Results of Smear Test at SLMEC

[MrBoston 0]

Hi all, my girl was treated for TB in 2006 and she has some scars on her lungs. She has had multiple smear tests over the years after her treatment, all which show up negative. Because of the scaring, we were not surprised that she would require the 3-day smear and 2 month culture test at SLMEC. She will be finished with her third sputum exam at SLMEC Friday, but she seems to think that they insist that she wait over the holiday weekend for her results on Tuesday. She is from Cebu, and would like to get back home as scheduled (and wait for the results 2 month culture test). Does she really have to wait to get the results of the smear test in-person, or is the nurse she is talking to misinformed? I am 99.99% sure that the result will be negative and we will just need to wait the 2 months for her culture test to clear.

[Tahoma 2,292]

Geez...I wonder why SLEC can't email her with the results.

[garysworld n ana 3]

They would like for her to wait so if the sputum test is positive she can begin the TB medication immediately.

If the sputum test is negative then she will wait upon the culture test results (8 weeks) before they will complete her medical and shots.

If at any time the culture test becomes positive they will call her in to begin the TB medication.

Better to know as soon as possible if there is an indication of active TB as the medication is a six month process.

[MrBoston 0]

Update:

My girl showed the nurse her plane ticket for Sunday when she visited on Friday for her final smear test and the nurse wrote a note to the lab to rush her results. The results were in later that day (negative) so now she can leave Sunday as scheduled. Now we will just wait for August 10th for the culture results.

[Tahoma 2,292]

It's good that she can go home. She should have no problem with the culture....it's the waiting that's the hard part! Hang in there...you are almost there!