Positive thinking: merely a flesh wound
Thanks for the information. I'm really liking this forum.
Deb
I was exposed to TB as a child, and took medications to remove the bacteria from my system. I still carry antibodies for it, but as far as I know, I have no bacteria hanging around that could cause a reinfection.
This is what Wikipedia says about reactivation...
"The risk of reactivation increases with immunosuppression, such as that caused by infection with HIV. In patients co-infected with M. tuberculosis and HIV, the risk of reactivation increases to 10% per year.
Other conditions that increase risk include drug injection, mainly due to the lifestyle of IV drug users; recent TB infection or a history of inadequately treated TB; chest X-ray suggestive of previous TB, showing fibrotic lesions and nodules; diabetes mellitus; silicosis; prolonged corticosteroid therapy and other immunosuppressive therapy; head and neck cancers; hematologic and reticuloendothelial diseases, such as leukemia and Hodgkin's disease; end-stage kidney disease; intestinal bypass or gastrectomy; chronic malabsorption syndromes; or low body weight."
So I wouldn't worry about it unless your immune system is being attacked.
Hi Deb,
I am taking antibiotics for TB (6 month course). I have had no side effects.
Initially they monitored my liver function, which was fine. Am also supposed to severely restrict alcohol consumption while on these drugs.
So no biggie for the TB meds.
Sally
Quix: I see that you're a doctor--this is wonderful! Thank you--I can breath a sigh of relief! I've been anxious anyway because of starting Copaxone and getting a diagnosis. This is one less thing to worry about.
I'll be sure to remind my doctor about my positive TB tests in the past.
BTW, I love the way you described your mood on your profile-- "Can't be trusted with kitchen implements." That is very funny and describes my mood to a tee! I got a good chuckle out of that!
Thanks, Sally. That information does help. I'm glad to know there's someone else out there that has had a similar experience (not that I'm happy about your MS-like symptoms or TB). If I have to start medicine, I'm wondering about the side effects. Are the antibiotics causing any side effects for you?
I know what it's like to have daunting symptoms and not know what's wrong. It was a long and winding road for me, because I have more than one autoimmune disease and many of my symptoms fit other categories. But finally, in the end, my very competent doctor put all the puzzle pieces together and figured it all out. Best wishes to you, too with finding some answers.
Deb
Hi,
I am being treated for latent TB. I'll be finished in another month. However, the dr told me I will always have antibodies, regardless. However, having antibodies doesn't mean that I necessarily even have latent TB, just that I have been exposed to TB in the past.
Anyway, I was tested for TB when they were looking for possible causes of my symptoms. Although my skin test was very positive, they didn't find any evidence of active disease from the chest x-rays.
I haven't noticed any change in my symptoms with the TB treatment. I guess it is probably not relevant, but just an incidental finding. Also, I haven't been diagnosed with MS.
I recommend you don't worry too much about the 'latent' tb, unless you started to have symptoms that could be related (not likely).
Hope this helps.
Sally
Hi, No, Copaxone does NOT cause immunesuppression. None of the CRAB drugs do. That is a widely spread myth. They do modulate a certain portion of the immune system, but they do not make one more susceptible at all to infections, reinfections, opportunistic infections, or reactivation of latent infections!!
Your neuro, and all your Dr.s should know of this part of your medical history, just because it is generally important.
If your were to need the next level up of MS meds, like Novantrone, then absolutely the latent TB could be a factor.
Hope this helps.
Quix