Hepatitis B treatments cannot cure chronic hep B, but it can help control the virus and prevent liver damage or prevent additional liver damage if it is already present.
There are two methods of treating hepatitis B, interferon and anti-viral medications. Many factors go into deciding which treatment method is best for you, including your overall health, life plans (such as pregnancy), and hepatitis B genotype or existing liver problems. Your doctor will help you determine when treatment is appropriate, and which type of treatment is best for you.
Interferon
Interferon is taken as injections and helps your body to fight infection, including hepatitis. Interferon treatment lasts 24-48 weeks, and may have side-effects including nausea, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, and depression.
Not everyone’s hepatitis responds well to interferon, but for some it can get their hep B under control and decrease need for longer-term treatment.
Anti-Viral Medications
Anti-viral medications are taken by mouth as pills. Medications used to treat hep B include lamivudine, telbivudine, adefovir, entecavir and tenofovir—your doctor will help you determine which medication is best to treat your hepatitis B.
Sometimes, anti-viral treatment may be lifelong, while others, blood tests may indicate your hep B is “undetectable” (can’t be found on a lab test) and your doctor may decide you can stop treatment as long as you have been on treatment for three years, don’t have liver damage and are able to go for frequent blood tests to ensure the virus doesn’t relapse, or stays under control.
Sources:
- https://www.hepb.org/prevention-and-diagnosis/transmission/
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hepatitis-b/symptoms-causes/syc-20366802
- https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/diseases/hepatitis_b.html
- http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/hepatitis-b
- https://www.twinrix.ca/en-ca/about-hepatitis-a-b.html
- https://www.worldhepatitisalliance.org/hepatitis-b-treatment
- https://www.hepb.org/blog/can-hepatitis-b-patients-stop-taking-anti-virals-experts-finally-answers
- https://canlivj.utpjournals.press/doi/full/10.3138/canlivj.2018-0008