tuberculosis

[Transcendence]

Last year was my freshman year of college, and needless to say I spent much of everyday sharing various smoking devices with countless people. Over the summer one of my friends was tested for TB because he was working in a summer camp, and the test was positive. He has to take antibiotics for several months. I realize the skin test isn't that accurate.

Is sharing pipes/blunts/hookah etc a significant risk factor? Since TB is transmitted through saliva, I'm thinking yes. So my question is, should I bother getting tested for TB? Not really sure how I'd bring that up with my doctor, but that's a different story.

 

[Venrak]

I would get tested if I were in your situation.

The doctor's negative reactions can be avoided by claiming your fears are based on how one of your close friends has tested positive and you both have had no qualms about sharing glasses, eating utensils or cigarettes in the past.

 

[wizekrak]

TB is airborne, so even breathing in close proximity to him for extended periods of time puts you at risk.

 

[Transcendence]

His TB was latent, so I'm not so much concerned of getting it from him as I am of the possibility that I might have gotten it from the person that he got it from (since we are in the same smoking circle so to speak).

 

[crevan]

TB is airborne, so if you were in close proximity to ANYONE with TB, GET TESTED IMMEDIATELY.
My man got it and nearly died from it, it ate away at his lung and other organs that now his life expectancy has reduced greatly. Just don't get the skin test because that is not completely reliable, also ask for the chest x-ray and if you still have concearns ask for a CT Scan. Only way they found it on my man was CT Scan. Skin test was negative, chest x-ray found nothing but he was slowly degrading away and dying. They put him on the regiment of pills, that really sucks ass, because they can do further liver damage and infertile (while on the pills). Besides all that IF you have contracted it, the longer you wait, the worse it will get and the more people you can infect.
Active TB you can infect people, you'd be coughing and losing weight and loss of appitite.
Dormant TB, you still have it and it eats away at your lungs and sometimes other organs BUT there is no cough and you are NOT contageous BUT once it makes you sick enough or you get sick from something unrelated, as soon as your immune system is compromised, it will become active.

I don't mean to scare you. I just hate to see anyone else have this terrible infectious disease.

I lived through the scare for almost a year now and just recently my man got off the pills and is doing good but if only he got tested sooner he would have had a longer life expectancy.
He now has to go on a yearly basis to get the fluid and gunk removed from his lung and be tested every 6 months for the rest of his life and it always has a chance of coming back.

SO PLEASE GET TESTED!

If you need any info on anything TB related or whatnot, feel free to ask, we've been through it all in the past couple years.

I will be hoping you are one of the lucky ones, like my self and my kids that are too healthy to get it.

IM me anytime, ANYONE, if you have any questions. I am more familiar with the Canadian treatment of TB, but I am sure I can find out answers for anyone from any country.