Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 28, 2024, 01:30:21 pm

Login with username, password and session length


Members
  • Total Members: 6307
  • Latest: golfer
Stats
  • Total Posts: 55125
  • Total Topics: 4851
  • Online Today: 114
  • Online Ever: 1314
  • (June 22, 2016, 05:23:42 am)
Users Online
Users: 0
Guests: 116
Total: 116

Welcome

Welcome to the Hep Forums, a round-the-clock discussion area for people who have Fatty Liver Disease, Hepatitis B, C or a co-infection, their friends and family and others with questions about hepatitis and liver health. Check in frequently to read what others have to say, post your comments, and hopefully learn more about how you can reach your own health goals.

Privacy Warning: Please realize that these forums are open to all, and are fully searchable via Google and other search engines. If this concerns you, then do not use a username or avatar that are self-identifying in any way. We do not allow the deletion of anything you post in these forums, so think before you post.
  • The information shared in these forums, by moderators and members, is designed to complement, not replace, the relationship between an individual and his/her own physician.
  • All members of these forums are, by default, not considered to be licensed medical providers. If otherwise, users must clearly define themselves as such.
  • Product advertisement (including links); banners; and clinical trial, study or survey participation—is strictly prohibited by forums members unless permission has been secured from the Hep Forum Moderators.
Finished Reading This? You can collapse this or any other box on this page by clicking the symbol in each box.

Author Topic: Can I postpone a treatment?  (Read 9091 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline JustMe11111

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 2
Can I postpone a treatment?
« on: September 03, 2020, 12:14:30 pm »
Hi everyone. I have chronic hepatitis B since I am born but I found out about it when I was 17 in 2010 (10 years ago) my gp did not refer me to a specialist. I now live in another country and was doing my blood test regularly (as I have stopped meat and diary and wanted to make sure it is all okay, not particularly because of hepatitis). So my ALT levels started being high in end of 2015- mid 2016 and got elevated slowly in the next years (not more than twice the ref). Since last year November I had ALT elevated even more - about 68 with ref up to 35 and AST 47 from ref up to 35. They found out my HbEAg is now active as well (I do not think I ever had it checked previously). So then I had ultrasound done and FibroScan and everything seems to be alright. However my ALT and now AST keep elevating (other liver enzymes are alright) but I also have high DNA and HbSAg quantitative. In end of Nov DNA was 380 189 300 and HbsAg quantitative was 55 791. In Feb this year ALT was 82 and AST - 49, DNA 446 683 200. So since Nov I started taking Milk Thistle and Olive Leaf and then in Feb start taking much more herbs and vitamins such as Mushrooms, Dandelion, licorice root, selen, q10 etc. I have been reading a lot about hepatitis B and some books about people curing/controlling the virus with herbs. So I really do not want to start treatment as recommended by my Dr - Tenofovir as it is not sure for how long I have to take it and what the side effects in the end could be. So now I had another blood test since Feb and I was taking all of my herbs and vitamins all the time, I am not smoking, not drinking, I work out a lot, I am very fit so I feel great. My DNA is now reduced again to about 310 million and HbsAg quantitative to about 5000. However my ALT is much more elevated - 322 so my Dr urges me to start therapy even though the virus load is getting lower. She is worried about the scarring which the high ALT may cause. However I am still not sure starting a therapy is the right thing to do as there is a decrease in some numbers and my fibroscan and ultrasound were previously alright. I had ALT tested in June in my country and it was about 3 times elevated but now is much more. What would you guys advise me and what is your opinion? I have 2 weeks to collect my medications so I have to decide pretty much within that period what to do. I feel like I want to consult with another Dr too. Thank you.
« Last Edit: September 03, 2020, 12:21:14 pm by JustMe11111 »

Offline Lynn K

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 4,543
  • Get tested, get treated, get cured, fight Hep c!
Re: Can I postpone a treatment?
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2020, 07:24:24 pm »
There is little to no evidence to support herbal treatments for liver disease. The longer you have elevated liver enzymes the more risk you have of developing scarring over time.

One thing I can say for certain is you do not want to develop liver cirrhosis.

I would strongly recommend following your doctors advice. If unsure see a different doctor for a second opinion but I’m reasonably confident a different doctor will agree with your first doctors opinion.
Genotype 1a
1978 contracted, 1990 Dx
1995 Intron A failed
2001 Interferon Riba null response
2003 Pegintron Riba trial med null response
2008 F4 Cirrhosis Bx
2014 12 week Sov/Oly relapse
10/14 fibroscan 27 PLT 96
2014 24 weeks Harvoni 15 weeks Riba
5/4/15 EOT not detected, ALT 21, AST 20
4 week post not detected, ALT 26, AST 28
12 week post NOT DETECTED (07/27/15)
ALT 29, AST 27 PLT 92
24 week post NOT DETECTED! (10/19/15)
44 weeks (3/11/16)  fibroscan 33, PLT 111, HCV NOT DETECTED!
I AM FREE!

Offline JustMe11111

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 2
Re: Can I postpone a treatment?
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2020, 07:58:33 pm »
I think we all know why herbs are not as tested and there are not enough evidence how they work. Pharmaceutical companies are most interested in getting profits not in treating patients. Anyways from what I am reading about the phases for active chronic hepatitis B I am most likely going through the 2nd phase which is immune clearance. So basically the immune system if now fighting with the virus which can spontaneously clear the HBeAg and go to inactive stage. Something which nobody can tell how long can take and with what type of damage I will end up. However considering I am still only 26, in good health overall, living healthy life, there are greater chances of going through that stage without need of therapy. However some Dr would rather to recommend therapy to avoid scarring and damage to the liver. But being on therapy for ages would surely have some impact on the body too. So I am wondering which one is going to be more dangerous.

Offline Lynn K

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 4,543
  • Get tested, get treated, get cured, fight Hep c!
Re: Can I postpone a treatment?
« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2020, 09:38:24 pm »
There have been a number of clinical trials for many different herbal approaches there has been little to no evidence to support efficacy for these methods.

In my personal opinion there is medicine and there is not medicine

Sure on rare occasions there have been some treatments that have come from natural sources Taxol for Brest cancer comes to mind but those successes have been few and far between

But in any event if unsure get a second opinion about treatment and consider researching the long term effects of being on this treatment.

I’m not a doctor and your not a doctor. You need your doctors expert medical advice to help you make this important decision about your health.

Best of luck
« Last Edit: September 03, 2020, 09:41:22 pm by Lynn K »
Genotype 1a
1978 contracted, 1990 Dx
1995 Intron A failed
2001 Interferon Riba null response
2003 Pegintron Riba trial med null response
2008 F4 Cirrhosis Bx
2014 12 week Sov/Oly relapse
10/14 fibroscan 27 PLT 96
2014 24 weeks Harvoni 15 weeks Riba
5/4/15 EOT not detected, ALT 21, AST 20
4 week post not detected, ALT 26, AST 28
12 week post NOT DETECTED (07/27/15)
ALT 29, AST 27 PLT 92
24 week post NOT DETECTED! (10/19/15)
44 weeks (3/11/16)  fibroscan 33, PLT 111, HCV NOT DETECTED!
I AM FREE!

 


© 2024 Smart + Strong. All Rights Reserved.   terms of use and your privacy
Smart + Strong® is a registered trademark of CDM Publishing, LLC.