Positive tb test

[kevin mcgee 0]

My fiancée tested positive for tb , we are still waiting for our embassy interview , she has a latent tb , so she started meds , how does that effect our case , should she wait until after the medication regime to schedule the interview in Manila / thnx

[Ontarkie 14,648]

~~Moved to the PI regional forum, from DCF~~

[top_secret 2,571]

2 hours ago, kevin mcgee said:

My fiancée tested positive for tb , we are still waiting for our embassy interview , she has a latent tb , so she started meds , how does that effect our case , should she wait until after the medication regime to schedule the interview in Manila / thnx

 

 

Was it just latent TB found by IGRA testing but she had a clear X-ray and she started treatment on her own?  Or did she fail the chest X-ray, sputum testing and get refered for DOT at Saint Luke's???   It's a very important detail to clarify.  If only latent TB it may not be a problem at all, but the details are important.  Did they send her for vaccines and give her completed medical paperwork???

[maryaaaa 54]

15 hours ago, kevin mcgee said:

My fiancée tested positive for tb , we are still waiting for our embassy interview , she has a latent tb , so she started meds , how does that effect our case , should she wait until after the medication regime to schedule the interview in Manila / thnx

 

Sorry to hear. I was in the same predicament 7 months ago and I know how stressful this can be.  

 

If I read it correct - SHE STARTED MEDS?  If yes, you must ask St. Lukes what's their policy for applicants who will undergo DOT. If she can continue with interview as their policies changes too frequent.

 

As for for @top_secret questions, he is right its important to clarify.

 

Positive IGRA (latent TB) + Clear xray = CLEAR

Failed XRAY = DOT

MTB growth within 8-10 weeks = DOT

[kevin mcgee 0]

to clarify, we are waiting for the notice to interview, some one stole her id during a break in at her room. in the mwaen time she tested positive at a hospital in gen san, i thought it was a good idea to test early, and she tested positive for t/b, a slight positive , so she started meds last month.

[maryaaaa 54]

3 hours ago, kevin mcgee said:

to clarify, we are waiting for the notice to interview, some one stole her id during a break in at her room. in the mwaen time she tested positive at a hospital in gen san, i thought it was a good idea to test early, and she tested positive for t/b, a slight positive , so she started meds last month.

Just to clarify, is she being treated in Gen San or St. Lukes? 

[kevin mcgee 0]

she is being treated in gen san, which has nothing to do with the visa process.

 

12 hours ago, maryaaaa said:

 

Sorry to hear. I was in the same predicament 7 months ago and I know how stressful this can be.  

 

If I read it correct - SHE STARTED MEDS?  If yes, you must ask St. Lukes what's their policy for applicants who will undergo DOT. If she can continue with interview as their policies changes too frequent.

 

As for for @top_secret questions, he is right its important to clarify.

 

Positive IGRA (latent TB) + Clear xray = CLEAR

Failed XRAY = DOT

MTB growth within 8-10 weeks = DOT

 

[top_secret 2,571]

What is the basis of her diagnosis of latent TB?  A positive IGRA test but clear chest X-ray or a finding on a chest X-ray but negative sputum testing?  The quality of whatever testing she had is an unknown variable.

 

Basically Saint Luke's will do their own testing and could care less what any other testing said.  If it really is actual latent TB most likely Saint Luke's would find it on the IGRA test and follow up with a chest X-ray that would presumably be clear if it were actually latent and everything would be fine.  But that's all just guessing.

 

The other issue is that by merely starting treatment that might trigger other protocols at Saint Luke's.  I don't know for certain but I think previously that anyone with a history of TB treatment automatically triggered sputum testing based just on the medical history.  Starting treatment early might increase the odds of successfully passing sputum testing if there were active TB but might cause extra testing if it was truly latent.

[maryaaaa 54]

1 hour ago, kevin mcgee said:

she is being treated in gen san, which has nothing to do with the visa process.

 

 

 
She will not be able to repeat her medical right away at St. Lukes after her treatment in Gen San. She has to wait one year before she can repeat which I believe has something to do with the visa process. 
 

That’s how it will affect your case. 
 

Goodluck 🙂

Edited Friday at 04:51 AM by maryaaaa

[maryaaaa 54]

46 minutes ago, top_secret said:

What is the basis of her diagnosis of latent TB?  A positive IGRA test but clear chest X-ray or a finding on a chest X-ray but negative sputum testing?  The quality of whatever testing she had is an unknown variable.

 

Basically Saint Luke's will do their own testing and could care less what any other testing said.  If it really is actual latent TB most likely Saint Luke's would find it on the IGRA test and follow up with a chest X-ray that would presumably be clear if it were actually latent and everything would be fine.  But that's all just guessing.

 

 

This is true. If latent TB was diagnosed through IGRA with clear XRAY, St. Lukes would let her off the DOT hook just like the others. They don't care about other hospital/clinic's findings. 

 

46 minutes ago, top_secret said:

The other issue is that by merely starting treatment that might trigger other protocols at Saint Luke's.  I don't know for certain but I think previously that anyone with a history of TB treatment automatically triggered sputum testing based just on the medical history.  Starting treatment early might increase the odds of successfully passing sputum testing if there were active TB but might cause extra testing if it was truly latent.

 

This was the case of my DOT classmate in St. Lukes. She was on treatment for 2

months in the province when she did her medical at St. Lukes. She was asked if she had history of TB and taking TB meds. She answered yes and was subjected to sputum testing. She was given two options -- continue treatment outside which will add up one year to the entire visa process or transfer to St. Lukes. 
 

She opted to transfer did 4 months in St. Lukes and graduated last December and now in the US. 

Edited Friday at 05:11 AM by maryaaaa

[RO_AH 1,668]

Try not to overthink. Ask questions first here before acting. You effort to speed things up may have just cost you a lot of time. Good luck!

[kevin mcgee 0]

thanks for the info, i appreciate it, when t/b is positive its safer to start treatment to ensure the patients saftey , which is my number one concern even if the process takes longer.

[kevin mcgee 0]

When some one tests positive for tb , the doctor advised to start treatment , I had no say so in that decision , a persons health is the most important factor 

[kevin mcgee 0]

It sounds like no matter what we do , it all depends on saint lukes , if necessary I will have her stay in manilla and do st Luke’s policy of treatment .

[kevin mcgee 0]

I was hopeing that after treatment in general San she will past the tb test when the doctor clears her from gen San and she is able to have a clear x ray like top secret stated