Positive T Spot Test

[riannabri]

My father 83 years old became very ill 9 weeks ago he has been in hospital ever since, his initial symptoms were a very High CRP/ESR, sweats, cough, weight loss of 4 stone in 9 weeks. His care in the hospital has been hideous (see my previous posts elsewhere) he was diagnosed with Polymyalgia Rhematica, but I said this was an incorrect diagnosis.

Finally yesterday they said after talking to us about his up bringing and so forth and that his chest got very bad when giving him Massive doses of steroids they decide to do a T-Spot Test and it was positive.

Can anyone tell me what we should expect from here?

[HelenC Partner TB Alert]

Dear Riannabri,

I am sorry to hear that your Father is ill with symptoms that could be TB.

With your Father's symptoms being as they are and a blood positive test result, it is likely that he will be started on antibiotic TB treatment straight away. The doctors may also order further tests to look for damage to the lungs - or elsewhere in the body - caused by TB bacteria to confirm the diagnosis. This may include a chest x-ray or MRI scan.

If your Father is diagnosed with TB then he will need at least six months of treatment to cure him. The treatment can be unpleasant, so he may need lots of emotional and practical support during the process. Good nutrition is a crucial part of TB recovery but often something that TB patients with a limited appetite struggle with - so this may be a good place to offer help.

If you Father is diagnosed with TB in the lungs, anyone who has spent a great deal of time with him in recent months will be invited for a TB test and treated if necessary. This may be a worrying time, so I suggest you visit our patient information website: thetruthabouttb.org to find out more and read the stories of people who have recovered from TB.

Best wishes,

Helen

[Deniseelk]

Hi, I was just wondering how your father is doing now? I truly hope he has received great medical care and is making progress to a full recovery.