TB Skin test positive -- help!

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello all,

I took TB Skin Test and it's a positive, 30 mm. They took my Chest x-ray today. I will know the result on 8/8/07. I took the TB Skin Test for Red Cross CNA class which will start on 8/1/07. I am a pre-nursing student.

Here is my question. If I have to take a drugs for my TB positive then how much does it cost? I do not have a health insurance.

The second question is:

Should I postpond my CNA class on 8/1/07 in case if my chest x-ray is positive?

Please help me... I am confused and worried. Thank you!

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Did you come here from another country? Someone in my class came from the islands and got a different type of TB shot so when she took the test in the US it came up positive. Don't postphone your class. By the time you are hands on with pts you should have it all cleared up.

God bless and good luck

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Just having a positive PPD does not mean you have TB. It indicates you have been exposed to the antigen. Some childhood vacinations given in the islands willl cause the same reaction.(I think it is BCG--but am drawing a blank for sure) The CDC states a positive is greater than 10 mm of inderation. You will have to provide a sputum test and they will grow out the bacteria. The culture can take up to 8 weeks to come back. If your X-ray is positive they will start meds. Medications can be obtained for free. The CDC has a program to prevent the spreading of the disease, so they give the meds to those who can not afford it. Call your local public health office if you need assistance. They will ask you about your history and try to figure out where you were exposed. It is really a hard disease to contract unless you are immunocomprised. You have to be in close proximity with an infected person for a prolonged period of time. It is carried on water droplets in the air. ie. talking, singing, sneezing, and coughing

The symptoms include: night sweats, fever, cough, unexplained weight loss and perhaps a cough. If you have any of these you should see your doctor.

Good luck!!!

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Don't postpone your class unless your instructors tell you to, which probably won't happen.

You may not have to take meds, but if you do, let the public health department know you do not have insurance. They will help you get the meds.

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Specializes in Case Management.

I tested positive right out of nursing school. Apparently a pt came through the unit with it and it was not known at the time. There were 2 nurses who tested positive and we were put on the medication which we had to take for a year. I am sure there is funding for the meds as another poster pointed out. Don't be afraid, remember knowledge is power, and now that you know you were exposed, you have a way to keep healthy and it won't cost a thing.

Think of it this way, had you not been tested, you would not know.

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Why so long to read a CXR?

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Specializes in Psych, Informatics, Biostatistics.
Hello all,

I took TB Skin Test and it's a positive, 30 mm. They took my Chest x-ray today. I will know the result on 8/8/07. I took the TB Skin Test for Red Cross CNA class which will start on 8/1/07. I am a pre-nursing student.

Here is my question. If I have to take a drugs for my TB positive then how much does it cost? I do not have a health insurance.

The second question is:

Should I postpond my CNA class on 8/1/07 in case if my chest x-ray is positive?

Please help me... I am confused and worried. Thank you!

Relax. I have been positive for many years and never taken the meds they recommend. I think they over prescribe those meds. Anyone else have any thought s on them?

As a kid my mom may have made us take the BCG which was a deterrent against TB. My grandfather died from TB in the 40s. Or I may have gone positive when I worked at a First Nations site or I may have ridden a city bus. Who knows?

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Specializes in CICU.

If you have never had any respiratory problems and are currently symptom free then in it is highly probable that you have latent TB. According to the CDC currently one third of the population in the world are thought to have latent TB. Latent TB means that you have on one point in your life been exposed to someone who has TB. In 95-97% of such cases however the persons immune system is strong enough to prevent the disease from progressing. Approximately 1 in 20 latent TB cases will progress on to active TB. In fact according to the CDC all of the TB cases in the United States in the last ten years have resulted from "activation" of latent TB. However those at highest risk of developing active TB are for the most part the immuno-suppressed. There are cases of false positive Mantoux (skin tests) so a blood test, usually the Quantiferon gold test can be done to confirm the skin test. All that being said, TB is considered a public health risk and your positive skin test will have been reported to your state public health agency, a lot of states offer the prophlyactic drug Isoniazid for free, check with your health department.

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Specializes in ICU of all kinds, CVICU, Cath Lab, ER..

Yes, why so long for the chest x-ray results.... I would insist on a reading (you have the right) way before the 8th of August....

Next, don't worry about the positive Mantoux.... I had the same problem in Boston... next thing you know the chief of Pulmonology shows up to speak with me.... an xray proved I was clear.... I am allergic to the medium in which the product is placed.... now I always get an xray......

Best wishes!

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Specializes in Assisted Living, Med-Surg/CVA specialty.
Why so long to read a CXR?
That's what I said!
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Dear BerryHappy:

I am from South Korea in 1989. So I have been living in US for quite a long time. I might had a vaccine for TB but I am not sure and my mom would not remember it either.

My RedCross class cost me total of $1450. I already paid for $100 registration fee which is non-refundable. On Thrusday, July 26th I have to pay the rest of tution for the class which is 1300. If I pay the whole amount then they will discount $50.

I was going to get a CNA certificate so while I was pursing my nursing degree I could make momey for a living, hopefully. I am 43 years old and I am quite worry about the course work so I am just wondering forget the $100 and do not worry about the money for the first semester as pre-nuirsing student.... I do have saved a money for until end of Fall 07 which is end of this year.

What do you think? Good idea?

peace.

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Dear epipusher:

What CDC stands for? Thank you for your infomation. One of symtoms I have is bad dry coughs through out my life and I wrote briefly about them below. The strong ones I remember.

Dec., 1994 Fall semester: after smoked about two weeks I developed dry coughs. It went about a month and half. I was living domitary the first time in my life and I was quite stressed out about my studies/classes.

Through out 2003: I was on and off coughing (dry) very badly, stressed out for future, job, and relationship with my boyfriend

March, 2004: very stressed out at work and started coughing...

Oct/Nov., 2006: again stressed out at work and started coughing badly... but at the time when I went to see a doctor, I did not have a cough so I forgot to ask about my cough. However, I took some kind of x-ray becuase my chest was hurt. Doctor said that my chest pain is becuase of my work stress...

So I though that my coughs are due to my stress at work. Ever since I quit my job I do not have a skin rash, and coughs which I were struggling for.

Sorry for a long story... However I am still worried...

Again, thank you epipusher!!!

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