Need help with results:

Recently had blood work done completely and my hep b came back as :

hb s ag w/reflex conf reactive
hb core ab,total reactive
hep b surface ab,ql non reactive

Does this mean I have it or not? I was vacc. as a child. Any input would help to ease me mind thanks.

Post Edited (n18) : 11/5/2013 8:10:13 PM (GMT-7)

N18, welcome to the forum. If you presently have an acute infection, I'm sure there is treatment you can try. Speak to a hepatologist.

As of today, I am unofficially appointing ppmguy as our resident expert in lab interpretation, and trials/studies/treatment info guy extraordinaire.

Hugs,
Connie

thanks for the kind words and responses guys, I went to see my PCP , his explanation was that my results show at some point I was exposed, and do not have it now and also i do not have an immunity for it now and advised i get re vaccinated. Does that sound right to you guys? I made an apt with GI md next week, so well see what the specialist has to say.

sounds like you are questioning your dr. i am too. you have 3 tests that are used to diagnose hep b.
hbsag is used to test for infection; you were +(reactive)
hbcab is used to detect an acute or chronic; u were+(reactive)
hbsab is used to detect anti bodies; u were-(non reactive)

if you were exposed and now you are clear, you would be + for ab(anti bodies) and - on hbsag
barry

Well, either way, it is what it is, so no need losing sleep over it.

Hugs and good luck,
Connie

Had another MD look at my results,my results were def misinterpreted, I am being sent for additional tests to see if I am chronic or acute. I will be seeing a specialist next week whatever the outcome is. Thanks for the kind words guys. I have been reading up and know its not the end of the world for me but just comes as a great shock to me since I don't know where I could have been exposed to it. My mother told me I was vaccinated as a child, but my tests show I have no immunities apparently. Isn't a vaccine as a child suppose to be for life? I have to find my vaccination book since my current pcp isn't the one who would've gave me that vaccine. Nevertheless I will hope for the best.

Thanks barry, all my immediate family is either vaccinated or is getting the vaccination as a precaution. I know that I cant just pass it on via cough or touching. But nevertheless making sure everyone else is ok. Barry so you are saying even though I was vaccinated as a child about 80% of people respond to it. My mother says I was def vaccinated so if i was i guess it didn't work since I came back (+) for hep B. Barry I hope I do beat this on my own without tx. I was doing a little reading and see a large % of people esp when they are adults and not children beat this without an tx i think the figure was along the lines of 90%. I will hope for the best and hope it passes on its own if I definitively do have it. If not such is life and this is the card I was dealt, I know it is not a death sentence and know I can live a normal life besides a couple changes in diet and habits. I will being my pcp on wed with the more detailed liver results and my taking those to a spec. on friday. I will keep you posted, and let you know how it does. As always thanks barry. Nice to be able to reach out to someone.

Got some results back today on additional stuff:
hep e ag nonreactive
hb e ab reactive

I will be seeing my pcp tom, not sure what they mean I tried looking them up , but dont know what these along with my previous ones mean all together. Fingers crossed its not that bad. Will keep you guys posted.

So I went to my PCP, his final conclusion, is i have chronic hep b, I have very little replication and thus no tx is needed for this now. I was shocked and didn't know how to even respond to the news. I still feel as if its not real. He said stuff like if we ever start tx you'll have to take it for the rest of your life. I didn't feel reassured or anything. Like it was a little too blunt. He told me my life style wont change now and I should live as normally as possible. Seems a little hard when someone tells you that you can develop liver cirrhosis or now have increased chance of liver cancer. I will be seeing a liver spec.This friday to see if she has anything else to say on the matter. I appreciate the help and kind words. And know Ill be on the forums quite a bit, everyone on here has been a major help.

Don't know when I was exposed. The only reason I did this blood work is because the school I applied to required surface antigen test. Otherwise I would have never known. I don't think hep B is something they screen for on my regular yearly blood work. I guess I should call myself lucky that I did find out when I did. My pcp will be different as of the new year so I happy about that. I will def ask my specialist on friday about a 2nd opinion. I don't how my pcp inferred its chronic and acute after just being diagnosed couple weeks ago.

Went to go see my spec. She was an amazing doctor/human being. Spent an hour with me just talking answering my questions. She did additional blood work that my pcp didn't do as well as a liver sono so we have a baseline for me. She said my Liver function is excellent and I have very little replication so its not easy for me to pass it on to others. She said you'll live with it no need for tx. She wants me to see her in 3 weeks for my blood work results and 6 mths after that. My diet, is very good now so that's not a concern. She wanted me to keep it low fat, which I already do. She said we'll never be able to tell how long I'e had it since this is that first time in life I was actually screened for it. It is quite possible I've had it all my life and didn't even know. I was born in Europe in a country where disposable needles where not looked at as a must. So I might have gotten it as a child. I guess I will just learn to live with it , and the MD put my mind at ease about the whole thing. Its like she said, yeah you have it, its not a happy time but you'll learn to adjust, live with it, but most importantly live a normal life. I appreciate all the help guys. You shall be seeing me around more often ;)

Post Edited By Moderator (hep93) : 11/16/2013 10:10:55 AM (GMT-7)

Connie, the specialist stated my VIRAL LOAD is extremely low, and my LIVER FUNCTION is excellent. There is no point to currently treat. And since I have never had any symptoms that an acute pt would have, we are currently treating it as a chronic case. I know I'm not very contagious, but still MD advised family to make sure they have up to date vaccines along with my gf. I will def. keep everyone updated. I go back in three weeks and will see how the rest of my results came back.

Post Edited By Moderator (hep93) : 11/16/2013 10:43:02 PM (GMT-7)

Good report N18. And the positive attitude goes a long way to recovery as well!