What's likely going to happen at St.Luke's?

[SteelFaithU2 3]

Hi everyone, I was just curious if you heard how long the St.Luke's testing can potentially take? I read if they need to do a sputum test, it can take 2-3 months. What have you heard? My fiance is a RN and she had exposure to a patient with TB, but she never got it actively, although she doesn't know if it's dormant in her system. If it is dormant, what would likely happen at her exam?

Cheers everyone!

Edited September 10, 2012 by SteelFaithU2

[NikkiWicki 3]

hi steelfaith! sputum culture usually takes 2 moths before having said to be positive or negative. I myself worked in a hospital and had exposures to tb but my medical didnt gave my any problems at all. there are factors why people acquire tb as soon as one has exposure. if youre fiancee has a low immune system probably she we'll acquire that for sure. exposure to TB are not really tested for adults in Smlec which is usually done through Tuberculin skin testing. although skin testing is done in children. if this tb is very very dormant not only would you be positve for skin testing but it will also show in xray.

in short, exposure is not well detected unless it will really show up with her xray. my advice if u really wanna make sure u can ask her to do a chest xray 2 months before ur medical just to pacify ur thoughts she is not a TB suspect patient

[sdee11 4]

I am a nurse and was exposed to different kind of communicable diseases for two years. I had my medical July 19-20 a ;)and passed my medical. advice your fiance to take vitamins and have a healthy lifestyle.

[VirtualLee 12]

I am a nurse and was exposed to different kind of communicable diseases for two years. I had my medical July 19-20 a ;)and passed my medical. advice your fiance to take vitamins and have a healthy lifestyle.

True! what I did is, drinking a glass of calamansi juice daily, sometimes pineapple juice,

I ate more veggies and fruits, less oily foods. drink milk before bed and avoid caffeine.

[Fight for Love 98]

what i heard if your required to take sputum test it will delay you for 2 months.

then if he/she positive for TB another 6months delay.

[Tahoma 2,292]

Your fiancé's fate at St. Lukes will depend upon the results of her chest x-ray. If they see any abnormality in her chest x-ray, they will collect her sputum on three consecutive days. With the sputum, they will perform three smear tests and a culture. If the smear tests are positive for TB, they will likely start her immediately on a six-month treatment program. Or, if her culture is positive, they will start her on the six-month treatment. The smear tests takes only a few days. The culture takes eight weeks.

Chinook worked as an RN at a public hospital in the Philippines where she was exposed to TB patients. At St. Lukes, her chest x-ray came out clear and she did not have to undergo the sputum collection, the smear tests, nor the culture.

Good luck!

[SteelFaithU2 3]

Thank you for all the help and info everyone! Kathy will be taking her exam by Monday, so we're hoping and praying everything goes well!