Posted 3/14/2017 2:13 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, I'm a 54 year old Asian woman and have had Hepatitis B all my life. Many of my family members also have it and have not had problems as yet. I was recently told my 'numbers' indicate I need to start meds for it and I was prescribed Viread. A little background: in 2015 I experienced an extraordinarily stressful lawsuit. I absolutely went through hell that year. I mention this because that's when my Hep B Virus DNA was at its highest, 63984 < 20 (IU/mL) & 4.80 < 1.30 (LogIU/mL), and I can't help but think stress contributed to the spike. Now, 2 years later, the numbers are lower at 45569 < 20 (IU/mL) & 4.65 < 1.30 (LogIU/mL). My logic says that if the numbers are lower, maybe I don't need to start the meds (I'm told this prescription is something that, once started, can never be stopped). I also had a liver biopsy which indicated a normal but fatty liver.
To those more experienced than I, should I consult another doctor, or does this scenario sound appropriate to start Viread? Any help here will be greatly appreciated.