OK.. Registered Nurse here.. I'll be honest, I have the EXACT symptoms as some of you have described after I have a TB skin test. Within 15 minutes of the "bleb" being injected under my skin, I begin to get intense pain in my arm and joins. In addition I experience swelling in my arm and the joints become difficult to bend (particularly the elbow). With each TB test, the symptoms appear to become more severe. At first I thought it was nothing, but when I noticed my bracelet was even fitting smaller due to swelling, I KNEW something was not right. The last time I had the injection, the pain was so severe that it radiated up into my neck and I had difficulty turning my head. I was seen by Employee Health at the hospital where I work. I was told that I was having a reaction to the TB test, although they could not tell me why I was having the reaction. For those of you who are told you are imagining this.. You are not! Something is not right-If you ever feel that a medical treatment is unsafe, you always have the right to decline it.
I had a TB test 4 weeks ago. Within minutes (I’d say, less than 5 minutes) I had extreme burning in my elbow joint. Then my shoulder felt like it was on fire, then my wrist, then my neck, spine, hips, and within hours every joint in my body was inflamed. Fever was 100.6 that night. I felt soooo sick. The next day, the fever was gone, but the pain my left arm lingered. It felt like someone was shooting metal bb’s from a mini-gun under my skin up and down my arm. It’s been 4 weeks and the pain in my elbow and shoulder are still severe. That arms is also very sensitive to cold and I can’t leave it uncovered (must wear long sleeves.) Another symptom that seems random is extreme fatigue to the point of I-must-lay-down-and-close-my-eyes-now-or-I’ll-fall-asleep-standing-up…I know it’s not random…it started AFTER that evil TB injection. I’m now connecting the dots…which is why I’m looking for others w/similar experiences on the internet. Yes, it was a superficial injection, didn’t go deep, I saw the bleb, and it didn’t feel like it hit a nerve (I think my arm would’ve jumped or it would’ve hurt at the injection site.)
Please don’t let anyone gaslight you and say it’s not from the obvious foreign-matter that you just injected into your body. That tuberculosis protein has to go somewhere…it doesn’t “die off” at the injection site. Every body is different. Your DNA determines how well you methylate and dump toxins. There definitely needs to be unbiased 3rd party research into all of these adverse events…these firsthand accounts are very similar, it’s more than ironic…it shows a causal relationship.
I like the rest of you am suffering with severe knee pain. I took a physical just the day before the TB test and my knee was fine. The next day I took the TB test and a couple days later my knee started hurting so bad and swelled. I am using a cane now to get around and I am headed to the hospital to see what is going on. No one could tell me that this test does not react in certain people and cause joint pain. I believe this goes to the weakest part of your body and causes issues. This test should be stopped. I had a reaction to this TB test years ago, but could not remember what the reaction was until I took it again. I would never take another test like this again.
I had a TB test about 5 weeks ago and have experienced pain in my elbow and the muscle in my forearm since then. When injecting the fluid the nurse accidently injected too little so had to reinject fluid about an inch below the initial site. I did not have a reaction at either site and the bumps quickly dissolved but the pain has not resolved itself yet, though I keep waiting... I can see how dead bacteria shouldn't cause a problem but it seems quite coincidental. It is not debilitating pain, just annoying. I am very active and have not had to make any changes to my routine or exercising. I don't recall ever having had pain in this area prior to the test. I have not heard any comments from anyone indicating if the pain ever resolved itself or how long it took. Any updates on that question?
Okay so I had a TB test done 6 months ago and immediately I had joint pain, my blood in my body was feeling hot plus I was very tired and irritated. Months later I'm still having joint pains here and there.
nope not yet.
nobody responds to private messages eithee
No, I haven't heard from them for quite a while.
Have you been tested for arthritis?
mkh9
hi , have you had a chance to get a feedback update on other people who described similar aches.
i can not reach any of them.
