Sputum Test in St. lukes Walkthrough

[Spitfire1961 5]

Hi! I was sick 2 weeks before I took my medical at St. Luke's. I don't have Tb history and my last xray is clear so I was really shocked when they asked me to take another xray on my first day..they took a back x-ray this time then they asked me to come back the next day. I couldn't sleep that night. The following day the guard stamp my receipt with "laboratory reception" there they told me that I should take a sputum test coz xray shows that there's something suspicious on upper right of my lungs and they wanna check it ( I literally cried as the nurse explain me the process ). She also said that their test at St. Luke's is different from other clinic cause they are following US standard. My schedule is next week (sept.22,23 & 24). I was surprised on how my x-ray turned out. I thought it was god sign (that my fiancé & I are not meant to be together) silly me ?. There's a lot of emotion right now. I feel embarrassed and scared. Thank god I found this site and read that it's not just me who went through it. I hope my sputum is negative. Someone advice me to drink 16 glasses of water daily coz it helps. Reading all your experienced helps a lot

[emrich999 5]

Hi! I was sick 2 weeks before I took my medical at St. Luke's. I don't have Tb history and my last xray is clear so I was really shocked when they asked me to take another xray on my first day..they took a back x-ray this time then they asked me to come back the next day. I couldn't sleep that night. The following day the guard stamp my receipt with "laboratory reception" there they told me that I should take a sputum test coz xray shows that there's something suspicious on upper right of my lungs and they wanna check it ( I literally cried as the nurse explain me the process ). She also said that their test at St. Luke's is different from other clinic cause they are following US standard. My schedule is next week (sept.22,23 & 24). I was surprised on how my x-ray turned out. I thought it was god sign (that my fiancé & I are not meant to be together) silly me ?. There's a lot of emotion right now. I feel embarrassed and scared. Thank god I found this site and read that it's not just me who went through it. I hope my sputum is negative. Someone advice me to drink 16 glasses of water daily coz it helps. Reading all your experienced helps a lot

hello spitfire, i totally understand what you are going through, coz i am under sputum too, tomorrow is my 8th week so im really hoping no calls., thanks God.

Theres nothing to worry about, just start accepting the 2 months delay and just pray for all the sputum smear and culture to be negative. This delay process is out of our control and we had nothing else to do but to follow slec. You will feel better when you go to your scheduled 3 day sputum collection since you will meet people who are on the same situation. So all we have to do is follow slec and pray for negative sputum smear and culture.

[Rvn999 0]

Hi! I was sick 2 weeks before I took my medical at St. Luke's. I don't have Tb history and my last xray is clear so I was really shocked when they asked me to take another xray on my first day..they took a back x-ray this time then they asked me to come back the next day. I couldn't sleep that night. The following day the guard stamp my receipt with "laboratory reception" there they told me that I should take a sputum test coz xray shows that there's something suspicious on upper right of my lungs and they wanna check it ( I literally cried as the nurse explain me the process ). She also said that their test at St. Luke's is different from other clinic cause they are following US standard. My schedule is next week (sept.22,23 & 24). I was surprised on how my x-ray turned out. I thought it was god sign (that my fiancé & I are not meant to be together) silly me ?. There's a lot of emotion right now. I feel embarrassed and scared. Thank god I found this site and read that it's not just me who went through it. I hope my sputum is negative. Someone advice me to drink 16 glasses of water daily coz it helps. Reading all your experienced helps a lot

Water Therapy lang okay na!

Hello kuya! Hope you still answer me. I'm on my 6th week this Thursday po

Hello.. asan ka na ngayon? kamusta na.

[Spitfire1961 5]

hello spitfire, i totally understand what you are going through, coz i am under sputum too, tomorrow is my 8th week so im really hoping no calls., thanks God.

Theres nothing to worry about, just start accepting the 2 months delay and just pray for all the sputum smear and culture to be negative. This delay process is out of our control and we had nothing else to do but to follow slec. You will feel better when you go to your scheduled 3 day sputum collection since you will meet people who are on the same situation. So all we have to do is follow slec and pray for negative sputum smear and culture.

Wow ur on ur 8th week? It will be fine. From what I read if u went this far then it's negative. Well I guess all I have to do is wait and pray that everything will be alright.

[emrich999 5]

Wow ur on ur 8th week? It will be fine. From what I read if u went this far then it's negative. Well I guess all I have to do is wait and pray that everything will be alright.

yes i am, im already tempting to call for the results coz some say you could get it early.. but i decided to wait until my scheduled for them to call..

yes just pray and everything will be fine. i ask the sputum collector before during my 3 days sputum collection on how many people get positive results from this process, she said very small percentage.

[Rvn999 0]

yes i am, im already tempting to call for the results coz some say you could get it early.. but i decided to wait until my scheduled for them to call..

yes just pray and everything will be fine. i ask the sputum collector before during my 3 days sputum collection on how many people get positive results from this process, she said very small percentage.

hello, spitfire. nakita ko yung destination mo dito sa US, Spencer, Indiana right?

