Hepatitis B Support Group

Hello there and welcome to the the community! I'm currently undergoing interferon treatment for the 2nd time in my life. I'm on peginterferon and currently in my 8th month of treatment. With a high viral load and ALT such as yours, your doctor may recommend treatment if he/she haven't done so already. In my experience, having someone you can lean a shoulder on really does help during treatment. Depression is a very common symptom during treatment and I'm no exception to that. I'm fortunate enough to have family members that are there for me on days I felt down and physically weak.

Everybody has different experiences with physical side effects also. However, as time goes by it gets easier to manage. Some say the side effects gradually get better, but for me, i think I'm just adapting to the side effects (i guess it gets to a point where you sort of become USE to it).

I'm very sorry to hear that your husband will be away during a time that he is needed very much. I do hope that helps you some what. Do come back and let us know how everything is from time to time. All the best.

Hepbfighter - Are you still on Interferon for 8 months now? I never think a Doctor can put you on that treatment for that long. The side effect isn't fun and also the cost. They can put you on a pill with no side effect at all.

Hey neko,

Yeah I'm being treated with it for 12 months. I'm in Australia, so details pertaining treatment duration may vary country to country. It was my personal decision to choose peg-interferon over oral anti-viral agents. The benefit of the virus not mutating with peg-interferon is well established. It took me 6 months to way up the cons and pros. One of the reasons why my specialist may have recommended 12 months duration for course of treatment was probably due to the fact that this is my second time being treated. I was treated 10 years ago with standard interferon, and showed good signs of improvemen when taking itt. I was young then and wasn't as vigilant with treatment as I should have been also, which may have been a significant factor in my sudden relapse into active state of the disease.

I know what you mean by the side affects. Each month, some side affects are more prominent than others. The first 6 months, I had regular bouts of serious stomach aches that brought me to my knees. I haven't had another incident for a few months so hopefully I'm out of the wood works with this particularly nasty side affect.

Anyway, enough about my woes. How are you doing anyway mate?

Hepbfighter, I was on Interferon for 4 months. I know the feeling of the side effect from pain to sleeping all day.....etc. My virus wasn't active for about a good year. Then is slowly came back. My Doctor knew the side effect and I told them that I would rather just die then take Interferon again. The next option was oral pill called Epivir which I've took for about a year, the virus wasn't active so I was taken off. Again the virus act up again and since then I am still on Epivir till this day with no side effect, none virus being active. I feel normal as I can be, but just the thought of poping a pill everyday make me feel that I am not normal, I still have this virus in me which isn't doing anything. My research Doctor is saying that some day I might be the lucky one to get off this pill. He stated that a few other patience has gone off treatment only and get lab work done once a year. I'm still hoping that I am one of them, but he say I have a good 5 to 10 more yrs to find out.

Again, I hope you do well on Interferon. 12 months is a long way and I don't know what else side effect after the 4 months. So stay strong and keep us updated.

I don't mean to be rude, but this is a support community right? It really sh**s me when folks come here, post one single comment and never come back for an update or a reply. I can understand that people who do come and post here for the first time are doing so in response to the shock of the news of being diagnosed with HBV or the possibility of it. The majority of the times, the questions asked often have answers. Other members on this site take the time and dedication to reply to other people's post. It would only be right for that respect to be returned. Don't mistake kindness for weakness folks. Communication is a two way process.

Oh, I don't give a sh** what anyone thinks about my comment. I do it in defense of those who find solice and peace through this community. I'd like to keep it that way with like minded people. We all have a heart, and I hate with a passion people coming here with sob stories and never responding again. Well guess what, we all have f**kin sob stories too.

Hepbfighter, I am assuming that I inspired your rant. I can understand your reasonings and I am sorry that I have not been on here. Life has been playing one joke after another on me and I could not even start my treatment on time due to all the things that went on. I did truly appreciate everyones comments and do plan on staying as active as life will allow. I finally just got back to my own home (literally and hour ago) and now have a functioning computer again. I honestly was not trying to use anyone, as I know thats how it may have appeared. If you feel this is just another sob story then by all means do not write me back, but know that I truly am sorry if I offended you in anyway. Thank you for your response on 8/25…I do appreciate the time you took to respond.

Hey all, and especially to you EveryStepCounts. First and foremost, I am not here to upset or offend anyone. Despite the tone of my last message, let me just say that despite the negative tone, it was a message that was also out of genuine concern and care. When people write posts and then don't reply to their responses, we may think that your not doing to well. I didn't mean to offend you, and I was not implying that yours was a sob story. That may have been a bit harsh on my behalf, and I truly apologise. I hope that things are on track for you, and hope I haven't put you off your experience here. Glad to hear your still alive and kickin, BTW. Even though I may not know everyone on this forum personally, I truly feel for everyone afflicted with this disease.

Hepbfighter,
I am glad there are people like you here. Your frustration was from you caring and that is nothing you should feel sorry about. Glad we got a chance to clear the air! I decided to message you a complete response…figured it had nothing to do with "insight about interferon" lol