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Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Questions About Treatment & Side Effects => Topic started by: zach on April 09, 2014, 01:18:55 am

Title: tb meds if negative, prophylaxis
Post by: zach on April 09, 2014, 01:18:55 am
How would you feel about taking five additional pills a day, for TB, if you had been tested twice by skin/negative and three times by sputum/negative doctors are waiting on tests by broncoscopy that will take 6 weeks for final tests.

would you take tb during that period as prophylaxis on top of 15 other very necessary meds?
Title: Re: tb meds if negative, prophylaxis
Post by: eric48 on April 09, 2014, 04:11:18 am
I would trust my doc
Mobile.eric
Title: Re: tb meds if negative, prophylaxis
Post by: AusShep on April 09, 2014, 11:35:12 am
Some TB meds such as ethambutol also help with MAC.  That testing can also take a while after a bronchoscopy. 

Title: Re: tb meds if negative, prophylaxis
Post by: newt on April 09, 2014, 12:55:02 pm
No

I would not consent.

All other things being equal, three times negative on a sputum test almost certainly rules out active TB. I would wait for the bronchoscopy results.

- matt
Title: Re: tb meds if negative, prophylaxis
Post by: eric48 on April 09, 2014, 01:06:01 pm
I have a question that is a bit hypothetical

Is the TB treatment provided aiming at preventing TB or at preventing TB-IRIS ?

Mobile.eric
Title: Re: tb meds if negative, prophylaxis
Post by: zach on April 09, 2014, 05:01:40 pm
an xray showed significant cavitary lesions on my lungs, right especially. this could be indicative of TB, or of PCP pneumonia. I have confirmed pheomonia, not confirmed TB. to the best of my ability to communicate with the Dr, this is purely prophylactic.

irrelevant at this point, today i went to the health department, and signed a piece of paper saying that i understood i would be in violation of the law if i don't take my meds. and permitting a health dept agent to come to my home every morning for at least the next six weeks and watch me take my meds. for a condition that i am not confirmed to have. they don't even give me the meds, she will be bringing them to me every day.
Title: Re: tb meds if negative, prophylaxis
Post by: AusShep on April 09, 2014, 05:12:43 pm
... today i went to the health department, and signed a piece of paper saying that i understood i would be in violation of the law if i don't take my meds. and permitting a health dept agent to come to my home every morning for at least the next six weeks and watch me take my meds. for a condition that i am not confirmed to have. they don't even give me the meds, she will be bringing them to me every day.

What the holy fuck!
Title: Re: tb meds if negative, prophylaxis
Post by: eric48 on April 09, 2014, 05:28:55 pm
I was starting to think that they have been somewhat quick at releasing you...

Hospitals want turn over, but still... Letting a fragile patient (especially a patient with a history of meds issues, if I am correct) at large under no supervision is daring.

What I meant by sticking to your Doc's script, is that you have been (put yourself ?) in a well enough dire situation !

Given your recent health events: Do us a favor: Do has you have been ordered

There is no room for 'negotiation' or 'seconds thoughts', at this point . Or if you have questions, then ask the doctor

If I may say so

The last thing we want is another thread like Zach back to Hospital

This TB medication is not forever anyways...

This time, I hope this helps

Eric 
Title: Re: tb meds if negative, prophylaxis
Post by: zach on April 09, 2014, 05:58:38 pm
eric, i came off ARVs when i no longer had access to ARVs. bottom line, it was not by choice or part of some rejection of medical care.

i take my medicine, when i have it.
Title: Re: tb meds if negative, prophylaxis
Post by: newt on April 09, 2014, 06:26:51 pm
The powers that be are doing what they must as protocols insist they do, but me, personally, I still wouldn't swallow the TB meds, if at all possible, if a serious chest examination result will settle the matter in 4-6 weeks.

On the other hand, swallowing them won't hurt, apart from the (possible) side effects.

I'd want Septrin for PCP prevention (prob at a treatment dose rather than prevention one) and wait til the diagnosis of TB is or isn't confirmed for the rest. And another antibiotic at high strength for (non TB related) other pnemonias.

That's just me. I like to take treatment for known conditions.

While it might be TB (TB is notoriusly difficult to nail down in HIV-positive folk), it is most likely something else (that needs treating)  << but it still may be TB, as an outside chance, there you go, notoriusly difficult etc

I am really sorry to hear about your med access shit, it makes me sad and angry.

- matt
Title: Re: tb meds if negative, prophylaxis
Post by: zach on April 11, 2014, 03:08:24 pm
health department is closed on the weekend, so i won't be having my meds delivered to me for two days.... i guess i get weekend holidays for the next six weeks

something about the whole way this side of things is being handled just amuses the hell out of me

only kidding here... who do i sue if/when final labs come back and i don't have tb?
Title: Re: tb meds if negative, prophylaxis
Post by: eric48 on April 11, 2014, 04:04:40 pm
who do i sue if/when final labs come back and i don't have tb?

I was thinking about this:
If Big Gvt is Ordering you on Meds (for fear of transmissible multi resistant TB) then they have to provide the TB for free. In the same line, I would assume Bug Gvt has no other choice but to provide FREE HIV meds to TB-Zach, life long

Financially TB-Zach might find it easier to procure meds than Hiv-Zach

Does that help?

Eric

Title: Re: tb meds if negative, prophylaxis
Post by: Jeff G on April 11, 2014, 04:11:48 pm
I was thinking about this:
If Big Gvt is Ordering you on Meds (for fear of transmissible multi resistant TB) then they have to provide the TB for free. In the same line, I would assume Bug Gvt has no other choice but to provide FREE HIV meds to TB-Zach, life long

Financially TB-Zach might find it easier to procure meds than Hiv-Zach

Does that help?

Eric



No ... its not helpful at all . ARE YOU HIGH OR DRUNK POSTING AGAIN .
Title: Re: tb meds if negative, prophylaxis
Post by: zach on April 11, 2014, 04:22:02 pm
edited to remove
Title: Re: tb meds if negative, prophylaxis
Post by: Jeff G on April 11, 2014, 04:35:25 pm
Eric ... you have worn out your welcome in this thread so please do not post here again .
Title: Re: tb meds if negative, prophylaxis
Post by: BT65 on April 11, 2014, 05:05:22 pm
I used to haul someone to a health department every day (during the week) so the health dept nurse could watch him take his TB meds.  If he didn't show up, there would be a warrant put out for his arrest.  States are just funny about stuff like that. It may not be pleasant to take the meds, but it wouldn't be pleasant to have to mess with the whole legal system either.  Sorry you're going through this, Zach. 
Title: Re: tb meds if negative, prophylaxis
Post by: zach on April 11, 2014, 05:07:10 pm
i think i'd like this thread to be ended now... perhaps i've shared to much in the last couple weeks