Montgomery College, Fall 2011, 1st semester students

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Here is our new thread ladies (Nikki, Andrea, Kristian, Marissa...and whoever else will be starting at MC this fall).

I don't see anything happening to my PPD test and I'm getting it checked tomorrow. My Tdap is pretty sore though. I went to LabCorp this morning and got my labs and titers done. They showed me what they would be billing to my insurance and it was over $1,000! I asked the lady if insurance usually ends up covering this stuff and she said yes. I asked, even the titers, and she said yes because it was necessary for my education. I sure hope she is right. I was told that results would take 2 days.

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Specializes in Future CRNA or Nurse Practitioner.

Thanks Kristian! We had a great time! The weather was fabulous for it too...low humidity and only got up to the mid-80s. My son got on his first 2 roller coasters and had a blast! Lol

Nikki, thanks for the update about Marissa. I'm glad to hear she's heard some good news. I get my PPD test read today at 2:00. I don't see much happening either, but I think that's a good thing. It's a tiny bit red but no bump, it's flat like the rest of the skin on my arm now. And also, my arm where I got the Tdap was so uncomfortable yesterday. But I think having to move it around alot and lifting things and being bumped into (ouch!) actually helped because today it feels much better.

Congrats on the cleared b/g check Kristian! One less thing to worry about :)

$1,000 is a lot!!! My insurance doesn't cover titers (the first guy I asked didn't even know what they were!), AND they don't cover school-related physicals if you're over 18...only a routine physical every 2 years. So I had to make sure my doctor marked my physical that I had on Monday as a "routine physical" so I wouldn't get charged. I HATE my insurance company...I'm definitely switching this November.

By the way, I got 2 books delivered yesterday. My APA Publication Manual and the Clinical Drug Therapy book. That thing is VERY thick and heavy...and it's not even a hardcover!!

Let us know how your PPD test goes Kristian!

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What insurance company do you have Andrea? I sure hope that lady was right and mine will pay for it.

My arm from the Tdap is still sore. I get my PPD read today as well.

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Specializes in Future CRNA or Nurse Practitioner.

I have United Health Care...PPO. I've had problems with them covering certain lab tests in the past. One time, my doctor ordered some test (I can't remember for what) and they tried to charge me $500!!! Luckily, I ended up not having to pay for it but that only came after much back-and-forth arguing and phone calls and whatnot...something I do not want to have to go through again!

My arm is still a little sore. I've been doing exercises with it; not really sure if that's what's helping or if the pain is just going away naturally. Try alternating ice packs and a heating pad every 15 minutes or so. What time are you getting your PPD read?

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We used to have United. We have Cigna PPO now.

I don't have an appointment time. They just told me to come in, they'd look at it quickly and I'd be out the door. My husband is home sick today and now my youngest is falling ill so I don't know when I will get there. My mom left to go home this morning.

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Just got my PPD read. I'm negative. I also asked about the Tdap and was told soreness is normal.

Question: on the doc letter it says we need to have 2 varicella vaccines AND a positive titer but on the health form it says 2 vaccines as an adult and a positive titer OR a positive titer. So which is it? Is just a positive titer ok or do I still need to get 2 vaccinations with a positive titer?

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Specializes in Future CRNA or Nurse Practitioner.

My PPD read negative too. I got a print-out of that as well as something stating that I received the Tdap (I don't know if we need that but I got it just in case).

I think you just need a positive titer for the varicella IF you've been vaccinated or had the disease before. If you've never had either, then I believe they want you to have 2 vaccines and a positive titer.

I hope your husband and son feel better soon! My hubby is a terrible sick person; thank goodness he doesn't get sick that often!

I hope everything went ok with Kristian. She was supposed to get her PPD test read this morning. When I went in for my PPD reading, the nurse said, "Yours is negative, I hope. This morning I saw someone whose injection site was like a big bubble." But even if the test comes out positive, I don't think it necessarily means you have tuberculosis. I believe a chest X-ray would be the next step in that case. I hope we hear from her soon...

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Specializes in Future CRNA or Nurse Practitioner.

I got my Fundamentals book! It came with the CD and a small Clinical Companion book that looks chock-full of helpful information. Now I'm really starting to get curious about our first assignment :)

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So what's next for you Andrea?

I go back on Tuesday for all of my results and I think I am getting a pap too. I guess I'm overdue. I have some issues with my nose so she did a culture on it for MRSA. That freaks me out. I am on an antibiotic now. But it freaks me out that something like that could hold me back after all this time.

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Specializes in Future CRNA or Nurse Practitioner.

Oh no! I hope it's nothing serious. I can't remember if that's what it was exactly, but a little girl down the street from us had to have surgery on her nose because of MRSA (I think). I hope yours is not serious.

Next for me is just waiting for my results to come in. Once UMD gets the results, I have to go pick them up and take them to my doctor so she can fill out the rest of my form. After that, I'm done!...well, IF I don't need any other vaccinations. Can't wait to be done with all of this...We have less than 3 weeks until registration. I'm going to print out my top 3 choices for classes and clinicals so I can bring them with me (can't believe I haven't even done that yet!).

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Ya, you're telling me. I don't think it is anything serious. It started after a cold this past spring. I don't think there is any kind of infection but becuase MRSA can be serious and it resides in the nose they had to test it and put me on antibiotics. She said that if I have it/it doesn't get cleared up the program wouldn't let me start becuase it is a communicable disease and highly nosocomial. So that freaked me out. I kicked myself for not bring it to the attention of a healthcare professional earlier but it was embarrassing. I asked when I had my PPD read if the results were in yet and they weren't.

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Hi girls,

Sorry it took so long to post.

Glad to hear your PPD results are neg! Mine is positive ?? :( Andrea, remember the bcg vaccination question on the sheet we filled out? Well, apparently I had the vaccination as least once. But I don't recall having positive TB tests (4-prong method) in the past. According to the nurse, TB tests are not very accurate. She mentioned the t-spot, which is a blood test instead of having an xray. And we tried to call the MC nursing dept to see if that would be accepted in lieu of an xray, but no one was available and she left a message. For now I have an appt to get an xray done tomorrow, should have done it today while I was there. Needless to say, I'm concerned and a bit confused. Were the TB test read correctly in the past? Was it read correctly today? False-positive? Can I still react from having the vaccine that long ago?There are specific guidelines for reading the result and I'm confused about where I fit in the category of recent immigrant. NIH says in the past 5 yrs, but the nurse said it doesn't matter how long. I don't know what to think.

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