[Spitfire1961 5]

hello, spitfire. nakita ko yung destination mo dito sa US, Spencer, Indiana right?

Yrs Spencer, Indiana. Ikaw po?

[Rvn999 0]

Yrs Spencer, Indiana. Ikaw po?

sa Lafayette, Indiana. Last two weeks galing kami spencer. 2hrs drive mula dito samin.

[Spitfire1961 5]

I had cough 2 weeks ago and was given medication for 7 days. The doctor did not ask me to do x-ray and when I asked her why she said " Hindi naman po maingay nung i-check ko ng stethoscope kaya no need for x-ray" I don't know if it has to do with the result of my x-ray at slec. Next week is my first sputum. I'm praying that it all turn out negative. Will it help if I go to pulmonary doctor before my sputum exam? Im really worried. This is the first time that I encounter problem with my x-ray.

Thank you so much to all the people Here who shared their experiences. It really helped a lot

[emrich999 5]

I had cough 2 weeks ago and was given medication for 7 days. The doctor did not ask me to do x-ray and when I asked her why she said " Hindi naman po maingay nung i-check ko ng stethoscope kaya no need for x-ray" I don't know if it has to do with the result of my x-ray at slec. Next week is my first sputum. I'm praying that it all turn out negative. Will it help if I go to pulmonary doctor before my sputum exam? Im really worried. This is the first time that I encounter problem with my x-ray.

Thank you so much to all the people Here who shared their experiences. It really helped a lot

well when i went to my sputum collection, i met one lady who is very worried too about this sputum process. It just makes us think that theres something wrong about us even we feel healthy. She did consult a doctor on the next day after she found out shes under sputum. She undergo xray again and found nothing, but still we need to follow slec regardless on what outside doctors diagnosis. Slec have strict guidelines.

I do have nasal allergies before i went on my medical exam. so i dont know if thats what they saw.

[Greenbaum 12,259]

The processing of the x-rays, sputum and treatment for anyone is going to be a challenge. Your going to be thinking of nothing but the worse. I would like to say that you need to be STRONG during this entire procedure. Try and not think of the negative things but the positive. Remember, TB can kill, so doing the tests will determine the rest of your life. You have chosen wisely to continue the testing.

One more thing, there is nothing you can eat or drink that will make your x-ray's show clear for your TB x-rays. If you have TB then you have TB. Nothing is going to change that till you are put on a medical regiment for the curing of the TB.

Good luck and God's speed.

[Gil.lan 0]

Hi! I was sick 2 weeks before I took my medical at St. Luke's. I don't have Tb history and my last xray is clear so I was really shocked when they asked me to take another xray on my first day..they took a back x-ray this time then they asked me to come back the next day. I couldn't sleep that night. The following day the guard stamp my receipt with "laboratory reception" there they told me that I should take a sputum test coz xray shows that there's something suspicious on upper right of my lungs and they wanna check it ( I literally cried as the nurse explain me the process ). She also said that their test at St. Luke's is different from other clinic cause they are following US standard. My schedule is next week (sept.22,23 & 24). I was surprised on how my x-ray turned out. I thought it was god sign (that my fiancé & I are not meant to be together) silly me ?. There's a lot of emotion right now. I feel embarrassed and scared. Thank god I found this site and read that it's not just me who went through it. I hope my sputum is negative. Someone advice me to drink 16 glasses of water daily coz it helps. Reading all your experienced helps a lot

I just had my sputum collection last sep 8-10. Just like you, i was stunned to know that I had to undergo sputum test. I couldn't believe it at first because I am always very careful with my health, aside from following a healthy diet (more veggies, fish & chicken, you know). I bring hankies with me all the time as well because I am too sensitive with smell and smoke, though our place is not as polluted as Metro Manila.

During my sputum evaluation, I was given the number B5 (as I had read from this thread, those who were placed in this group had to go treatment). I felt my heart dropped to my feet and thought I was doomed. Looking at those in group A, there were a man in his mid 50s not sickly looking, a voluptuous lady in her early 30s, another man in late 40s or early 50s, medium-built, an old lady probably in her 70s and another medium-built woman in her 30s carrying an x-ray film in a st. luke's envelop. In my group, there were 2 elderly women in their late 60s and 70s with the other one so fragile-looking, a young man in his early 20s, another man in late 60s or 70s, then me. Then, then one holding B6 was a man in mid 50s. The first to come out from the doctor's room was the man holding A1 and I noticed that he was carrying a piece of paper and a treatment record (which I am familiar with because I'd seen it on those people from the DOT at the sputum area) and he proceeded to the adjacent door right outside the pulmonary evaluation room, which I noticed the Treatment Record room. I began to have hope and remembered what a friend told me before that groupings in A & B are somewhat mixed. The old lady who was first in our line hadn't come out yet, but I noticed she and her chaperon were getting instructions from the nurse stationed at the pulmonary evaluation room. Then, the second from group A came out and she, too, was carrying the same slip and DOT record and went to the same adjacent door. When the next in our group went to the nurse and the 3rd from group A went to the treatment room, I realized that those in group A were probably had to undergo treatment. I had to wait for the man ahead of me to see where he would be going after his pulmonary evaluation and I was ecstatic to see him went to the nurse.

