Hello!

[allenshana]

Hello everyone! My name is Shana. I was diagnosed with Latent TB almost two years ago. I have gone through the recommended treatment, but my ID specialist says that there is no absolute cure for TB, that the medication only lessened the number of bacteria in my system. It's been a bit of a scare for my family and I, especially not being certain when or where I developed it. There are a few options, but I am just thankful that we found it.

[Soul01]

The best way to avoid latent TB becoming active TB is taking the recommended treatment. You have done that and have done the best thing possible to avoid active TB.

Doctors cannot give absolute guarantees. Many on this forum who have been treated for active TB know that there is a very small possibility of getting TB again but it is highly unlikely, not worth worrying about. Just go to the doctor if you get any symptoms and avoid anyone in the early weeks oftreatment for active TB.

[HelenC Partner TB Alert]

Hi Allenshana,

Well done for deciding to take the big step to get treated for latent TB and getting through the treatment.

Please be reassured that treatment for latent TB is very effective and a great way to protect your health. Your ID specialist is right to warn that the treatment does not guarantee that you will never have TB, not least because you could breathe in the bacteria again, but it would really be very bad luck for this to happen.

One of the best protections agtainst TB is to keep your immune system strong, so concentrate on being the healthiest you there can be rather than any small risk from TB in the future.

Best wishes,

Helen

[SadieR]

Hello allenshana.

I was diagnosed with latent TB in 2017. After a lot of thought I to opted to take the recommended treatment. I weighed up the pros & cons but decided I wanted to reduce the risk of developing active TB as much as possible, and by having the treatment was the best way to achieve this.

I was also aware from reading around TB that the only way to help reduce the spread is to treat those that have latent TB so I wanted to do my bit in putting this right.

I am always conscious that there are no guarantees but the risk is significantly reduced and I’m always mindful of looking out for TB symptoms in the future if I was to become unwell.

As you say we are lucky that we know and have been able to make an informed decision about being treatment.

Many best wishes to you 🌼

[Hidden]

I should have been diagnosed with latent TB in 1990 or it is well on the cards that I should have been diagnosed with latent TB in 1978. It is very disappointing to note that 'my' TB specialist tells me that only certain doctors are aware and 'know' TB.

I am now well past the cut off date for the correct antibiotics to kill off any TB quiescent or active TB bacteria due to my age that may occur.

From my experience of researching the fluoroquinolone =Ciprofloxacin is given to some patients with certain TB. It has been said that 'Cipro' kills everything so in my case of hit and miss prescribing by my doctors at least it killed off whatever was affecting my waterworks infection 2017. It is of note however that my GP gave me i week's supply at full strength Cipro which I supplemented myself with an additional 3 week's worth at the same strength regime. I was reprimanded by 3 doctors who had their heads together to rebuke me so I did a massive amount of research into ALL my medical history and came up with many facts that proved most doctors do not read a patients medical history.

I see from my medical notes that in my case no doctor I ever met read my previous

medical history notes.

If I was given the chance by doctors who were experienced to know that quiescent TB can become active if given the chance I would have most certainly taken the antibiotics.

Paying attention that Cipro had no adverse effects on me at 76 years of age I doubt it very much that the special antibiotics for TB would have adversely affected me because all that time ago I was very very fit.

If any person knows from their medical history that they are latent TB positive I would strongly suggest convey that fact to any doctor they cansult in the first instance.

Some rubbish the internet and especially some doctors who do not appreciate being

questioned = could it be that old bacteria! This seems especially so if they have an idea a diagnostic mistake was made at an earlier date.

I cannot see for the life of me the target to eradicate TB from society by a stated date, will be achieved at the present rate if doctors present knowledge experience is as it is.

When that Actiphage test becomes available which I firmly believe and hope it will it will be an incredible aid to diagnosis within the medical profession. I ask myself though, will the authorities understand that it may have an adverse effect in the fact that it may well reveal too many individuals who are carrying the mycobacterium tuberculosis who do not know they are carrying that bacteria and for that matter no one else does either!

Why is the PCR test not advertised and publicized more widely. Is it the syndrome that a USA doctor said on the internet = "Shall we let sleeping dogs lye"?