Hepatitis B is currently a major global health concern that causes chronic infection and puts individuals at high risk of death due to illnesses like liver cancer and cirrhosis. With this said, treatments and medications are available so that hepatitis B can be alleviated and averts the development of health complications.
So, let’s get started in knowing hepatitis B more and its treatments!
What to Know About Hepatitis B?
A viral disease, hepatitis B infects your liver, which primarily causes the scarring of the organs, generates liver failure and cancer. Because of this, Hepatitis B can be fatal if it is not treated properly and given immediate attention.
This condition spreads when individuals that have the said virus comes into contact with those non-infected persons through blood, body fluids, and open sores.
Hepatitis B is a severe illness. However, if you get the disease as an adult, then it should not last for a long time, unlike with children. Your body is able to fight it off for a few months, and then, your body’s system will get immunes to it for the rest of your life.
This means that you can not get infected with the said virus again (if completely treated). However, if you get hepatitis B at birth, then it is unlikely to go away.
Symptoms of Hepatitis B
Like the other types of Hepatitis B, most people will not experience any symptoms when one is newly infected. However, there is some instance that an individual with acute illness might show up some symptoms that would last several weeks.
The symptoms include the yellowing of the skin and eyes, known as jaundice, then dark urine, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and extreme fatigue. With this, it can lead to a person to develop acute liver failure, which leads to death.
On the other hand, there are some people that can develop a certain chronic liver infection due to the hepatitis B virus, which later on develop into cirrhosis or liver cancer.
How Hepatitis B is Acquired
Like any other illnesses, hepatitis B has its own set of conditions that a person might have which eventually leads to the progressing of the virus. With this said, here are the ways of how can an individual get hepatitis B:
Sexual Intercourse. Having unprotected sex with someone that you know or might know that have the said disease might cause you harm since your partner’s infected blood, saliva, vaginal secretions, or semen will enter your body.
Sharing of Needles. The virus can be easily spread through contaminated syringes and needles due to infected blood.
Accidental Needle Sticks. Healthcare workers are the ones most at risk for this since they work closely with patients that have hepatitis b virus. They are at high risk due to being exposed to human blood.
Pregnancy. Mother to the child, hepatitis b can be inherited from the pregnant woman to its unborn child during childbirth. However, there’s nothing much to worry about since there is a vaccine that helps prevent newborns from being infected.
How Hepsera Helps with Treatment
Hepsera is one of the many antiviral medications that can be bought with a Hepsera discount coupon. With this said, this medication prevents viral cells from further growth in an infected individual’s body and infects new liver cells.
This medication is used as a treatment for chronic viral infection of the liver to those people that are 12 years of age and older. However, do note that this medicine is not a cure for long-term illness, chronic hepatitis B.
What Is Its Important Information?
Having a side-effect from medicines are normal. However, it is not only normal when the side-effects become a burden to your body. If by chance, then you need to tell your doctor about it immediately.
Now, onto the important information about Hepsera. This drug might cause a serious condition called lactic acidosis, which is a form of metabolic acidosis that is due to the body’s overproduction or underutilized lactic acid.
This drug’s normal side-effects are the feeling of being weak, fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and gas may occur. If you are hesitant due to its side-effects, just remember that your doctor has prescribed you this medicine because he/she judged that the benefit that you get from the medicine is greater than its risks of side-effects.
Additionally, although rare, an allergic reaction might occur during this drug use. So, you need to know whether you are allergic to the said medication or not. Now, if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction such as rashes, itching, dizziness, and trouble breathing, then immediately get medical help.