As I expected, my sputum smear was negative. The doctor showed me something as a white portion on my right upper lungs and a long white line (which it resembled as a hair strand--made me wonder if it wasn't my hair since I have hair-falling problem). I asked the doctor what's the possibility of that for me to have a TB. He told me that what they saw in my xray was only a suspicion and I have to wait for the culture for 8-10 weeks. If it turned out negative, only then will I be cleared from TB.

At the nurse station, I was given a piece of paper indicating that my sputum culture will end on Nov. 5 (which is the completion of 8-week culture) and was advised to call or email them on Nov. 10. So the waiting begins...just completed my first week with no call and hoping never to receive call from them before Nov. 5...

[Spitfire1961 5]

This really helped Atleast I have an idea how my sputum test will be. Hope it turn out well for you. Still can't believe about my xray now I'm being paranoid I feel sick (though my mom keep telling me I'm not) thank god my fiancé is supportive in this frustrating stage of this journey

[emrich999 5]

I just had my sputum collection last sep 8-10. Just like you, i was stunned to know that I had to undergo sputum test. I couldn't believe it at first because I am always very careful with my health, aside from following a healthy diet (more veggies, fish & chicken, you know). I bring hankies with me all the time as well because I am too sensitive with smell and smoke, though our place is not as polluted as Metro Manila.

During my sputum evaluation, I was given the number B5 (as I had read from this thread, those who were placed in this group had to go treatment). I felt my heart dropped to my feet and thought I was doomed. Looking at those in group A, there were a man in his mid 50s not sickly looking, a voluptuous lady in her early 30s, another man in late 40s or early 50s, medium-built, an old lady probably in her 70s and another medium-built woman in her 30s carrying an x-ray film in a st. luke's envelop. In my group, there were 2 elderly women in their late 60s and 70s with the other one so fragile-looking, a young man in his early 20s, another man in late 60s or 70s, then me. Then, then one holding B6 was a man in mid 50s. The first to come out from the doctor's room was the man holding A1 and I noticed that he was carrying a piece of paper and a treatment record (which I am familiar with because I'd seen it on those people from the DOT at the sputum area) and he proceeded to the adjacent door right outside the pulmonary evaluation room, which I noticed the Treatment Record room. I began to have hope and remembered what a friend told me before that groupings in A & B are somewhat mixed. The old lady who was first in our line hadn't come out yet, but I noticed she and her chaperon were getting instructions from the nurse stationed at the pulmonary evaluation room. Then, the second from group A came out and she, too, was carrying the same slip and DOT record and went to the same adjacent door. When the next in our group went to the nurse and the 3rd from group A went to the treatment room, I realized that those in group A were probably had to undergo treatment. I had to wait for the man ahead of me to see where he would be going after his pulmonary evaluation and I was ecstatic to see him went to the nurse.

As I expected, my sputum smear was negative. The doctor showed me something as a white portion on my right upper lungs and a long white line (which it resembled as a hair strand--made me wonder if it wasn't my hair since I have hair-falling problem). I asked the doctor what's the possibility of that for me to have a TB. He told me that what they saw in my xray was only a suspicion and I have to wait for the culture for 8-10 weeks. If it turned out negative, only then will I be cleared from TB.

At the nurse station, I was given a piece of paper indicating that my sputum culture will end on Nov. 5 (which is the completion of 8-week culture) and was advised to call or email them on Nov. 10. So the waiting begins...just completed my first week with no call and hoping never to receive call from them before Nov. 5...

thank you for sharing your experience it really helps us who are under the same situation, during my pulmonary evaluation i was in set A. so i guess it really doesnt matter which sets assign to you!.

[Gil.lan 0]

This really helped Atleast I have an idea how my sputum test will be. Hope it turn out well for you. Still can't believe about my xray now I'm being paranoid I feel sick (though my mom keep telling me I'm not) thank god my fiancé is supportive in this frustrating stage of this journey

I think it's only normal to feel that way because we tend to believe that there's problem with our lungs. We can't read or interpret xray films unless we're in that field so we solely rely on what the slec doctor told us. That situation caused me to doubt my health, too, although my family keeps on assuring me that everything's fine since they've known me for being health conscious. Just keep on boosting your immune system by eating the right food, take multivitamins, if you can and have enough sleep. Pray and hope for the best... The day will come that these will be all behind us...