RP taking time - X ray shows up Patch - Concerns post medical examination
Hi all,
Since my last post I subsequently underwent a PPD Test and a Sputum Test (conducted on 2 successive days). The PPD Test resulted in a 16 mm induration and the sputum tests were negative. Hence the doctor interpreted it as Latent TB despite my telling the doctor that I did not suffer from TB but suffered from Pneumonia 35 years ago as a kid (I also showed them my previous medical examination results from assessments conducted in hospitals in Singapore and Malaysia reaffirming the same).
Anyways I proceeded to the Medical commission Dept. , Ministry of Public Health room #118 today to see whether I could explain the same to them. Instead, upon going there, I was advised that I need to sign a declaration to start on medication to treat my latent TB, as alleged by them, after which i could proceed for fingerprinting and thereafter for obtaining my Qatari ID.
However, I did not sign off the declaration today. I asked for some time to think over this since I heard that these TB medicines create some really bad / harmful side effects in the body.
They agreed but advised me that I need to go back to the medical commission within this week to sign the declaration, once i have decided to do so.
In this regards, I seek your opinion on the following:
A) Should I get in touch with my HR in my company to ask for a waiver....especially now at this stage when the time has come to sign off the declaration?
B) If I do sign off the declaration and agree to take the medication for latent TB, do I have the choice in deciding the length/duration of the course considering the fact that these may turn out to be strong medicines with side effects perhaps those kind which may harm my body (though honestly I too may not eventually know what kind of a duration is good or bad)?
Further, would it be necessary to go to the hospital every day just to take the medicine, in the presence of the doctor, or would they just give me a supply of medicines in bulk for the entire duration and allow me to manage it on my own without coming back to the hospital daily thus avoiding the hassle of going to the hospital and ending up "rubbing shoulders" inadvertently with others present in the hospital who are truly afflicted by TB and become a "passive recipient" of the disease?
I thank you all in advance for being able to giving me some direction / advice in this regards
Cheers
shane, what exactly happened to your medical?were you able to get the visa and work in Qatar?
Dear shayne29:
I wanna to contact you regarding your issue.
Kindly email me at [email protected]
Hope for the best
Shahzad
OK thanks Dracu :)
The decision to continue or discontinue will not be yours, but Doctor's. You shouldn't stop the treatment and after that report to Doctor, but the other way around: go to Doctor if you don't feel good and only if the Doctor tells you to stop or replace the medicine, you would do so.
Judging from the medical and logical point of view, they should kick you out of the country.
If you discontinue the treatment before the right time, the bacteria will become more dangerous, building resistence to the antibiotic. So they should take the chance to release in the country a antibiotic resistence strain of TB. I really think that chances for the Government to accept such risks are slim.
But this is just my judgment.
Dracu,
Thanks for your response above. I think you did give me some good information above.
You have mentioned in the end that it was OK to discontinue taking medication in case the side effects are severe after informing the doctor. In this situation.....when the medicines are discontinued....will the authorities still kick you out of the country? :)
Thanks
Dracu,
Thanks for your response above. I think you did give me some good information above.
You have mentioned in the end that it was OK to discontinue taking medication in case the side effects are severe after informing the doctor. In this situation.....when the medicines are discontinued....will the authorities still kick you out of the country? :)
Thanks
well, I can give you quite a lot of information, unfortunately.
1. 16mm PPD test shows that, during your life, you were exposed to TB. that is quite certain. many people do not get actually sick of TB, but they are exposed to the bacteria and become carriers. for as long as the disease is latent, you can't transmit the bacteria to somebody else. But in 5-10% latent carriers can the disease can become active. therefore the need to take preventive medication, which reduces the chances to get it active to 1-2%.
2. you can try to ask for a waiver and, if you are a VIP in your company, maybe you can get one. If you are just a simple employee, chances are you will be kicked out.
3. There might be significant side effectes, or insignificant. For the majority of people, the side effects of antibiotics are minimal (urine gets orange). some people might experience other simptoms (headacke, nausea, etc). It varies from person to person. If your eye whites get a a bit yellow you should report to the doctor immediately (liver damage. if you stop the medication, it's ok, not permanent).
4. there are 2 options of treatment:
*once per week, 12 tablets, taken in the hospital, for 3 months.
*daily tablets (3pcs), which you can take at home, for 4 months.
you need to report to doctor after 2 months, for a check.
If you think your health is not perfect, you might want to go for the daily dose (smaller amounts of antibiotics, taken at home).
In the end, the choice is yours: either you take the medication (with probably manageble side effects), and you keep your job, or you refuse, and most probably you will be kicked out.
Good luck.