6 month treatment at st lukes

[82regal 0]

i am wondering has anyone ever finished the 6 month treatment at st lukes before the 6 months was over? my fiance has another sputum test today and she has been on treatment for only 1 month so i am just wondering thanks and why would she have another sputum test only 1 month into treatment? i asked her and she doid not know why?

[Tahoma 2,291]

She will be treated for a minimum of six months. During that time, St. Lukes periodically will perform more smears and cultures. They want to know if the treatment is working.

[TnJ 131]

I can't say if someone has or has not finished before the 6 months. The 6 months treatment is a WHO guideline. Yes, it is normal to have a series of sputum testing. This is done to test and insure drug susceptibility during treatment so the panel physician can determine whether or not the treatment is effective and/or if an alternative drug/s need to be used. The document might assist you in understanding the procedures more.

Technical Instructions for TB Screening/Tx.

[sjr09 155]

i am wondering has anyone ever finished the 6 month treatment at st lukes before the 6 months was over? my fiance has another sputum test today and she has been on treatment for only 1 month so i am just wondering thanks and why would she have another sputum test only 1 month into treatment? i asked her and she doid not know why?

Only if they fail to complete their treatment.

The reason treatment is for a minimum of six months is, people who have active tuberculosis who stop prematurely once symptoms end, can give the bacteria time to develop resistance to first-line TB drugs. This resistant version of TB is known as MDR-TB. Now your dealing with a whole new set of problems.

.

MDR-TB most commonly develops in the course of TB treatment and is most commonly due to doctors giving inappropriate treatment, or patients missing doses or failing to complete their treatment.

She will be treated for a minimum of six months. During that time, St. Lukes periodically will perform more smears and cultures. They want to know if the treatment is working.

[six7one 17]

The exception to the 6 month of DOT is...

"If the applicant has completed 2 months or less of the 6-month isoniazid and ethambutol continuation phase (and has no drug resistance), the 6-month isoniazid and ethambutol continuation phase should be stopped and the patient should be started on the standard 4-month continuation phase of isoniazid and rifampin."

From the CDC Guidelines Page 14

Edited October 8, 2012 by six7one

[ca_babe 129]

The exception to the 6 month of DOT is...

"If the applicant has completed 2 months or less of the 6-month isoniazid and ethambutol continuation phase (and has no drug resistance), the 6-month isoniazid and ethambutol continuation phase should be stopped and the patient should be started on the standard 4-month continuation phase of isoniazid and rifampin."

From the CDC Guidelines Page 14

six7one,

If the sputum tests from your fiancee was negative, why did they still ask her to do a 4-month DOT?

[six7one 17]

six7one,

If the sputum tests from your fiancee was negative, why did they still ask her to do a 4-month DOT?

I'll try to summarize...

I had my fiancee take a medical exam and CXR prior to her official exam at SLEC. This was in February 2011. At her exam in the province, her doctor saw a spot in her CXR and prescribed her medication as a precautionary measure. No sputum or culture was done in the province. Upon completion of 2 months of medication, she did the official SLEC exam in April 2011. When SLEC saw the same spot, it was automatic that they do the sputum test and culture. My fiancee informed them at her evaluation that she was prescribed the medication and provided the certification from her doctor back home that she indeed was on medication. Regardless that she has passed every SLEC sputum test in addition to the culture, the guideline from the CDC is clear that she had to complete the 4 additional months.

In about 4 weeks her last culture should be done and she can take the medical exam all over again. Hope this info helps.

[ca_babe 129]

I'll try to summarize...

I had my fiancee take a medical exam and CXR prior to her official exam at SLEC. This was in February 2011. At her exam in the province, her doctor saw a spot in her CXR and prescribed her medication as a precautionary measure.

Good thing you had thought about asking her to do the CXR prior her official medical exam. It had reduced 2 months on her visa approval process.

[MissHearty 0]

Good day everyone!

I would like to confirm if its true that if you are TB positive you need to undergo treatment in st.lukes extension clinic only. I am from the province and its 8hours drive from our place and in addition I have work I can't stay there for 6mos. Its depressing when I read someone's post about that . :'( 

 

I would also want to know if after 6mos.of treatment i will undergo again with sputum test and culture?

 

Thanks in advance for entertaining my questions. 

[Hank_ 9,171]

You would do better to post your questions in a new topic.  This one is 6 years old.

 

As for your question.  Yes you need to take treatment at St. Luke's,   it is DOT (Direct Observation Therapy) ,  daily attendance is needed.   If you take your treatment outside of SLEC it can add another year of waiting after you complete treatment.