Hello and welcome to health care magic. Hepatitis b is caused by the hepatitis b virus and is transmitted through sexual contact or during childbirth. It has two possible stages : the acute stage and the chronic stage. In the acute stage you have now become infected with the virus. Symptoms occur 1 to 4 months after contact with the virus. Chronic infection is infection lasting longer than 6 months. About 5 to 10 % of people may go on the have chronic infection. In chronic infection you can be a carrrier ( the virus is there but you do not have any symptoms although you can still transmit to other people) or you can have active disease which require medication. Some persons with chronic active disease can develop cirrhosis and blood test will help to identify this. Most persons with acute infection the infection resolves, acute hepatitis is not treated with any antiviral medication like the lamivudine you seem to have been given because it is expected to resolve on its own. In cases where the person is dehydrated because of vomiting or diarhoea they may be given iv fluids or medication. Antiviral medication is given in some cases chronic hepatitis in persons with active hepatitis and those likely to progress to cirrhosis. They are given based on the liver function tests which would let your doctor know how well your liver is working and blood tests to see how much of the virus is in the blood. Anti viral medication stop the virus from multiplying, but not all persons given antivirals respond to them in the same way. You need to find out whether your doctor believes you have the acute or chronic infection