Tuberculous and Cancer

In speaking with my Infectious Disease Doctor (yeah can tell this is not going to be happy news right) - 30 % of the population has the TB germ. However in virtually every instance the body's immune system walls off the TB germ and it goes to sleep.

What can wake up the germ? Usually happens when the body is weak and fighting other diseases and infections, such as;
HIV
Pneumonia
Cancer

A few of you already know I’ve been dealing with this for some months now as the Doc’s saw ‘something’ earlier this year on one of my CAT scans.

Went from, well it could be cancer as it lighted up (during a nuclear med scan), to nope not cancer, could be something else, could be TB – hmm nope cause the wash (from the first bronchoscopy) does not show TB, to we need to do a biopsy of your lung and get a bigger sample (hence second bronchoscopy) – To confirmed last Friday – Tuberculosis .


Well i don't really wanna know
I'll just hold on the best i can

But geesh give a brother a break here!

And if i fall down i'm gonna get back up
It'll be alright it'll be okay god

I'm gonna make my world a better place
I'm gonna keep that smile on my face
I'm gonna teach myself how to understand
I'm gonna make myself a better man oh

I’ve already started the medication – 12 pills per day, from all I’ve been told within two weeks there is zero chance of me being infectious.

During that two week time – keep away from children.

Sighs No GiGi

I’ve also been told by my doctors and by the Public Health rep (yeah TB is a reportable disease – hence Public health gets involved) – there is virtually a 100% cure rate as long as I take the meds for 6 months.

Right got it – heck yeah I’ll take the meds!

To keep this in perspective - I have something on my lung
I've smoked for 50 years
I have Prostate Cancer

It could have been lung cancer or prostate cancer mets in the lung.

Ok I'll deal with this new crap - and I'll beat this new crap.

May not be a bad idea to have a TB test done my brothers and sisters.

Hugs all!

Bud

We will beat this crap!

Post Edited (Raddad) : 11/2/2012 12:45:09 PM (GMT-6)

So sorry to hear that, Bud. Have they discussed a treatment plan? Thank goodness, though, that it wasn't lung cancer, eh?

Bud, there's a cure in the pills so that's good, but I agree, having cancer is bad enough but then the lurking illnesses start to pop their heads out. Hang in there dude, I in your corner.

Bud -- Sorry to hear about the TB

And sorry you will have to stay away from GiGi for a while

But I know you will beat this new Crap

Best -- Jon

I also am sorry that your getting hammered by the TB, Bud; I caught TB in county jail back in '96, took my medicine and moved on. I wish us all smooth sailing but I remember what a Drug n Alcohol counselor once told me, "Nobody promised me a rose garden." I know, so irrelevant. Hang on Bud n give it your best shot....till the end...........

This is such crazy news. I have been working in Mental health and social services since 1992, so I have been tested for TB yearly, and never gave it much thought. When Ryan, our youngest, was in preschool his 4 year old program, we were informed that one of the workers tested positive for active TB. All the kids had to be tested and put on a preventative medication for 6 months, wow did that suck. Luckily, Ryan didnt contract the disease, but since he was exposed to it, he has a greater chance of contracting it if exposed again....at least that is what our public health Dr informed us. Luckily, we are in a time when we know how to stop it and deal with it. As long as you get tested and know that you have it, you can treat it. I am sure you have, but everyone that you have been around needs to be tested. I know you are heartbroken that you cant have access to your baby, or only from a distance, but that time will go quickly and you will be around to see her grow, and hear her laugh, see that beautiful smile. It could have been MUCH MUCH worse. this is just a pebble in the road. You will make it work for you and your loved ones. I am sorry to hear that you have TB, but WHEW!!! Thank God it was JUST TB!!!!

sending hugs to you and your lovely wife. Dont forget all that flirting you will be able to do when she is reminding (not nagging) you to take those pills all day long!!! (wink)

Hope the problem clears up
In the news today that vitamin D looks like it may help treat TB
Seems to me that this may help explain one of the historic ways of dealing with TB ie patients being sent to special clinics etc at the sea side. It was not just the fresh air that was making them better but the extra vit D they were making compared to being stuck indoors in cities. See:
www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/03/us-tuberculosis-vitamin-d-idUSBRE8820KD20120903

Alf

Bud,

Hope all goes well with the treatment. Who know TB is so prevalent?

Best wishes and sorry you have to deal with this.

Brothers and Sisters

Thanks for all the support - this one kinda knocked me for a loop. But hey ok a thing to deal with and so I will.

Skype - Gigi - check! Will look into that!

Flirting while being reminded - grins - Yup Susan. I have to add that to my flirting list. And yes the wife has been reminding me!

Casey - Yeah - though have been cutting back - Rule is I can't smoke or smell like smoke around Gigi. Wow I'd not quit for all the health reasons in the world - but dang sure do not smoke before or around Gigi.

What I've found out so far.

The Public Health Service will monitor me VERY closely. And thats in addition to my VA doc's. The Public Health has a thing called DOT - Direct Observation Therapy. Which is someone will actually come to our house and watch me take the medication! For 40 treatments - thats 8 weeks. And than they will relax the DOT part to a few times a week.

We talked about our Gigi babysitting - they can make arrangements with the Public Health in her area to come out and DOT me there (at Gigi's house)

Fairfax County actually has its on lab where they test 'sputum' (basically what you can hawk up out of your lungs).

I'll have a assigned nurse and a assigned caseworker. I'm meeting with them tomorrow for the first time.

Has its own pharmacy - they will provide - as in hand me - the drugs on a weekly basis - at no charge to me.

While I was talking with the nurse, I said someone will actually come out and watch me take the medications? The nurse finally laughed and said yes - we have to make sure. Some people will 'forget'. 6 Months is a long time and you _have_ to complete the treatment - OR you may develop a infectious TB that is much harder to treat. I said - Ok. I'm with you - whatever we need to do.

Anyplace else if we told someone we have TB - it would be a OMG aww <4 letter word> moment. Here with all the cancer crap we put up with- TB is in Susan's words 'Thank God it was JUST TB'.

Allright 6 Months - Yup can do. I was wondering what I was going to be doing at 10 AM each day anyway. <grins>

Hugs all!

Bud

We will beat this crap - -- and I'll beat this TB crap!

Jeff

You will get a kick out of this.

When I picked up my meds at the VA Infectious Disease clinic last week I noticed a yellow sticker on one that said "No Alcohol".

I asked my Doc what exactly does that mean?

Like do not wash down the pills with a beer or ??

After she was finished laughing it was Nope No Alcohol.

Okia - the wife - just gave me the 'look' and shook her head.

Hugs all!

Bud

We will beat this crap!

Bud, the least you can do is to bring an attractive nurse/observer with you to GFMPH, right? On second thought, what is she gonna do the other 23 hrs and 55 minutes, surrounded by a bunch of older men? Oh, hang with Barb and the girls, right?

Just wanted to say u seem to be there for many people.

I would like to send you and your family lots of love, and i'll have a few drinks for you, untill you're

able to have ur own.

Cheers xxx

Oh Yay for all the negatives! Even if your spirit is infectious!
Seems you can just beat everything!