I got a positive skin test, what should I do docs?

Oriental is a rug not a person.

 

Isoniazid (or INH) has a side effect that decreases your B6 levels, which is why you have to take B6 along with it. It can also cause a drug-induced hepatitis, which is why you need to have your blood checked every 2 months to make sure you liver's alright.

 

seems completely random. probably has nothing to do with having just been diagnosed with latent tuberculosis.

 

Or a vase with waterfowl painted all over it, but definitely NOT a human.

 

In the UK it is a person.

 

Yes, but in France a Muslim is not a person. Europe=fail.

 

Yep. Oriental is a rug.

 

Either that or disease infested because the women wear a lot of clothes to cover their bodies.

 

Does being in med school count?

 

most likely for your bodily enzymes. Lots of drugs are hard on your liver, so they suggest you get bloodwork done every two months to make sure you're not damaging anything.

 

Were you born in east Asia?

Many countries (Taiwan, Korea, China I know for sure) require infants to get an immunized against TB. If you have the 'FOB mark' on your arm, you mostly likely had this shot. It will sometimes trigger a positive TB skin test since your body already have the antibodies against TB.

I was born in Taiwan so I had the the shot which gave me a positive TB skin test. I got an x-ray to make sure that I don't actually have TB, but still had to take the drugs since that's the procedure.

and this is from wiki entry for latent tuberculosis

"Patients with latent tuberculosis are not infectious, and it is not possible to get TB from someone with latent tuberculosis."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latent_tuberculosis

 

Why would he speak to a dermatologist? He doesn't have a skin issue...it's TB. He can basically go to any family practioner and get isoniazid + B6.

As for the OP, you can not give it to other people if it's latent. You should get an X-Ray done and make sure that it's clear. Isoniazid + B6 for 6-12 months is a very common regimen. There won't be any side effects for most people and you'll be free from TB for 20+ years at least.

 

Isn't this the disease that makes your penis shrivel up and fall off?

 

I did not experience any side effects, and I think i was on meds for 2 months? 3 months? It was quite a few years ago.

 

Positive? thats a good thing right?

Signed,
Michael Scott

 

Being Asian ?

 

Anytime you ask a msg board about a medical question you're liable to get a lot of misinformation first followed by well-meaning people that have looked everything relevant they could off Wikipedia, which is all fine and good in itself, I do it all the time, but if you want an accurate perspective on your treatment and long term prognosis there is no one better to ask than your doctor.

I'm a med student, which doesn't give me much more credibility than anyone else on this site believe me; clinical experience is what you're looking for. But from the sounds of it you have not been previously immunized with the BCG vaccine, which can yield a positive PPD test. Size and induration of your positive PPD test is relevant here because depending on the population demographic you fit under a positive test could be 5mm, 10mm, or 15mm. Did your doctor send for any other lab tests? Even if he did, they probably wouldn't wait for that result to come back before starting you on prophylactic therapy.

INH + pyridoxine (B6) is a standard of care for people in your situation, and I would not worry about anything more than that. Treatment of people with symptomatic, pulmonary TB today is a 4 drug combo - rifampin INH (+ pyridoxine) ethambutol and pyrazinamide, over a long period of time, I think 9 months in the most popular regimen but don't take my word for it. The point is, even those people do fine after they treat their TB, and you are nowhere near that point. If you are living in America now your risk of developing any clinical manifestation of TB is low, and your chance of developing any of the serious complications is even lower. As far as quarantining, they will do that to someone with pulmonary TB if they suspect it to be present and untreated, but once they start treatment their risk of transmission is low and no quarantine is needed. In your case, maybe you have latent TB or not I don't know, but regardless your risk of transmitting any TB disease is zero. Latent TB is extremely common over here.

I got this off Medline. Hopefully you can open this link:
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/infections/common/bacterial/120.printerview.html

 

I would second jchu14's opinion that its because of the antibodies. I was born in Nepal so I was vaccinated with whatever that it and my skin tests ocassionally come out positive...They're negative most of the time tho...The times that they are positive, I have to get an XRAY done...Havent had to take any medications at this point...