Varicella titer/TB Skin test?

[willowita, ADN, RN]

I'm taking my last semester of prereq courses and will apply for a Fall 2012 program in the spring. I'm trying to get things in order and something I realized is that my parents lost my immunization records! I'm going to the doctor today to either get vaccinated again or get a titer. I'm going to check on MMR, Tdap, Polio, and Hep B. But I'm not sure when I should get a TB skin test and the Varicella titer. I think some schools require the skin test done within some recent amount of time and if I'm not going into a program for another year, I'm just wondering if I should hold off on those.

What do you think?

[ashlauren]

I do know that you have to have at least a week between the titer and TB test, so plan accordingly. And many places (like mine) will require two TB tests.

[RebeccaV]

I would wait until next year honestly. I know my school wants everything recent, meaning a TB test only within 3 months prior of classes beginning, they wont accept any background checks, physicals, etc if they are done too far in advance.

[willowita, ADN, RN]

Thanks for both of your replies. Looks like I should wait on getting those last two until next year. But I should be ok to get my other immunizations in order, I think. I'm almost 30 and it's scary that I don't even know if I'm up to date on childhood vaccines!

[ashlauren]

Yes, in general, a TB test is good for 1 year but different programs have different requirements, of course.

[cccormier]

I also lost most of my immunization records form when I was younger. I have since moved from my hometown, and my mother could only find a few of them. I was scared to think that I would have to get a lot of these shots/tests all over again (and some of them are in primary series of 3 doses, first one, second a month later, then third several months later...). But thanks to Titer testing and getting my TB done in time, it went by surprisingly fast! I'm sure you will get everything done in a matter of a few months at the most.

No need to get anything done a year in advance... I would suggest 2 or 3 months prior to your school start date. But better yet, I would contact your doctor or local health unit and tell them your situation. They should be able to let you know a better timeline or procedure that would work for you.

Good Luck!!!!

[igus2666]

I do not know if this apply for your state or not, but try to go to your Bord Of Health in your state, or the state you was born in. They should have a records of all your shots from when you was a child until now. Good Luck!!!!!

[resumecpr]

I lost mine and managed to get a copy of the record from Public Health. Health Canada is usually pretty good at keeping a record of immunizations. Try that first.