Medicines
Do I need to take medicines if I have hepatitis B?
If you have chronic hepatitis B, there are sometimes medicines that your doctor may give you that can keep you healthy. Not everyone will need to have medicine. The medicine won’t cure or get rid of the virus, but it will prevent your liver from getting more damaged so you can stay healthy.
What medicines are used to treat hepatitis B?
Antivirals are commonly used to treat hepatitis B. The ones that are usually used in Australia are:
Entecavir (Baraclude®)
Tenofovir (Viread®)
You need to take them everyday. If you sometimes forget to take them they will not work very well. When you start taking them, your doctor may need you to have a check up every 3 months to see if they are working well and to check for any side effects. After that you may need a check up every 6 months.
How do the medicines for hepatitis B work?
They can stop or slow down the virus multiplying in your body. This way they can reduce your chances of damaging your liver, or even help you fix your liver if there has been some liver damage.
These medicines don’t cure you from hepatitis B, but they will help you keep your liver healthy.
Who needs to take medicine for hepatitis B?
Not everyone that has hepatitis B needs to take medicines. But it is important to have your liver check ups every 6-12 months so your doctor can see if you need to start taking your medicines.