First Post! 11/14/2009
Start blogging by creating a new post. You can edit or delete me by clicking under the comments. You can also customize your sidebar by dragging in elements from the top bar. Chronic Hepatitis Symptoms 10/01/2009
Chronic Hepatitis Symptoms
Preventing Hepatitis 09/01/2009
Preventing Hepatitis Prevent Hepatitis Hepatitis Vacinations You Can Prevent HepatitisThis infectious virus is complex – it comes in three primary forms in the U. S. (A, B, and C) and two more less prevalent forms (D and E). Yet there is much you can do to help prevent hepatitis. Safe and effective vaccines exist to prevent Hepatitis A and B. Although hepatitis C does not have a vaccine yet, there are ways to reduce the risk of contracting it. Today, about four million people in the U. S. have been infected with hepatitis C. Here's what you can do to prevent or reduce your chances of getting hepatitis: Preventing Hepatitis A (HAV) Vaccinate. Immunization of children (1-18 years of age) consists of 2 or 3 doses of the vaccine. Adults need a booster dose 6-12 months following the initial dose of vaccine. The vaccine is thought to be effective for 15 - 20 years or more. Vaccines to prevent HAV infection prior to exposure provide protection against the virus as early as 2 - 4 weeks after vaccination. Other people who should be vaccinated include: · Users of illegal injected drugs. · Restaurant workers and food handlers. · Young people living in dorms or in close contact with others. · Children living in communities that have high rates of hepatitis. · Children and workers in day care centers. · People engaging in anal/oral sex. · People with chronic liver disease. · If you eat raw shellfish frequently, ask your physician about being vaccinated. · Laboratory workers who handle live hepatitis A virus. Common sense hygiene.Hands should be washed with soap and water following bowel movements and before food preparation. Traveler precautions. People who travel to developing countries where sanitary conditions are poor should be vaccinated two months prior to departure. For those exposed to HAV, immune globulin (IG) should be given as soon as possible and no later than 2 weeks after initial exposure. Preventing Hepatitis B (HBV) Vaccinate. Safe and effective vaccines can prevent HBV. Safe and effective vaccines provide protection against hepatitis B for 15 years and possibly much longer. Currently, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all newborns and individuals up to 18 years of age and adult participating at risk of infection be vaccinated. Three injections over a 6-12 month period are required to provide full protection. Newborns exposed to HBV at birth by an infected mother should receive Hepatitis B immune Globulin plus the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine within l2 hours of birth and two additional doses of vaccine at one and six to twelve months of age. All children and adolescents should be vaccinated since most cases of HBV occur in sexually active young adults. Those who engage in high-risk behaviors should be vaccinated as well. Everyone who handles blood or blood products in their daily work should be vaccinated. Practice safer sex (use latex condoms). If you have hepatitis, or if you have more than one sex partner within a six- month period, you should consider vaccination. Unvaccinated individuals who have been exposed to HBV infected persons through unprotected sex or contact with infected blood or body fluids should receive an intra-muscular injection of hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) within l4 days of exposure and the hepatitis B vaccine. Don't share! If you are a user of injected drugs, never share drug needles, cocaine straws, or any drug paraphernalia. No one should share anything that could have an infected person's blood on it (e.g., toothbrush, razor, nail clipper, body piercing instruments, etc.). Handle blood spills correctly. If there is blood spill, even a small one, clean it up with a 10% solution of household bleach (believed to kill the virus). Wear protective gloves. Preventing Hepatitis C (HCV) There is NO vaccine to prevent HCV. Vaccines for Hepatitis A and B do not provide immunity against hepatitis C (although those who are HCV infected should receive both hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccination). The source of HCV infection remains a mystery in about 10% of the cases. That means preventive measures are your first line of defense against HCV. Preventive actions for HCV are the same as for hepatitis B. HEPATITIS VACCINATIONSHepatitis A Vaccination Is the hepatitis A vaccine safe and effective? The HAV vaccine, made from inactive hepatitis A virus (synthetic), is highly effective in preventing the hepatitis A infection when given prior to exposure. However, its safety when given during pregnancy has not been determined. Currently, the hepatitis A vaccine is NOT licensed for children less than 1 year of age in the U.S. Who should be vaccinated against hepatitis A? just about anyone is a candidate to get hepatitis A; however, those at higher risk for hepatitis A include: users of illegal drugs; individuals who have chronic liver disease or blood clotting disorders (e.g., hemophilia); those who have close physical contact with people who live in areas with poor sanitary conditions; men who have sex with men; those who travel or work in developing countries; and children in populations that have repeated epidemics of hepatitis A (e.g., Alaska natives, American