When Hepatitis infection occurs, the liver is affected.Hepatitis simply means inflammation (or irritation and enlargement) of the liver.There are many viruses that can affect the liver, like hepatitis A, B, C, D, E and G, these of course are then split again by laboratories into number coding so you have something that looks a crossword puzzle that almost becomes as complex as the theory of relativity.It’s no wonder that people have difficulty in understanding the concept of Hepatitis.
Each of these diseases is caused by a different virus.Some of these do not cause serious infections and may not even cause symptoms.Hepatitis A, B and C are most likely to cause symptoms and chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) have the greatest chance of causing long-term health problems.(There are vaccines available for hepatitis B and hepatitis A, a much less serious infection of the liver.)
Hepatitis viruses, like all viruses, are tiny invaders that enter cells, interfere with the cell’s normal activities and force the cells to make more virus (if you like, it’s a bit like central government interfering with the NHS), the body and the immune system get into such as mess neither knows how to solve a problem they just keep creating a bigger and more varied mess.As the hepatitis viruses work, they can kill many hepatocytes.Researchers think that besides the hepatitis viruses' effects on liver cells, they also spur an immune attack that mistakenly targets liver cells, rather than the virus.
It's believed that the scarring caused by the immune system attack on the patient's own body causes much of the liver damage in patients with these diseases.However, this is still only a theory and much more research is still to be done.
The biggest differences between the hepatitis B and C viruses are in some of the ways they are spread, whether they become chronic, or in the way the hepatitis C virus mutates, or changes.The mutation is a permanent change in the virus's genetic code or makeup.Both the hepatitis B and C viruses mutate in the body, but the hepatitis C virus does this so many times that the body ends up fighting many slightly different forms (called strains) of the virus.This is why the body is so much better at fighting hepatitis B than fighting hepatitis C and one reason why there is a vaccine for hepatitis B, but not for C (although the treatments for hepatitis C are becoming much more successful).
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is caused by the hepatitis B virus.This virus has a ball-shaped capsule containing the virus's genetic material, which invades the liver.Hepatitis B is a serious form of hepatitis that affects more than 180,000 Britons.
Hepatitis B causes the liver to become enlarged, irritated and sometimes scarred.Hepatitis B has the ability to hide inside the body - so many people don't know that they've been infected until they are tested specifically for it. However, some infected people will have the flu-like symptoms that you would normally expect when you have a virus: loss of appetite, upset stomach and vomiting, fever, pain in the abdomen and so on.This is called acute hepatitis (remember, an acute illness is short-lasting, while a chronic disease may last a long time, re-occurring often).
Other symptoms of acute hepatitis B infection are very different from having the flu.For instance, your urine may become dark, which is a sign that your liver is functioning poorly.Your liver will not be as efficient in breaking down bilirubin and so your eyes and skin may become yellowish or jaundiced, (a very dear friend of mine often refers to it as a “perma-tan” when people often ask where he has been on holiday!) you may feel very tired for weeks or months and this is another sign that your liver is not removing waste from your body as quickly as it should.
Finally, an enlarged liver may cause a strange feeling in the right side of the abdomen that is described by many as a heavy and dragging sensation.Many people with hepatitis B have some symptoms, but not all; it is important to be aware that some people will have no noticeable symptoms at all.
Most healthy adults can fight off a hepatitis B infection without treatment, but a small percentage of people can become carriers (having few or no symptoms but able to infect other people) and a few more become chronically infected; that is, their infection stays active for more than 6 months.About 5% of adult cases and about 90% of cases in newborn babies become chronic.If you have any of these symptoms it is always better to have a test and feel foolish afterwards with a negative result.You don’t get medals for putting up with this and martyrdom is out of fashion!
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is caused by the hepatitis C virus, which is also a ball-shaped capsule containing the viral genes that invade the liver.Hepatitis C is a serious form of liver disease, affecting about 500,000 Britons.The hepatitis C virus is similar to hepatitis B virus in that you can catch the disease and not feel symptoms.If you have symptoms, they may be similar to those described for hepatitis B.
The most common symptom of Hepatitis C, however, is fatigue.If chronic hepatitis C is left untreated, it also can cause scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) as well as an increased chance of liver cancer and even liver failure.Chronic hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplant in the United Kingdom.
