Has anyone on here had hepatitis?

[midnightgirl]

It's not been confirmed yet but after blood tests etc it's looking like I have hepatitis. I have absolutely no idea how I got it? I don't drink, never done drugs I do take some medication but not much. My dr asked if I'd been abroad lately, as quite often you get this from abroad but I haven't since October.

Just wondering if there's anyone out there that's had it and experience of it. I know there are several types, no idea which one it is or even if it definitely is. Waiting for a scan

[RockinHippy]

There are different types of hepatitis, do you know which type. 1 is fairly innocuous compared to the more serious version & I think it's caught more easily too, so most likely to be that. I had it as a kid as it was doing the rounds & I caught it from other local kids. I was ill a few months, but made a full recovery & never had any liver trouble since

[TheCraicDealer]

A close friend of a colleague is getting over acute hepatitis A- they'd just been on holiday together and shared a room/toilet facilities just before she was diagnosed so colleague has had to be vaccinated. The friend has no idea how she got it. Lives in a farming community, single, good living, childcare worker- the current theory is that she got it from one of the kids as it tends to be milder or asymptomatic in children.

She's lost a few stone and it's really knocked her for six, poor woman. Still exhausted after minor tasks and no idea when she might be able to consider working again.

[midnightgirl]

No idea which one it is, or not even sure it's that for sure, waiting for the hospital to phone me with a scan appointment. The dr did seem concerned though. I just can't understand were I got it from

[Walkaround]

If it's type A or E, it can be acquired from contaminated food or water, so may be tricky to be certain where you got it from, as we all eat and drink several times a day. It's rare to pick it up in the UK, but certainly not unheard of. The good thing is, these types of hepatitis are usually cleared by the immune system eventually without any long term liver damage. Types B, C and D are generally acquired through close contact with body fluids/blood, so most often picked up through unprotected sex or from intravenous drug users sharing needles, so it should be easier to pinpoint the behaviour or accident that might have brought it about. Types B, C or D are types of hepatitis you particularly do not want, as they can cause permanent liver damage.
Hepatitis actually just means inflammation of the liver and I think can also be caused by the immune system attacking itself, a genetic condition that causes someone to have too much iron in their blood, obesity, taking too much paracetamol and probably all sorts of other drugs, excessive alcohol consumption, etc, etc...

[EmmaGrundyForPM]

It's really important to know which type. My dh got Hep A years ago on holiday in India through contaminated water. He was poorly for ages, lost loads of weight and couldn't eat rich or fatty food for about two years. He also couldn't drink alcohol for about a year. It was very unpleasant for him and it took about 2 years for him to fully recover.

Amazingly I didn't get it. I drank the same water as him on India but was lucky.

[midnightgirl]

See none of it makes much sense, I haven't been to anywhere like India, I 'm married and haven't slept with anyone else for 10 years. I can't think of were I may if come into contact with contaminated needles. No one else in the family has it, unless it was from contaminated food 🤷‍♀️ we eat out a lot but well hard to pin point it. Dr says most likely one is hep c but still got to be tested. Just what I need after my dh had a heart attack a few months back too

[StiltonVanDeKamp]

Have you eaten undercooked pork or live on a farm? Hepatitis E is becoming increasing common in the UK and is spread by pigs/pig meat.

Glandular fever (EBV/CMV) can cause hepatitis but you would usually also have sore throat/swollen glands.

Hope you get well soon.

[Walkaround]

You can have hep C for many years before you get symptoms.

[Frannibananni]

You can get hep A from someone who has it preparing food with out washing their hands after using the toilet. It's faecal-oral transmitted.

[Perty01234]

Yeh my DH has had it, although doesn’t know when: he had an injury at work that meant he was tested for everything. It came back positive for Hep but it’s actual dormant in his body. He could have essentially got it at any point in his life and was none the wiser. He has to watch how much alcohol he consumes to prevent liver damage and get re tested every 5 year to ensure that it’s not “live”.
But really it’s had no impact on him at all

[TheoriginalLEM]

You can get hep-a from oysters.

My dad had suspected hepatitis- turned out to be glandular fever.

You generally get tested for b and c when pregnant dont you? Hadnt heard of e and d til now

[midnightgirl]

It wasn't hepatitis in the end it was gallstones and one has lodged itself in a bike duct causing a blockage and for me to go jaundice. So waiting for surgery