Indians, and certain closed religious communities). What is the dosage regimen? Recommended dosages and schedules vary with the patient's age and which specific vaccine is used. Whether you are a child over 1 or an adult, more than one shot is needed for long-term protection. Check with your doctor or nurse to determine how many shots are needed and when to return for the next dose. The vaccine provides protection about four weeks after the first injection; a second injection protects you longer, possibly up to 20 years. Twinrix, a combined hepatitis A and B vaccine may be given to those over 18 years of age. Hepatitis B Vaccination Is the hepatitis B vaccine safe and effective? Yes. The hepatitis B vaccine has been available since 1982. Use of hepatitis B vaccine and other vaccines is strongly endorsed by the medical, scientific and public health communities as a safe and effective way to prevent disease and death. Hepatitis B vaccines have been shown to be very safe when given to infants, children and adults. Could vaccinations eradicate hepatitis B? Eradication of hepatitis B is possible through a comprehensive vaccination program. The way to do this is to make sure all newborns, children under 19, and adults at risk are vaccinated against HBV. Who should be vaccinated? All newborns and children up to the age of 19, especially adoptees; all individuals living in the same household with a chronically infected individual; those who are in positions where they are exposed to blood at work, through drug use, or who have multiple sex partners; and individuals with hepatitis C and other chronic liver diseases should be vaccinated for hepatitis B. Why is it so important to vaccinate children against hepatitis B? Parents and guardians are encouraged to have their children vaccinated at an early age to prevent the serious complications that can occur when youngsters under the age of five are infected. HBV, a sexually transmitted disease, is100 times more infectious than HIV (the virus that causes AIDS). What is the Vaccines for Children program? The Vaccines for Children Program provides free hepatitis B vaccines to young people under the age of 19 years who are on Medicaid, have no insurance or whose insurance does not cover immunizations. Can the babies of infected mothers be vaccinated? Yes. All newborns, especially those whose mothers are HBV-infected, should get three vaccination shots for hepatitis B – the first within 12 hours of birth, the second at 1-2 months, and the third at 6 months. In addition, babies born to infected mothers should receive a shot called HBIG (hepatitis B immune globulin) within 12 hours of delivery. All women should be screened for hepatitis B surface antigen during pregnancy to determine if they are a carrier (chronically infected) of HBV. Without the above intervention, 90% of babies born to infected mothers will become chronically infected, reducing their life expectancy. It is safe to vaccinate pregnant women. What is the dosage regimen? HBV vaccines require three injections to obtain long-lasting immunity. Hepatitis B vaccine is given as an intramuscular injection, and can be given to children at the same time as other vaccinations. It can be given in a number of schedules, each of which provides excellent protection. For infants, vaccination should begin at birth. A second dose at 1 month of age and the third dose at 6 months of age may be given. source Hepatitis Foundation International (800) 891-0707 HFI@comcast.net Caring for Your Liver 08/01/2009
Caring for Your Liver Basic Liver Care Diet and Your Liver Basic Liver Care Your liver depends on you to take care of it . . . so it can take care of you. It serves as your body's engine, pantry, refinery, food processor, garbage disposal, and "guardian angel." The trouble is, your liver is a silent partner; when something's wrong it does not complain until the damage is far advanced. So it needs your help every day to keep it healthy and hepatitis-free. To do that, you need to eat a healthy diet, exercise, get lots of fresh air, and avoid things that can cause liver damage. What does my liver do? Sadly, people generally have little knowledge of the complexities and importance of the thousands of vital functions their livers perform nonstop. The liver is about the size of a football – the largest organ in your body. It plays a vital role in regulating life processes. Before you were born, it served as the main organ of blood formation. Now, its primary functions are to refine and detoxify everything you eat, breathe, and absorb through your skin. It is your body's internal chemical power plant, converting nutrients in the food you eat into muscles, energy, hormones, clotting factors and immune factors. It stores certain vitamins, minerals (including iron) and sugars, regulates fat stores, and controls the production and excretion of cholesterol. The bile, produced by liver cells, helps you to digest your food and absorb important nutrients. It neutralizes and destroys poisonous substances and metabolizes alcohol. It helps you resist infection and removes bacteria from the blood stream, helping you to stay healthy. Arguably, your liver isn't just your silent partner – it's your best friend. Three things to avoid for liver health: 1 Avoid excessive alcohol. Most people know that the liver acts as a filter and can be badly damaged by drinking too much alcohol. Liver specialists suggest that more than two drinks a day for men – and more than one drink a day for women – may even be too much for some people. One of the most remarkable accomplishments of this miraculous organ is its ability to regenerate. (Three quarters of the liver can be removed and it will grow back in the same shape and form within a few weeks!) However, overworking your liver by heavy alcohol consumption can cause liver cells (the "employees" in the power plant) to become permanently damaged or scarred. This is called cirrhosis. 