[MERGED] Tuberculosis

[Ira]

While the kidney function may be occasionally affected, it's not really common. Liver function problems are more commonly seen.

[Gooey]

can you explain more on the liver function problems please. thanks doc ira and doc bj.

[Ira]

It means that the liver won't be functioning as efficiently in filtering out toxins because the medication affects the liver cells.

[bjmanabat]

the degree of abnormality to liver function differs from person to person. it could range from no complications at all to drug induced hepatitis. in this regard the liver enzymes SGPT and SGOT are used by physicians to know if there is some degree of hepatotoxicity to patients taking the anti tb drugs. this is of course separate from occasional cases of jaundice (yellowing of skin) and/or kidney damage as manifested by increased in kidney function tests (BUN and creatinine levels).

[SeR3NaDe]

Question lang po... yung bf ko umubo ng may dugo, first last june, then august and the last one was on September. That was when we dicided to go to the Lung Center. Yung x-ray nya is negative naman pero last August, yung xray nya may findings: thickening of the right lung apex ba yun tapos may fibrosis. Pero yung latest xray nya from lung center wala naman findings. Bakit ganun? Ano kayang possible na sakit nya? He's not smoking and eat very well. He was advised to undergo bronchoscopy pero natatakot sya. May gamot na binigay sa kanya, once a day yung inom for 7 days. Okay ba mag-undergo ng sputum test?

[sandoval_h]

hello po, dapat bang tumigil sa trabaho pag meron TB? suspected TB pa lang naman at malalamn pa result next week after submitting the pleghm. i never smoke, kahit minsan di ako inubo,sipon o nilagnat etc. natandaan ko inubo lang ako 1999 pa yun. pero last year twing umaga ang sakit ng dibdib ko na mejo natakot din ako kc kala ko baka meron ako sakit sa puso d naman pala at overfatigue lang *****.

tanong ko lang po kung TB nga ang result, dapat tumigil ako sa trabaho? lagi lang ako dito sa opisina kc at hindi nga nasisinagan ng araw kaya isang dahilan na rin ***** yun. di rin ako lumalabas ng bahay at lagi lang sa kwarto. wala naman kc akong mapupuntahan dito sa bansang kinalalagyan ko.

mas makakabuting mamahinga?

salamat sa inyo

[bjmanabat]

Originally posted by SeR3NaDe
Question lang po... yung bf ko umubo ng may dugo, first last june, then august and the last one was on September. That was when we dicided to go to the Lung Center. Yung x-ray nya is negative naman pero last August, yung xray nya may findings: thickening of the right lung apex ba yun tapos may fibrosis. Pero yung latest xray nya from lung center wala naman findings. Bakit ganun? Ano kayang possible na sakit nya? He's not smoking and eat very well. He was advised to undergo bronchoscopy pero natatakot sya. May gamot na binigay sa kanya, once a day yung inom for 7 days. Okay ba mag-undergo ng sputum test?

the mere fact that your pulmonologist requested for bronchoscopy he is entertaining the possibility of mass lesion. if his suspicion is true it could be benign or malignant. kung natatakot ang bf mo sa invasive procedure you can opt for ct scan of the chest instead. the only problem is if its positive for a mass lesion you still have to do bronchoscopy with biopsy to evaluate if its benign or cancerous. sana hindi ito ang case ng bf mo i'm only commenting based on the information that you told us, i pray na sana mali ang suspicion ng piulmonologist nya.........

[bjmanabat]

Originally posted by sandoval_h
hello po, dapat bang tumigil sa trabaho pag meron TB? suspected TB pa lang naman at malalamn pa result next week after submitting the pleghm. i never smoke, kahit minsan di ako inubo,sipon o nilagnat etc. natandaan ko inubo lang ako 1999 pa yun. pero last year twing umaga ang sakit ng dibdib ko na mejo natakot din ako kc kala ko baka meron ako sakit sa puso d naman pala at overfatigue lang *****.

tanong ko lang po kung TB nga ang result, dapat tumigil ako sa trabaho? lagi lang ako dito sa opisina kc at hindi nga nasisinagan ng araw kaya isang dahilan na rin ***** yun. di rin ako lumalabas ng bahay at lagi lang sa kwarto. wala naman kc akong mapupuntahan dito sa bansang kinalalagyan ko.

mas makakabuting mamahinga?

salamat sa inyo

i was able to work at an industrial clinic a few years back and our clients (companies, employers) usually requires the employee to be on leave for at least a month with medications. the company doctor or the industrial physician will then evaluate if he is fit to work already after this period. if you are assymptomatic (no on and off fever, productive cough, easy fatigability, loss of appetite and weight) chances are you are not contagious and therefore can continue to work but on medications. the final say however will still be upon the company or your employer.

[angelise]

Originally posted by SeR3NaDe
Question lang po... yung bf ko umubo ng may dugo, first last june, then august and the last one was on September. That was when we dicided to go to the Lung Center. Yung x-ray nya is negative naman pero last August, yung xray nya may findings: thickening of the right lung apex ba yun tapos may fibrosis. Pero yung latest xray nya from lung center wala naman findings. Bakit ganun? Ano kayang possible na sakit nya? He's not smoking and eat very well. He was advised to undergo bronchoscopy pero natatakot sya. May gamot na binigay sa kanya, once a day yung inom for 7 days. Okay ba mag-undergo ng sputum test?