Like hepatitis B, when the hepatitis C virus enters your liver, it begins to invade cells and grow.As it does so, increasing numbers of the cells are scarred and damaged.
You may not feel any ill effects until so much damage has taken place that your liver no longer functions properly.This can take 10 to 40 years, depending on the speed at which the disease progresses and how well you take care of your liver.Alcohol use, HIV and other factors can affect how fast the disease progresses but still there are no ways of knowing how each person's disease will progress.
Each hepatitis C virus is as unique as the person carrying it.About 85% of patients with hepatitis C virus infection go on to suffer from chronic hepatitis.
In the meantime, just like patients with hepatitis B, you should avoid alcohol because of the additional damage it can do to your liver.
Remember that alcohol and acetaminophen better known a paracetamol (an ingredient used in many pain relievers and many preparations used for colds available from pharmacies without prescription) taken together can cause a condition called fulminant hepatitis, which can lead to fatal liver failure.Clearly, you should never combine these two substances and talk to your doctor about any medications you take.
How are hepatitis B and C spread?
You probably wondered about this when you first found out you suspected you had hepatitis and may have wondered what it means to people close to you. Is your family at risk through their daily contact with you?Can you still make love without infecting someone?These are important questions.
Shared routes of infection
Hepatitis B and hepatitis C are spread in many of the same ways.They are both blood-borne diseases; that is, they are carried in an infected person's blood.But that doesn't mean that a blood transfusion from an infected person is the only way to get these diseases.
Up until 1990, this was one of the main ways that hepatitis C was spread, but at that time, new blood tests were introduced that have almost completely stopped the spread of Hepatitis through transfusions.Blood is still the main way these viruses are spread and they are also found in other body fluids.
Any blood, including blood from cuts, nosebleeds or even menstrual blood can carry the virus.Hepatitis B or hepatitis C may even be spread through sharing objects like a toothbrush, shaving razor or earrings.
Both viruses (but particularly hepatitis B) may also lurk on contaminated medical tools in places such as the dentist's office, the doctor's office, the haemodialysis centre (renal dialysis), or the operating theatre.
This is one reason why medical professionals have adopted a series of steps called “universal precautions”, which include strict cleaning procedures for all tools, using disposable needles and wearing gloves when coming into contact with patients.
Still, you should inform all of your healthcare providers that you have ahepatitis infection.
You can get hepatitis B or C if you share any kind of needles - those used for tattooing, body piercing, acupuncture, shots for health reasons or illegal drugs.
Sharing needles for illegal drug use is now one of the most common means of spreading both hepatitis B and C.
Straws for inhaling cocaine appears to be another major means of infection - small amounts of blood from inside the nose stick to the straw, which is then passed to the next person.This is now a common way that hepatitis is spread and is also considered to be one of the fastest growing.Remember you can’t get “hepa” filtration when “Hoovering” (or “Dysoning”) up the dust!
Sex and transmission from mother-to-baby are two other ways that hepatitis B and C can be spread, but there are important differences between the two viruses in these cases.
How you acquired hepatitis B or C (whether it was through a transfusion, drug use or some factor you can't even remember) does not make a difference in how either disease will affect you, but learning about how these diseases are spread can help you protect your family and friends and, more importantly, help you protect yourself against other infections.
Having one form of hepatitis does not protect you against other hepatitis infections and because there are at least six hepatitis viruses (hepatitis A, B, C, D, E and G) it is possible to become infected with different types of hepatitis at different times, or even at the same time.
Important differences
Hepatitis B is much more infectious than hepatitis C, perhaps because the blood usually carries more of the B viruses than the C.Hepatitis C is most commonly passed by blood-to-blood routes (such as a blood transfusion or needle sharing).Hepatitis B appears to be more easily spread than hepatitis C through body fluids other than blood such as semen, vaginal secretions and saliva (while it is relatively rare, transmission through saliva is thought to be possible for hepatitis B).
It has not been proven that you can get hepatitis B from exposure to tears, sweat, breast milk, urine or faeces: the virus has only been found in variable concentrations in these body fluids, but it is unlikely that you would contract the virus unless you had an open wound.
The virus can enter your body through a break in the skin and the lining of the nose, mouth, eye, vagina and anus (mucous membranes) are areas where the skin is likely to get tiny breaks or small sores that you may not even see and the virus can sneak in through these breaks.