2 Avoid drugs and medicines taken with alcohol. Medicines – especially the seemingly harmless acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol and other over-the-counter medications) – should never be taken with alcoholic beverages. Many prescribed and over-the-counter drugs and medicines (including herbal medications) are made up of chemicals that could be potentially hazardous to your precious liver cells, especially taken with alcohol. If you are ill with a virus or metabolic disorder, liver damage may result from the medications you take. In such cases, you should ask your physician about possible liver cell damage. 3 Avoid environmental pollutants. Fumes from paint thinners bug sprays, and other aerosol sprays are picked up by the tiny blood vessels in your lungs and carried to your liver where they are detoxified and discharged in your bile. The amount and concentration of those chemicals should be controlled to prevent liver damage. Make certain you have good ventilation, use a mask, cover your skin, and wash off any chemicals you get on your skin with soap and water as soon as possible. Diet and Your Liver Overview Poor nutrition is rarely a cause of liver disease, but good nutrition in the form of a balanced diet, may help liver cells damaged by hepatitis viruses to regenerate, forming new liver cells. Nutrition can be an essential part of treatment. Many chronic liver diseases are associated with malnutrition. Watch the Protein To quickly determine your daily protein in grams, divide your weight in pounds by 2. Too much daily protein may cause hepatic encephalopathy (mental confusion). This occurs when the amount of dietary protein is greater than the liver's ability to use the protein. This causes a build up of toxins that can interfere with brain function. Protein is restricted in patients with clinical evidence of encephalopathy. However, controversy exists regarding the type of protein a diet should contain. Vegetable and dairy protein may be tolerated better than meat protein. Medications, such as lactulose and neomycin, may be used to help control hepatitis-related encephalopathy. Due to the body's need for proteins, protein restriction should only be undertaken with a doctor's advice. Watch the Calories. Excess calories in the form of carbohydrates can add to liver dysfunction and can cause fat deposits in the liver. No more than 30% of a person's total calories should come from fat because of the danger to the cardiovascular system. To figure out your daily calorie needs, you'll need a minimum of 15 calories a day for each pound you weight. Watch the Salt Good nutrition also helps to maintain the normal fluid and electrolyte balances in the body. Patients with fluid retention and swelling of the abdomen (ascites), or the legs (peripheral edema), may need diets low in salt to avoid sodium retention that contributes to fluid retention. Avoiding foods such as canned soups and vegetables, cold cuts, dairy products, and condiments such as mayonnaise and ketchup can reduce sodium intake. Read food labels carefully as many prepared foods contain large amounts of salt. The best-tasting salt substitute is lemon juice. Watch Vitamins A and D Excessive amounts of some vitamins may be an additional source of stress to the liver that must act as a filter for the body. Mega-vitamin supplements, particularly if they contain vitamins A and D, may be harmful. Excess vitamin A is very toxic to the liver. Beware of Alcohol You'll need to stop drinking completely to give your liver a break - a chance to heal, a chance to rebuild, a chance for new liver cells to grow. This means avoiding beer, wine, cocktails, champagne, and liquor in any other form. If you continue to drink, your liver will pay the price, and if your doctor is checking your liver function tests, it may be hard to determine if a change in a test means there has been damage to your liver due to the disease itself or because of the alcohol. Beware of Alcohol and Acetaminophen Acetominophen is an ingredient in some over-the-counter pain relievers, and is contained in many over-the-counter drugs used for colds or coughs. Taken with alcohol, these products can cause a condition called sudden and severe hepatitis which could cause fatal liver failure. Clearly, you should never combine these two substances. If you have any doubt about what medicines to take simultaneously, ask your doctor. Beware of "Nutritional Therapies" Herbal treatments and alternative liver medicines need to undergo rigorous scientific study before they can be recommended. "Natural" or diet treatments and herbal remedies can be quite dangerous. Plants of the Senecio, Crotalaria and Heliotopium families, plus chaparral, germander, comfrey, mistletoe, skullcap, margosa oil, mate tea, Gordolobo yerba tea, pennyroyal, and Jin Blu Huan are all toxic to the liver. source Hepatitis Foundation International (800) 891-0707 HFI@comcast.net | AuthorIAHAPF Board Members will post information and links about Hepatitis A, B, C. Knowledge is Power ArchivesSeptember 2010 CategoriesAll |
RSS Feed