced disease.
In the case of chronic HBV, fibroscan is a very good non-invasive method for determining the severity of liver disease. Although a liver biopsy is relatively safe procedure, there does not appear to be any justification in your husband’s case for a liver biopsy when he already has fibroscan results and is on the the correct therapy.
I think there is good reason to be hopeful that you and your husband will be able to enjoy your children TOGETHER for many years to come.
With best regards,
Dear @Elasorous,
Thank you for the question and sharing your story. @availlant has answered your questions well: if there is no additional benefit to a biopsy, it may not be worth getting one. Fibroscan is usually quite accurate to diagnose the level of fibrosis/cirrhosis, particularly in later stages.
I am sorry to hear that you are struggling with the diagnosis, but know that many people live many years even with fibrosis/cirrhosis. The key part now is to be able to respond to the diagnosis and look after your health as best you can, so that you can continue to support your loved ones.
Hope this helps,
Thomas
Hello @MeDNP,
Are you still out there? I was just checking on you to see how you’re doing? From time to time, I find myself reading old messages. I think subconsciously I’m in search for something or some answers or some clarity. Or maybe I’m just searching for solidarity and community.
Hope you’re well.
Hello @Elasorous,
Are you still out there? I was just checking on you to see how you and your husband are doing? From time to time, I find myself reading old messages. I think subconsciously I’m in search for something or some answers or some clarity. Or maybe I’m just searching for solidarity and community.
Hope you’re well.
Hello @availlant,
Thank you for this older message. It means a lot. I was diagnosed with chronic HBV in March 2021 after donating blood at work. I had 2 positive ultrasounds. The third ultrasound (January 2023) shows some “mild coarsening” of the liver which others here have said should be nothing to worry about b/c, if accurate, scarring can be reversed.
My doctor said that “mild coarsening” diagnosis “is very subjective depending on the radiologist and that it could have also been present in previous 2 ultrasounds but those radiologists just may have chosen not to mention it.” At any rate, my doctor scheduled an elastography to be safe. My March 2021 viral count was 320 and now it’s 1400 (@ThomasTu mentioned that increase is nothing to worry about).
I welcome any thoughts you may have given this very brief summary. @ThomasTu and others have already given me encouragement and stated that I should be fine given totality of my circumstances.
Like many chronic HBV individuals, I suspect we all worry every six months or at the annual check up that the “C” words (cirrhosis or cancer) may be used.
Thank you so much for your time.
Did you have any symptoms prior to your diagnosis with cirrhosis?