As mentioned earlier, unprotected sex (whether it is heterosexual or homosexual) is now one of the most common ways that hepatitis B is spread, particularly among people who have sex with more than one partner.Sexual contact is a potential risk factor for the spread of hepatitis C.Most people in a long term relationship with only one partner seem to be at low risk of spreading or catching hepatitis C through sex.Having sex with many partners, however, seems to increase the risk of catching hepatitis C.It also appears that women are much more likely to become infected with hepatitis C from their male partners than the other way around.
Another common route of the spread of hepatitis B is from a pregnant woman to her baby.If you have hepatitis B and are pregnant or considering having a baby, talk to your doctor to find out more about your baby's particular risk and how to protect your baby.At birth, babies born to mothers with hepatitis B should receive a shot of hepatitis B Immune Globulin (HBIG) and the first in a series of three hepatitis B vaccines - this will greatly reduce the baby's chances of catching the virus.
Hepatitis C on the other hand, is only rarely passed from a pregnant woman to her baby.If you have hepatitis C, are HIV positive and pregnant, there seems to be a greater risk that your baby can catch hepatitis C from you.
Breastfeeding is usually safe for mothers with hepatitis C.Mothers with hepatitis B may be able to pass the virus on through breastfeeding.Every pregnant woman with hepatitis should talk to her doctor about how best to protect her baby from this virus.
Quick protection against hepatitis B
If someone is exposed to hepatitis B, he or she should call their doctor immediately.Anyone who is exposed to this virus must receive an injection of HBIG, which provides temporary help in protecting the person from the virus, followed by the series of three vaccinations against hepatitis B.Be aware that some PCT’s in this country make it very hard to get “after the fact” vaccinations and treatments until they have put you through the hoops.It is not as simple as going to the chemist and getting the morning after pill.
For the best protective effect, the HBIG should be given within 24 hours after coming into contact with the virus.The vaccine involves 2 injections given a month apart, followed by a third injection 6 months after the first one.
The hepatitis B vaccine is useful only for people who do not already have a chronic hepatitis B infection.The problem is, that after a night of passion, you do not want to think that your partner may have such an infection (indeed they may not know they have one) and so it is often impossible to get this “morning after” treatment.
Most people find out they have hepatitis C a long time after they were exposed to the virus.There is no vaccine or Immune Globulin currently available for hepatitis C.Anita Roddick (founder of body shop) did not know for twenty years that she had the virus: hepatitis is no respecter of class, colour or gender.
Protecting others
When you know you have one of these viruses, it's perfectly natural to be worried about passing it on to family, friends and co-workers.Here are some things you can do to protect other people:
Protect others by covering open wounds and by not sharing razors, toothbrushes, nail brushes, manicure tools or anything else that can hold tiny amounts of blood and be careful with menstrual blood too.
Clean bloodstains with a disinfectant.Some experts even advise not sharing hairbrushes or combs because of the possibility of scabs on the scalp.It is always wise to be cautious but at the same time, it is not necessary to ruin your life by becoming obsessive and paranoid, as this can lead to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - you are entitled to quality of life just like before.
Use latex condoms when you have sex.If you have hepatitis C and are involved in a long-term relationship there is only a small risk of passing the disease to your partner.But it is still important to talk it out with your partner and decide together if condoms are needed.Do be aware that whilst condoms are the gold standard, they only protect where they cover!It is always better to combine condoms with a lubricant containing a microbicide which will lessen the risk even further.(See page 6)
You cannot get Hepatitis through kissing on the cheek, shaking hands or hugging.Hepatitis B and C cannot be spread by food or water so you don't need to worry about handling food.
Knowing what's safe and what isn't safe will help you along your path to living with the virus.
How are hepatitis B and C diagnosed?
Finding better ways to track down the different hepatitis viruses through new tests has been a very important task in medicine over the last couple of decades.Doctors needed more accurate tests to help them find out who is infected, so they can determine whether an infection is old or new and to measure the amount of damage the infection has caused to the liver.Tests are now more advanced in this area than they ever have been, but research to improve the quality of testing is an ongoing process.
How your body fights the virus
Your immune system is designed to fight off infection, including viral infection, in several ways.One of your body's main defences is to produce antibodies (which are your body’s “Special-Forces-Crack-Attack-Unit”) designed to seek out and destroy that particular virus or bacteria.Specific antibodies attack one specific virus or bacteria.These tiny molecules can stick to viruses and prevent them from attaching to and infecting a healthy cell in the first place.
