Hepatitis B Info

What Therapies are Available?

What Hepatitis B Treatments are Available?

Anti-virals

Anti-virals are oral pills that keep the hepatitis B virus from replicating or making copies of itself.¹ This means that the amount of virus in the blood (viral load) is decreased.² Keeping the amount of viral load to the lowest possible level is the best way to control the hepatitis B virus and keep it from progressing to a serious liver disease, such as liver cancer.³

A few people with hepatitis B taking anti-virals will feel side effects. Common side effects of anti-virals are headache, fever and severe nausea.⁴ You should always tell your health provider if you have any of these side effects.

Some anti-virals will stop working after a while. This is called resistance. You should ask your health provider what hepatitis B drugs keep working the longest.

Interferons

Interferons work by boosting the body’s immune system to fight the hepatitis B virus. They must be given as an injection. Sometimes interferon hepatitis B treatment must be given several times a week.⁵

In some people, interferons can cause severe depression.⁶ Other side effects are feeling tired, diarrhea, feeling sick to your stomach, vomiting and stomach pain.⁷ Interferons also can cause dizziness, aches in your joints, rashes and hair loss.⁸ A more serious side effect that can occur over time from this hepatitis B treatment is a decreased production of red blood cells.⁹ You should always tell your health provider if you have any of these side effects.