What is Hepatitis b?
There are 3 common types of Hepatitis: A, B, & C. Hepatitis B is a viral infection commonly known as HBV. Being a viral infection means that there was an original virus that was spread to other people. If you are addicted to alcohol, or often consume large amounts of alcohol, you are much more susceptible to get HBV. So if you are concerned about contracting this STI, it is important to monitor your alcohol use.
The most common way that Hepatitis B is spread in the US is unprotected sex. Out of all the types of Hepatitis (A, B, & C) HBV is the most likely of the 3 to be spread through sex. This is not the only way HBV can be transmitted, it is also passed through bodily fluids (blood). These fluids can be passed through sharing straws or drinks, and reused needles. That is why it's important to be careful that you know who you are sharing a straw with, and if they have Hepatitis B you should realize sharing isn't always caring. You should also be aware at the doctor, if you are getting an injection or other needle-requiring procedures.
The most common way that Hepatitis B is spread in the US is unprotected sex. Out of all the types of Hepatitis (A, B, & C) HBV is the most likely of the 3 to be spread through sex. This is not the only way HBV can be transmitted, it is also passed through bodily fluids (blood). These fluids can be passed through sharing straws or drinks, and reused needles. That is why it's important to be careful that you know who you are sharing a straw with, and if they have Hepatitis B you should realize sharing isn't always caring. You should also be aware at the doctor, if you are getting an injection or other needle-requiring procedures.
Symptoms
Hepatitis B does not always have immediate symptoms. Even if they are immediate, they are not always something a person can be aware of. This can lead to liver damage (commonly inflammation) or cancer. It can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months for the symptoms to appear, so it is quite possible for conditions to become serious before you even know you have HBV. The disease is still contagious, even if it seems to be asymptomatic. It just could happen that you could have the disease for your whole life, still contagious, but not have any symptoms.
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EARLY SYMPTOMS
Here are some of the early symptoms that HBV has:
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LATER SYMPTOMS
Here are the later symptoms of HBV:
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Cure
There is currently no known cure for Hepatitis B. However, the disease often goes away on its own within 4 to 8 weeks. About 9 out of every 10 adults fully recover from HBV. But there are a select few that aren't so lucky. If you have HBV and it doesn't go away, you can get a long term disease called Chronic Hepatitis B, especially if you don't treat your Hepatitis right away. A very high percentage of infants that live with HBV have to deal with chronic hepatitis for the rest of their life. If you have the chronic disease, it is extremely likely that you will pass the disease on to others. Chronic hepatitis leads to liver damage and cancer. About 20% of the people with chronic hepatitis die from the infection. This sounds scary at first, but only about 1 in 10 people actually get the chronic disease in the first place, and only 20% of those people die. So believe it or not, the odds are probably in your favor.
Treatment & Prevention
Hepatitis B is most definitely treatable and preventable. There are drugs available to treat chronic HBV, but they are unsafe for pregnant women. Some of these drugs are as follows: Interferon Alpha (safe for children and adults), Lamivudine (safe for children and adults), and Entecavir (safe for adults, being tested and approved for children). In most cases you simply have to wait for the disease to go away and leave your system, but there are things you can do to prevent getting HBV in the first place. The first option is rather easy and straightforward: stay abstinent! If this isn't going to work for you, don't have unprotected sex unless you know for certain that your partner does not have Hepatitis B. Another easy option is to get the Hepatitis B vaccine. The shot is very safe, even for small children. Remember: Don't reuse/share needles, toothbrushes, straws, or razors.
How does it affect the infected?
The most common age to get hepatitis is from ages 20 to 49 in both men and women. If someone has HBV, they will probably be very self conscious. There are different ways to contract the disease, but people will often think of the most common way. They might not believe you if you say that's not how you got it, or if it's gone. People will most likely treat you differently, and rumors will probably go around. Essentially, it won't be easy, with everyone judging you for having such a disease.
Where to get tested
If you are worried you might have Hepatitis B, there is a Planned Parenthood Center in Madison that you can get tested. It is on Orion Rd. This clinic offers STD testing, treatment, and vaccination. You can also get a Hepatitis B vaccine at your family doctor. Health care centers almost always can test you for STDs, including Hepatitis B. Here is the link to the center on Orion Road: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center/centerDetails.asp?f=2733&a=91860&v=details
If this location is inconvenient for you, you can visit the Planned Parenthood website and enter your zip code, with the 'Find a Health Care Center' feature.
If this location is inconvenient for you, you can visit the Planned Parenthood website and enter your zip code, with the 'Find a Health Care Center' feature.