Patient's question:
My father is a hepatitis B patient and has been taking medication for over ten years, taking it every day. I'm puzzled, why do they need to keep taking medication? When can hepatitis B patients stop taking it? Is it necessary to take medication for the rest of their lives? If it's possible to stop taking medication, is it an instant stop or a gradual reduction in dosage?Doctor's answer:
Hepatitis B patients can only stop medication after proper treatment and gradual recovery. Otherwise, the condition may worsen over time or develop into chronic hepatitis. Chronic hepatitis B, if left untreated for a long period, can progress along the path of "hepatitis B → liver cirrhosis → liver cancer," which is commonly referred to as the "third stage of hepatitis B." The reason why hepatitis B is difficult to treat is that most patients have immune tolerance and do not produce an autoimmune response to the hepatitis B virus (HBV), leading to persistent infection. Therefore, compelling the body's immune system to generate an autoimmune response to HBV is key to rapid recovery. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and traditional Chinese herbal medicine offer unique and effective insights. I recommend using traditional Chinese herbal medicine!