Antibodies also help your body clear the viruses from the bloodstream.A different antibody is produced for each different infection and your body makes many copies of that antibody.Unfortunately though, due to the differences in the viruses, the antibodies our bodies produce against hepatitis B do a much better job than the ones we produce against hepatitis C.As a result, the body is usually less effective at killing off hepatitis C and more patients develop the chronic form of hepatitis C than of hepatitis B.
The virus may not trigger the immune system until several weeks after first entering the body and so it can take a long time for antibodies to appear.Often it is only when the virus begins causing enough damage to the body's cells to trigger the immune system that symptoms occur - usually about four to six weeks after someone is infected.
Even before an infected person starts feeling symptoms, he or she is infectious to others.In fact, people with hepatitis B or C may be able to infect other people as soon as two weeks after they have become infected, whether or not they have symptoms.
How doctors test for hepatitis
In many cases, particularly with hepatitis C the infected person will have no symptoms.Many of these people find out that they are infected with hepatitis years later while having a routine physical exam or perhaps if their blood is tested while buying life insurance, obtaining a marriage certificate, undergoing fertility counselling, or donating blood.The Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) test which measures the level of ALT in your blood is sometimes used in these cases.An elevated level of ALT is a sign of inflammation in the liver (the ALT test is one of several liver enzyme tests.It is also often used to follow the treatment of hepatitis to check if your disease is progressing or if your treatment is working).
To confirm that hepatitis B or C is what is causing the elevated ALT level, doctors must check your blood for signs of the virus or for immune cells that the body produces in response to it.
Each of several tests tells something different about the "natural history" of your exposure to a hepatitis virus.For hepatitis B, the most common test measures the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) - a little piece of the virus' outer coat that acts like a "red flag", signalling that the virus is in the blood.If you are feeling quite ill and you have a positive HBsAg test, your infection may be new and active.But if you are not feeling poorly at all, it may be that you have had the disease for a while and it has become chronic.
Your doctor has other tests including the hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg), hepatitis B core antibody-IgM (anti-HBc-IgM), hepatitis B core antibody-IgG (anti-HBc-IgG), hepatitis B e antibody test (anti-HBeAg) and the HBV-DNA test, that will help determine if the infection is old or new and whether you are still successfully fighting it off, or if you need treatment and are still infectious to other people.
For hepatitis C, your blood is tested for antibodies to the hepatitis C virus using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Remember, the antibodies your body produces against hepatitis B are much better at killing the virus than those directed at hepatitis C, so finding antibodies to hepatitis B in your blood might mean your body is still fighting, or has killed, the virus; but finding antibodies to hepatitis C almost certainly means that you are still infected.
Once your body has encountered a virus and made antibodies to it, it keeps the antibodies around just in case the virus comes back, sometimes for decades or longer.For this reason, finding antibodies doesn't answer all of your doctor's questions about your hepatitis C infection.
To find out more, your doctor may give you the recombinant immunoblot assay test (RIBA), which is another way of measuring the presence of various antibodies to hepatitis C in the blood, or you may be given a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test that tells your doctor how much virus is in your blood.The PCR test for HCV is called the HCV-RNA test.
These tests are often used only to confirm your diagnosis, or to follow up on your progress.
Another common test used is a liver biopsy, in which a small piece of liver is removed (too tiny to affect how your liver works) and examined.Many physicians do a liver biopsy whenever a patient has a high ALT (which suggests that the liver is inflamed) to help them confirm what exactly is causing this problem and how serious it is.Others think it is better to use other means to confirm whether or not you have hepatitis and they may use the liver biopsy later to see if your disease is progressing or if your treatment is helping.If you already have clear signs of advanced liver disease there may be no need to do a biopsy.
Your doctor has other tests available too.Don't be afraid to ask what tests he or she has done, what other tests are available and what the results may tell you about your
condition.The NHS has an open policy and must disclose any information that you ask for that is relevant to your case.There are a few exceptions and these are usually under the Mental Health policy.
How is hepatitis treated?