Spitting out of blood otherwise known as hemoptysis can be caused by anything, even trauma just because of excessive coughing. Believe it or not, the # 1 cause is infection, just like in bronchitis. The notion that spitting out of blood is always positive for tuberculosis is not true.

Based on what you are saying, the key points I got, spitting out of blood, initial chest x-ray of fibrosis then normal, one week of treatment of antibiotics (malamang), and contemplating bronchoscopy.

First, the x-ray evaluation. I'd be presuming the two x-ray films were not evaluated by one radiologist OR if they were, most likely, both films were evaluated SEPARATELY. It should've been better if the x-ray films were compared (para makita kung may pagkakaiba).

Second, for an x-ray film that apparently seems to be benign (as you said "normal"), with the persistence of the symptom (spitting out of blood), it warrants an investigation. Since there is bleeding somewhere, the most ideal work-up would be bronchoscopy. Doing a CT scan could help, but direct visualization where the bleeding comes from would help the pulmonologist identify the problem.

Ano sakit nya? That's the reason why you need further work-up. As said, it might just be mere trauma though the far end would be a tumor.

True, bronchoscopy could be an invasive procedure. But, I assure you, with a cooperative patient, it could be done in 5 minutes (the preparation is sometimes longer, ie, application of anesthesia).

As regard the sputum exam. If the pulmonologist is thinking of tuberculosis, I'd be presuming he/she would be requesting for the AFB exam kagad.

Hope your queries are answered...

[SeR3NaDe]

Thank you very much for your answers, bjmanabat and angelise.

Tanong ko lang po what AFB exam means? Thanks again.

[bjmanabat]

Originally posted by SeR3NaDe
Thank you very much for your answers, bjmanabat and angelise.

Tanong ko lang po what AFB exam means? Thanks again.

AFB stands for acid fast bacilli it is a microbiological description of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis. it has something to do with the staining and morphology of that bacteria.......

[sandoval_h]

bjmanabat, maraming salamat

[CoolCucumber]

Originally posted by Ira
Bronchitis doesn't automatically lead to tuberculosis. It doesn't cause protrusion of the upper back either unless you have longstanding emphysema.

so other than longstanding emphysema what are the other causes of this protrustion?

[Ira]

Scoliosis maybe, and other causes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. There still are other differential diagnoses, but I have to know what your physical exam and chest xray results are. There are just too many causes, and it's not possible to give you any definitive diagnosis based on a general complaint.

[clawed_out]

i have been diagnosed with bronchitis recently & things are going well for now.

if worse comes to worst, can bronchitis turn out to be tubercolosis?

is this contageous? sorry i was almost unconcscious when i went to the doctor's office. please shed light if you have time.

[eyedoc]

clawed_out - acute bronchitis or chronic bronchitis? Both are inflammation of the bronchial passages, the former because of an infection, the latter most usually due to prolonged smoking.

Bronchitis cannot "turn to" tuberculosis. They are 2 different entities. Although if your resistance is down due to an ongoing infection, it will be easier for the TB bacilli to get into your system.

Is what contagious? Bronchitis or tuberculosis? Tuberculosis is contagious, and is transmitted through the air. Acute bronchitis may be contagious because it is an infection. Chronic bronchitis, esp if it's due to smoking, is not.

[clawed_out]

thanks eyedoc, i'm feeling better now (even better cause i've learned that i have acute bronchitis & to stop smoking na rin)

the doctor gave me antibiotics (i honestly dont know how i aquire it, just been coughing with high fever for 2 days) then when i went to the doctor. boom- bronchitis.

thanks to that i stopped smoking asap. hahahaha

[taonG_baHay]

I need to know the best and fastest way to cure tuberculosis. I hate to admit it but i'm a victim. Well, the doctor said there's something wrong with my lungs just last week, he even gave me medication (and it sux, really sux!). I haven't had any symptoms for the past few days and even months or whatever, nor does anybody where i live have such. I feel perfectly ok. But i dunno where the hell i got this from. Could the doctor i went to be wrong? Or if he's not, can anyone out there please help me how to cure it and the fastest way to. HELP PLEASE i BADLY NEED HELP! > thanks!

Your posts will be highly appreciated. Thanks again!

[Ira]

The tendency of most Filipinos who are infected with TB is to deny they have it. TB is endemic in our country. You may not have anyone infected with it at home, but you could catch it somewhere else. You don't necessarily have to have symptoms, either.

There is no fast cure for TB. I doubt if your doctor is wrong--TB is generally not difficult to diagnose. Effective treatment means taking at least 3 drugs for at least 6 months, and even longer in a lot of cases. You have to be fully compliant to the doctor's instructions. If you don't take the meds by the letter or you cut the length short, you run a very real risk of making the TB spread throughout your body and/or developing treatment-resistant tuberculosis, an incredibly difficult disease to cure and which is common among Filipinos who aren't compliant with anti-TB meds. My advice--follow your doctor's instructions to the letter. If you don't, you run the risk of really regretting taking shortcuts later on.

[taonG_baHay]

thanks Ira!

I'll keep that in mind. But i'm getting second opinion this week though. I guess there's nothing wrong with that.

Please post some more you guys!


THANKS!