my Dad had TB (concern on the medical exam)

[David & Kezia 25]

Hi!

I'm worried about the medical exam.

My Dad had TB two years ago, and I lived in the same house with him for about half a year. He's fully recovered though, and not one of us showed any symptoms.

Are those who told the doctor that they lived with someone who had TB were automatically given the sputum test?

Kailangan kong malaman kung automatic nilang pinapa-take ng sputum test pag sinabi mong may relative or kaibigan kang nagka-TB... para makapag-decide ako ngayon pa lang ay magpapa-medical na ako.

Also, may additional fees ba na babayaran pag kailangan magpa-sputum test/culture?

[Atencio 43]

I can't speak for St. Lukes so my advice is probably not worth much; but working in a hospital I have been exposed to TB+ patients before knowing they had TB and we just did PPD's or chest x-rays to rule out infection. If the chest x-ray is clear I can't see the reason to do a AFB sputum test.

[David & Kezia 25]

I just want to know if just checking or making that statement that you had contact with someone with TB automatically qualifies you for the sputum test or not...

or yung X-Ray talaga ang tinitingnan nila para makapag-decide sila if you need the sputum test?

I mean, kahit ba sinabi mong may contact ka with someone with TB or if you have history of TB yourself, as long as the X-Ray is clear, will they give you a clearance without going through the sputum culture?

I want to ask from the people here who had experiences with a history of TB (or yung nagsabi sa medical nila na meron nga silang history). In other words, this is a survey.

[kkrxo 2]

Hi Kezia I just got my medical done about a month and a half or so ago and I tested positive for TB with the skin test... but so did my mom when she just got tested a few months ago for a hospital job. But she got an x-ray and it was a negative... same with myself. The x-ray results were negative.

My doctor told me that my skin test was positive because I got the BCG shot when I was younger and that my skin will probably always test positive... (and that it was a pretty common thing that he sees a lot) but I beg to differ...because I brought my shot records and medical records with me to the medical exam and it clearly showed on there that when I had my last TB skin test done, I tested negative (about 10 years ago).. and that was after I got my BCG shot.

My husband was kinda freaked out about the whole ordeal thinking he might test positive too so he insisted that him and my kids all get tested, and they were all negative.

I think you'll be fine, girl You'll be in Vegas before you know ittt!

[griffin 7]

suggestions:

you may go to any hospital or clinic and have an xray.

[David & Kezia 25]

Hi Kezia I just got my medical done about a month and a half or so ago and I tested positive for TB with the skin test... but so did my mom when she just got tested a few months ago for a hospital job. But she got an x-ray and it was a negative... same with myself. The x-ray results were negative.

My doctor told me that my skin test was positive because I got the BCG shot when I was younger and that my skin will probably always test positive... (and that it was a pretty common thing that he sees a lot) but I beg to differ...because I brought my shot records and medical records with me to the medical exam and it clearly showed on there that when I had my last TB skin test done, I tested negative (about 10 years ago).. and that was after I got my BCG shot.

My husband was kinda freaked out about the whole ordeal thinking he might test positive too so he insisted that him and my kids all get tested, and they were all negative.

I think you'll be fine, girl You'll be in Vegas before you know ittt!

Thanks Kristine!

I'm not sure though, if they do the skin test here first. Things are done differently here in the Phils, and from what I understand, that medical that you're saying is in the US... that's why I'm asking from the people here in the Phils who did it at St. Luke's. From the feedback from many threads here in VJ and other forums, they seem to think that about 75% of the people undergo the sputum test, as they say that the St. Luke's people are kinda paranoid about this (even with just the smallest line on your X-Ray or something) or they are just being too thorough. Some are even saying that they are just doing this to earn more money, because if you test positive you have to undergo on-site treatment (and maybe they also mean that the sputum test itself has an extra fee).

BTW, about your papers, I'm going there this Monday. I'm having them printed out later.

[kkrxo 2]

Thanks Kristine!

I'm not sure though, if they do the skin test here first. Things are done differently here in the Phils, and from what I understand, that medical that you're saying is in the US... that's why I'm asking from the people here in the Phils who did it at St. Luke's. From the feedback from many threads here in VJ and other forums, they seem to think that about 75% of the people undergo the sputum test, as they say that the St. Luke's people are kinda paranoid about this (even with just the smallest line on your X-Ray or something) or they are just being too thorough. Some are even saying that they are just doing this to earn more money, because if you test positive you have to undergo on-site treatment (and maybe they also mean that the sputum test itself has an extra fee).

BTW, about your papers, I'm going there this Monday. I'm having them printed out later.

Oh, sorry... I did get my medical done here in the U.S.! IM me though and let me know how the medical goes.

And no worries, I'm not rushing you!

[Tahoma 2,291]

Are those who told the doctor that they lived with someone who had TB were automatically given the sputum test?

Nope. You will be required to fall in line to get your x-ray like everyone else.

I just want to know if just checking or making that statement that you had contact with someone with TB automatically qualifies you for the sputum test or not...

It does not. Chinook was a nurse in Pinas. She was exposed to TB patients at the hospital all the time. She went to St. Lukes for her medical with her friend, who is also a nurse. Both of them were x-rayed. Chinook's x-ray was clean, so she passed her medical without having to undergo giving sputum samples, the smear tests, and the eight-week culture. Her friend's x-ray showed a spot, so she had to give sputum samples for three days. Her smear tests turned out negative, as did her eight-week culture.

I'm not sure though, if they do the skin test here first.

St. Lukes will not give you a TB skin test.

From the feedback from many threads here in VJ and other forums, they seem to think that about 75% of the people undergo the sputum test, as they say that the St. Luke's people are kinda paranoid about this (even with just the smallest line on your X-Ray or something) or they are just being too thorough. Some are even saying that they are just doing this to earn more money, because if you test positive you have to undergo on-site treatment (and maybe they also mean that the sputum test itself has an extra fee).

Think about it: 50,000+ people go through St. Lukes every year. I seriously doubt that 37,500+ people (75%) undergo the sputum test and culture every year. Anyway, the cost of the sputum sampling, the three smear tests, and the eight-week TB culture are covered by the $213 cost of the medical, so St. Lukes is losing money every time they perform those tests.

Also, when you figure that less than one percent of those 50,000 people actually end up having TB, even if St Lukes charged the patient for the TB medication, they would still lose money since they had to perform so many sputum tests and cultures in order to find the one percent.

[David & Kezia 25]

Thanks for that information, Tahoma. I feel so much better now. That was one of my major concerns.

-Kezia

[Tahoma 2,291]

^^^Walang anuman. Good luck with your medical!