Treating your hepatitis quickly is the most important thing you can do. Unless your body has fought off the infection by itself, treatment may be your only hope of controlling chronic hepatitis B or C.Sometimes the treatment takes a long time and it does not help everyone, but because this disease can get worse over time, it is very important to get proper treatment and follow-up.
What is Interferon?
Interferon and pegylated interferon are currently approved by N.I.C.E. (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) for treating chronic hepatitis B or C.Interferon is the general name of the drug.There are different forms and brand names of both types of interferon just like there are different forms and brand names of pain relievers like Aspirin or Ibuprofen, so for the purposes of this article I shall just call it interferon.
Interferon is combined with ribavirin for treatment of Hepatitis C.Interferon can completely eliminate chronic hepatitis B infections in some people.In people with chronic hepatitis B or C it may slow the disease by reducing the amount of virus in their body and slowing the damage to their liver.It is very important that you find out immediately if you should get treatment: the timing of your treatment can greatly affect your chances of benefiting from it.
Not everyone benefits from interferon therapy and you need to talk to your doctor about this and its associated side effects.If the hepatitis B or C virus has already seriously damaged your liver, drug treatment may be out of the question; it might make you more sick without helping to cure the disease.
Finally, if you have chronic hepatitis but no sign of liver damage, it may not be worth taking interferon for hepatitis B or C.Your doctor will have to help you make a choice about treatment.
If your doctor does not recommend that you try therapy, find out why he or she thinks treatment wouldn't work for you.Ask whether treatment may be possible, or even necessary in the future should your condition change.
To improve your chances of controlling chronic hepatitis you need to find out as much as you can about interferon and ribavirin, your particular case of hepatitis, how your liver is working, what type of virus you have, whether the infection is new or old - and what you will need to do to make sure therapy works.
How interferon works
One way that Interferon works against chronic hepatitis is by protecting your healthy, uninfected cells being taken over by the virus.Interferon is actually a natural substance that your body normally makes to help defend itself against invaders, but your body sometimes doesn't make enough naturally to help you defeat the infection: boosting your body’s own interferon with a synthesised drug may make a difference.Interferon can also work in other ways, such as helping your body's immune response against the virus and infected cells.
Treating hepatitis B
As mentioned earlier, about 90% of adults are able to fight off an acute hepatitis B infection completely without having to take prescribed interferon and they suffer no long-term effects from the disease.However, between 5% and 10% of adults with hepatitis B cannot get rid of the virus and some of these people will become carriers, which means that they don't become sick themselves but they can still infect other people.Others will have chronic hepatitis B for the rest of their lives, which means that the virus will continue to attack liver cells.Currently interferon is only indicated for use in patients 18 years and older.
One way that interferon works is by stimulating the immune system's attack on the infected liver cells.As a result, the patient may actually have a period during treatment in which his or her symptoms are worse than before.The virus makes your immune system attack healthy liver cells: this process is called a “flare”.It may be a good sign because it occurs more often in “responders” than “non-responders” in patients being treated for chronic hepatitis B.
Before treating any patient for hepatitis B, a doctor will check to determine that there is virus currently present in the patient's blood and if the patient's liver is being damaged.As noted earlier, if the patient is too sick the therapy may do more harm than good.The level of virus in your blood before treatment (as shown by a hepatitis B virus DNA test) may help predict whether or not you are likely to be helped by Interferon.People with lower virus levels seem to get more benefit from interferon than those with higher levels of virus.
What to expect from treatment
The treatment for chronic hepatitis B involves taking injections of interferon-alfa for a period of four months.
Several factors, particularly how long you have been infected with the virus, will make a big difference in whether or not it is likely you will be cured.There is no easy way to tell which patients will get better after taking Interferon: about half of all patients with chronic hepatitis B who are treated with interferon will have some benefit from the treatment - there will be less virus in their blood, their liver damage may have slowed and their symptoms will improve.
In clinical studies, 45% of patients who are treated for chronic hepatitis B with interferon will have no evidence of the hepatitis virus in their blood over time.
While you are being treated, your doctor may regularly check your ALT test to see if your liver is still inflamed, he or she may also use the anti-HBeAg or the HBV-DNA test to see if there is still virus in your blood and how much there is.
It can take a while for all evidence of the virus to clear from your blood.As a result, your HBsAg test may still be positive for weeks or years after you have been treated.Many patients get rid of the virus for good, but on occasion patients may have a relapse - a return of the infection - because the drug will not have completely cleared the virus from the body.
