Good day all, I am Mohammed from Nigeria. Age 33. Last two year I found out about my hepatitis b status , I went for blood test and my Viral load was 268 IU , after six months I do viral load again along with liver function test all
But my ALT rose times two upper limi butt my viral load dropped to 28 IU without any medication , immediately my doctor put me on tenofovir disporoxil fulmerate because I was having too much shoulder pain on right back site… I am now on tenovir for more than a year , currently still I am having pain on the right shoulder blade and tingling feet … what could it be … I plan to go for blood test next week because it has Ben long since last I check my viral load …a
1 Like
Dear @Mohammed,
Thanks for your question. It’s always hard to know what is caused by Hep B and what is caused by other health problems. That said, Hepatitis B isn’t commonly linked to this specific kind of pain, so you may want to consider other sources (e.g. back muscle injury, posture, etc.).
It’s also quite hard to know what might be going on just over the internet. It is best to go to your doctor and get it checked out.
Thomas
2 Likes
Dear @Mohammed,
Thank you for your post. You might find my other posts useful. I experience discomfort, not pain, in the right should blade area sometimes as well and then the sensation shifts to other parts of the back. I also have intermittent discomfort in my abdomen area (all parts of it), down my sternum, along my diaphragm just below the rib cage and, yes, on the right side. I must admit since my March 2021 diagnosis from donating blood coupled with some work issues and the start of a great dream job in a new part of the country, I have been experiencing nothing but abdomen, back, and chest discomfort. Thankfully, nothing has prevented any daily life activities and ibuprofen helps.
Like you, I also experience tingling in my feet (that pins and needle feeling) periodically AND now sometimes in my finger tips. But they go away quickly and never happens when I’m lying down or sleep. Go figure. But I have to also remember that the tingling/pins-and-needle feeling is not new at all. Pre-HepB I used to simply say, “My foot fell asleep” then I would get up and walk it off.
I’m trying to get a new primary provider but it’s really difficult where I am. I think it’s so important for us to share our real lived experiences so we can help and encourage each other and maybe advance knowledge of our condition. It is not lost on me that while our symptoms can be caused by other conditions not related to HepB, we all have HepB AND we seem to experience similar symptoms. Is this a coincidence?
Stay encouraged!
As usual, you make some good points. I am wondering now if my back issues could be related to my recent move (lifting boxes and so forth), a potential strain from my consistent exercise regimen, general posture, or all of the above. At work, for example, I just received a new ergonomic desk chair and it provided INSTANT relief to my whole body. But I had already spent, ironically, a month in a bad chair constantly leaning on desk with the edge of the desk rubbing against my diaphragm right under my rib cage.
I am still concerned about other sensations and am trying to find a new provider, though.
But my question is this: As a scientist, what hypothesis might there be if our symptoms can be linked to something else but yet we all have HepB? Could the field glean some insight from our experiences or is there already some research that concludes that symptoms we share are often not related to HepB? I hope this makes sense.
Thank you for your thoughts.
1 Like
Hi @hopefulone ,
That’s great that you were able to find some potential underlying reason for some of your body aches. It really is amazing how problems in something as simple as posture are felt so deeply in our bodies.
Regarding other symptoms, there is little solid evidence that Hep B affects anything outside of the liver. If I had to guess, I think stress and mental health plays a really big role. I also think lifestyle changes that you bring into your life after knowing you have Hep B can disrupt your habits and bring in some additional changes that may affect how you’re feeling (e.g. completely altering your diet).
It’s probably also important to note that some issues happen to people without hep B as well, it’s just that you don’t hear about it because they don’t mention it. Or they experience it but don’t remember it because they assign it any particular importance. Here, we’re a bit freer with our sharing (which is great) or are more alert to changes in our body because it could be important to our ongoing chronic condition, but a lot of these issues can crop up just because we’re aging.
That isn’t to say that none of your symptoms are caused by hep B, but we need to really consider other causes, particularly if they aren’t commonly associated with hep B.
I hope that make sense and answers your questions.
Cheers,
Thomas
2 Likes
Thank you for your response. What you say makes sense. I am eager to establishing a new primary relationship just to make sure I am being responsible with my overall care. Have a great upcoming week and stay safe.
2 Likes