I have read that you can get a bad allergy to the PPD skin test but that is it. I haven't seen anything on joint pain or hip problems. So, maybe you have reactive arthritis? You can talk to a doctor about that. It is usually caused by a bacteria getting into the joints. But it can also just be arthritis. You should get tested for this. Maybe there is some connection they don't know about that triggers the arthritis. But there is nothing that I can see in the literature about it.
mkh9
Hi there
Since you are the most active member, i wanted to try you as well.
Recently had TB skin test, and showing similar symptoms described in this thread.
Hip joint pain, knee joint pain, warm sensation at back
Any updates regarding this is appreciated
Hi there
Any update is well appreciated.
Having similar symptoms after TB skin test
Hi there, i hope you ll get well soon.
Any update is appreciated.
I guess i am going through similar problems
burning sensation at my back, hip joint paint,knee joint pain
Some are saying Vitamin C is helping
Hi there can you give an update on TB test post ?
did yours go away ? how have you treated it ?
I had a tb test this morning, 2 hours later all my joints ache! Any updates from anyone? Bothered me so bad I looked it up and found this thread!
No you don't have to friend me. just click on my initials and then it will take you to my page. His send message and it will open a window for you to write a message. I sent you one on your home page you can reply to that too.
mkh9
I think you have to friend me first.
mkh9
I don't know how to post a private message
Well, even if you got a little phenol it is superficial for the skin test. I used to have to wash my hands in Phenol when I worked in TB . It never caused a problem for me. I know it can be linked to cancer. But that was 20 years ago. I am willing to listen to what your story is. I am saying what I know about the skin test and I don't think this is the cause of what is going on.
mkh9
Thanks for your response to my post. My symptoms began 3 to 4 days after the PPD. A MRI ultimately showed a large herniated disk. I performed no activity that would have prompted this. I have never had the slightest twinge in my hips and never any lower back issues.
The neurosurgeon asked me 1) have you ever had any of these symptoms before (No), have you performed any recent activity or had a fall that could have prompted this (No) 3) have you had any recent injections ?
At that point my boyfriend and I nearly fell off our chairs with shock as we reported to him the PPD incident. There's more to the story that would be by private message only. I'm researching inflammatory responses in the annulus fibrosus of the spine. Tubersol contains phenol which is cell toxic.
I'm sorry for all the things you have been going through. I hope you can recover and get better. Since your immune system is low you may have had a reaction to the skin test. Usually this is swelling and redness due to the skin test. Usually, the test would have been red at least. But nothing like what you are saying with the severe pain in the joints and arm. You could have reactive arthritis. This would be from bacteria from an infection you had or have getting into the blood stream and into the joints. The PPD test uses dead bacteria. It is only a purified protein derivative. So, it is more likely that you have that since you have had other infections. You may have to have the joints aspirated to see if you have bacteria in the joint. Then be treated for that.
mkh9
I don't know if you are having some kind of allergy to the skin test perhaps? You cannot get TB from the PPD test. It is dead bacteria. The skin test is supposed to be injected at the very surface of the skin not deep. When they inject the 0.1 ml of PPD fluid it should cause a little bubble or bleb under the skin. That is how superficial it should be. So if she was injecting this deep into the skin she didn't know what she was doing or she was injection something else. But either way she went through the vein and sounds like she wasn't good at what she was doing. I am a licensed microbiologist and have given them myself.
mkh9
I work in a hospital and must get a PPD every year. This year the nurse injected right through my vein. Hurt more than ever and I had a large bruise. Five days later my hip inflammation started. I have been laid up for 10 days now . Also having pain down left femur.
Has anyone's joint pain resolved after the tb test?
I had a 2 step tb test done for school. The second one was done 7 days after the first one. I had some eye twitching shortly after the first injection that resolved in couple days. Then I had the second injection 3 days ago. Again, the eye twitching returns that night with a stiff neck, dry, red throat, and mild stomach discomfort. Has anyone had that experience? I feel those are side affects. I had the same test done few items before with no problem. Will these resolve?