If you have a relapse, your doctor may recommend another round of interferon treatment or another kind of treatment.Even if the virus is controlled, it can take time for your liver to recover from the infection.Despite the absence of virus, the liver needs time to grow healthy new cells to replace those that were damaged or destroyed by the infection.
How ribavirin works
Ribavirin belongs to a group of drugs called nucleoside analogs, which are believed to prevent viruses from multiplying.Studies have found that the combination of ribavirin and interferon injections can help to reduce the amount of virus found in a patient's blood (called "viral load").
Treating hepatitis C
As discussed earlier, the antibodies your body produces to defend against hepatitis B work much better than those directed at hepatitis C and as a result of this, your body more often needs help beating chronic hepatitis C.
Again, your doctor will try to see just how much damage your liver has suffered before starting your therapy.The interferon is usually given three times a week, while the ribavirin is taken twice daily.Treatment often lasts much longer for chronic hepatitis C than for chronic hepatitis B; it may take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years for your treatment to be completed.
During treatment your doctor will carefully follow your ALT level and HCV-RNA levels and do other tests to see if your liver is getting better through treatment.
These benefits may include periods of remission and a lower risk of developing cirrhosis and/or liver cancer so it is very important that you stick to your treatment for as long as it takes to see if you are improving.Often your doctor can tell (after about three months of treatment for hepatitis B and about six months of treatment for hepatitis C) whether or not treatment is helping you.At that point, he or she may recommend that you stop the drugs if they don't seem to be working or change your treatment.
It is very important that you follow-up with your doctor, even if you seem to be rid of the virus.At the end of therapy your doctor may again test for the presence of the virus and may measure its level in your blood using the HCV-RNA test.
Even if you have no sign of the virus in your body at the end of treatment, there is a chance that you will suffer a relapse or return of your infection - if this happens you and your doctor will discuss the possibility of future treatment options.Many patients who had a relapse or were non-responders to interferon alone (monotherapy) have a very good chance (about 49%) of responding to combination treatment with ribavirin.
As with chronic hepatitis B, it seems that how much hepatitis C virus you have in your blood may affect whether or not treatment will help you.It also seems that the amount of virus and the related damage to your liver increases with time: this makes it especially important for you to get treatment as soon as possible.So it is very important that you stick to your treatment for as long as it takes to see if you are improving.
Coping with side effects
Almost everyone who uses interferon and/or ribavirin notices side effects - some of which are unpleasant; but you should not let that discourage you from using them.Some of the side effects of interferon are similar to the symptoms of hepatitis, so you may use some of the same approaches to handle these problems whenever they arise.There are also ways to lessen the unpleasant effects that are due only to interferon (these are usually at their worst during the first few weeks of treatment: after that they tend to lessen).One side effect that can happen while on combination therapy is an increase in the breakdown of red blood cells resulting in anaemia.This happens within the first eight weeks of treatment so your doctor will likely check your blood work very often during this time.Anaemia may make you feel more tired, but again it is important that you continue with your treatment and don't give up.It does get better!
CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL IF YOU NEED HELP COPING.
Not everyone experiences all of the same side effects and not everyone gets side effects, but the most common ones are flu-like symptoms. You may experience fatigue, fever, muscle pains, general body aches, chills and nausea.You may also find that food tastes different or that you have a metallic taste in your mouth.Mild hair thinning and dry, itchy skin can also occur.
If at all possible, you may want to take a week or two off work when you begin treatment, since the side effects are typically worse during the first 2 weeks (it may help to stay at home or at least plan to rest more).If your home life is busy, try to have others take over some of the chores or, if possible, get some temporary help for the first week.Do whatever you can to make it easier on yourself; you are more likely to stick with the treatment once you make it through the most difficult time, the first 2 weeks.
Because the impact of side effects tend to occur four to six hours after the injection, many people have found that taking the injection before bedtime allows them to sleep through the worst of it, but you should see how quickly your own side effects occur then you can make up your own time schedule.
You may be able to adjust the injection schedule around your work week as well.For example, if you work Monday to Friday and you receive three injections a week, you can arrange to take your injections on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, this way you will have side effects on only two of your workdays.You'll need to take your injections at the same time and on the same day each week.
