- Hepatitis B is a liver disease. It can make you very sick
- You get it through sex.
- You usually don’t notice it at first
- Medicines can usually clear it up. But not always
- Do not have sex until after your treatment has been completed and you’re feeling better
Symptoms
Usually, you don’t have any symptoms. If you do get symptoms? Then it will usually be two to three months after you got hepatitis B.
You may have these symptoms:
- Tiredness
- Not feeling well, nausea, fever
- Muscle pain
- Pain or inflammation in your bones
- Spots on your skin
- Stomach pain
- Jaundice: the white part of you eyes is yellow. Your skin is yellow, your urine is dark brown, and your poop is sometimes grayish-white
Are you not taking medicine? Then can get very sick. You could get liver cancer, for example.
Hepatitis B animation
Get three free hepatitis B vaccinations
Make sure you don’t get hepatitis B. Get vaccinated for free at your local municipal health service (GGD).
Testing and treatment
Do you have symptoms and think you might have hepatitis B? Get an STI test at the municipal health service (GGD) or at your doctor's office. Testing is free at the municipal health service (GGD) if you tell them you are a sex worker.
If you test positive for hepatitis B, you will get medicine. The medicine usually clears up your symptoms. You also won’t give it to other people.
Sometimes, hepatitis B doesn’t go away. The virus stays in your body. And you can continue to have symptoms. This is called chronic hepatitis B. Hepatitis B that does go away is called acute hepatitis B.
Tell people you had sex with and your housemates that you have hepatitis B (acute or chronic). That way, they can also get an STI test.
You can read more about hepatitis B, the treatment and which sex partners and housemates can also get tested at soaaids.nl.
Read more about hepatitis (Dutch only)
Working if you have hepatitis B
It is better to take a break from work if you have hepatitis B. You are sick and your body needs rest. Don’t have sex until after your treatment. You will usually also feel better after treatment. Talk to your doctor about when you can go back to work. Usually, you can have sex again if you are better.
No sex means:
- No vaginal or anal sex. Not even with a condom
- Don’t let anyone perform oral sex on you
- Don’t let anyone give you a blow job
- Don’t let anyone finger your vagina or anus.
- Don’t lay or rub your vagina or penis on someone else’s. Or against someone’s anus
This goes for sex with your clients and your own partner if you have one.
Do you have hepatitis B that won’t go away? You can keep working. Keep this in mind:
- Use a condom during vaginal or anal sex.
- Use a condom when you give a blow job or eat pussy
What is ok to do if you have hepatitis B?
- Long-distance sex. For example, using a web cam. Read about how you can have long-distance sex
- Masturbate someone
- Finger the other person in their vagina or anus
- Give someone a blow job. Always use a condom when you give a blow job. Are you unable to use a condom? In that case, please note:
- Don’t take the penis too far into your throat
- Make sure you don’t get any sperm in your mouth
Vaccination
Fortunately, you can protect yourself against hepatitis B. If you’re a sex worker, you can get vaccinated against this STI free and anonymously. That way, you won’t get hepatitis B. Get the three free vaccinations at your local municipal health service (GGD).
Take an STI test
Do think you have hepatitis B? If so, you might have other STIs. Get an STI test at the municipal health service (GGD) or at your doctor's office. Then you will know for sure whether you have an STI. And you will get medicine for it right away.
