Tested positive for TB in 1999, completed the treatment, x-ray of lungs clean.

[trslance]

I have recently been diagnosed with MS and the drug prescribed requires a skin test for TB. I will always show positive now even though it is not active, I had all the required  treatment for it in 1999 and I have had clean x-rays for 15 yrs. with no sign of problems. Will I still be able to take my meds for MS or will it still have the same side effect even though I have no symptoms.

[kwarendorf]

Welcome to our group.

I am in complete agreement with ess. This is a discussion you need to have with the prescribing doctor. What med is your doc prescribing? I have never heard of someone being TB tested for an MS Disease Modifying Drug.

Kyle

[essdipity]

This is a concern too important to be totally answered in an online forum. Your doctors should be pursuing this aggressively for you.

But in any case, there are many MS meds to choose from. In your shoes I'd pick one that does not involve TB risk.

Best of luck.

ess

[karryon55]

Hi there & welcome to the MS Community.

I am also a latent TB so I completely understand your concerns. I am interested in what MS DMD requires you to be cleared of TB? I had to have testing before comencing TNF inhibitors for rheumatoid arthritis & of course I will always show positive. However I had biopsies taken from my lower & mid lungs where the TB was showing on my chest X-rays so they could grow culture to see if I actually had active TB or not before comencing treatment.

This came back as not active but there was still some debate on whether I should take 6 months of TB antibiotics just incase. I decide against this as my liver function wasn't good & the dual antibiotics would have probably finished me off anyway. I did take 2 different TNF inhibitors for in total about 1 year & never had any issues with TB? I was told that the longer it has been since you had active TB the risk actually decreases. Also I had family who had TB not just of the lung but of the uterus so be aware it can affect other organs other than the lung.

I think the blood test they do (gold something lol can't remember) will say how susceptible you are. As I am not sure what drug you are talking about either I really am not sure of how high the risks are. I know with the TNF inhibitors they said it actaully goes in & knocks on the door screaming wake up TB which was a big worry for me.

With the Mantoux skin test you will be given a small amount of something under the skin on your inner arm & they will circle the test areas. Mine came up so big I couldn't use my arm but there is a very particular way in reading these. Many people will show a reaction but it has to be of a significant size for it to be positive. Someone trained in reading these results is required. I am now on Rituximab & have been on DMD's for along time with no reactivation of TB.

What DMD are you considering? What does your doctor say?

I hope this helps a little & I didn't confuse you.

Karry.