Drink plenty of fluids – they can help relieve the side effects and will keep your hydration levels up which will help maintain a better defence system(try and reduce or eliminate caffeine and alcohol.Vodka cures most things but not this!).It is especially important to drink water or light fruit juices (apple, pomegranate, cranberry and grape) before and after receiving the injection – these are healthy for your body and will also help maintain blood sugar levels whilst your body goes into assisted “warrior” mode. Some medication can have bad effects when taken during interferon therapy.You must tell your doctor about any other medications, including vitamins or any herbal remedies you take regularly for your health.Some medications don't work as well if they are taken with another drug or can cause a bad reaction, so it is important that your doctor knows about any other medicines you are using while you are taking interferon.
More serious side effects can also occur, so report any changes in your health to your doctor.If you have little appetite, are losing weight or vomiting, you need to contact your doctor immediately.It is especially important that your bone marrow (the part of your body that makes immune cells for you) keeps working correctly during therapy.Sometimes interferon makes the bone marrow slow down production of certain blood cells.If this happens, your doctor may reduce your dose of interferon or even give you a brief break from therapy.
Combination therapy with ribavirin could cause serious birth defects and harm (including death) to your unborn foetus.If you or your partner are pregnant you should not receive combination therapy.Pregnancy should not be planned while you or your partner is on therapy and for 6 months afterwards.
An important point that bears repeating is that you should not drink alcohol while you are undergoing therapy.You are, after all, trying to defend your liver against a serious infectious disease and drinking can cause damage to your liver that is very much like the damage that viral hepatitis causes. There are even some reports that drinking alcohol while you are on therapy may affect how well treatment works.
Looking forward
Overall, treatment with interferon offers you the best chance to clear a hepatitis infection or at least a viable improvement.While some people do experience side effects, everyone reacts differently.Don't expect to have unpleasant side effects: you may not.Some side effects are just like the symptoms of hepatitis, so it could be your disease causing the problem, not the drug.Sticking to your doctor's recommendations, doing everything you can to stay comfortable and keeping a positive outlook are all very important.Remember, the chance for better health is the reward for your efforts.
You will need to follow the progress of your disease carefully even if Interferon does not work for you.By working with your doctor, you can minimize the damage that hepatitis causes to your liver.If the damage to your liver becomes too great, you may need a transplant, which is not a simple procedure.
Hepatitis C is the leading reason for liver transplants.Transplants bring whole new challenges, such as finding the right donor and taking medication for the rest of your life to keep your body from damaging the new liver with your own immune cells.
Current treatments do not help everyone!Your healthcare specialist may discuss other therapy options with you.
How Do I Take Care of My Symptoms?
When a person is infected with the hepatitis B or C virus, his or her body can respond in several different ways.Some people (particularly if they are infected with hepatitis C) have no symptoms at all.That means even if you are infected with the virus, you may not feel any different than you did before.You may not even be aware that you have the virus.
On the other hand, some people do experience symptoms.Soon after getting hepatitis you may experience a flu-like illness that includes tiredness, fever, muscle and joint aches and nausea.Some people infected with hepatitis also notice that their urine has become a darker colour and their skin has a yellowish tint, which is a condition called jaundice.
These symptoms usually go away by themselves without treatment, particularly if you have hepatitis B and you may have no further problems.Some symptoms of chronic hepatitis B and side effects of interferon treatment are also similar, but for some people the symptoms of hepatitis may be longer lasting, become more severe and interfere with daily life.In fact, dealing with hepatitis may seem like an overwhelming challenge.
Some symptoms of hepatitis
Fatigue is the most common symptom.Nearly all people with Hepatitis complain of some degree of tiredness.
Stress
Depression
Muscle and joint aches and pains
Anxiety and irritability
Headaches
Sleep disturbances
Other less common symptoms include pain or discomfort in the abdomen on the right side, itching, nausea, appetite and/or weight loss and mental fuzziness.Joint pain can also be caused by a condition known as cryoglobulinemia.About 1/3 of people with hepatitis C have this problem, which is caused by antibodies attaching themselves to the hepatitis C virus.If you are having joint and muscle pain let your doctor know.
That concludes our lessons on hepatitis B and C for this issue.plus|v|e have been kind enough to let me put fingers to keyboard on this subject, so any errors and omissions are my own, but if I have made mistakes, please let me know.
