Tuberculosis

[Guest]

Hi Doc,
I am 25 yrs old now. I was coughing terribly from Jan 1999 to march 1999 and then the coughing stopped on its own. But then, I was diagnosed with TB in may 1999 during a pre-job medical examination. I was on medication (the 4 drugs) from may to november 1999. I was very regular with the medication and did not miss it even for one day because I wanted to recover badly. After noevmber, my medication was stopped. I went to the clinic again 6 months later in March 2000 for another final x-ray. The doc said that I had some scarring on my lung but that's expected and I was discharged. But since then, I developed a perpetual fear that I am harmful to the society and I could still be having the germs (maybe inactive or maybe still active but I was only not coughing for some reason) and I could affect people and they wouldn't even know that they had got TB from me. Basically, I was and am paranoid that I still have it or maybe I do not have it but I can still spread it. As a result, I am scared to get close to people, to share food, etc. But I am a very social person and as a result I do get close to lot of people but I am always haunted by the thought that I may infect that person. Everytime I see or hear someone coughing, even on a subway far from me or on TV, the first though I get is that he/she has got TB germ from me. And the thought is there 24 hrs with me. I did not know how to get over it so whenever I go to doctors for any routine check-up, I will show them my x-rays and they will assure me that I do not have TB (my x-rays had improved from my 1999 to mar 2000) and need not worry. So finally (in 2002), I went to a TB clinic to get the sputum test done (both the 2 weeks and the 2 months), the results were negative. So it was an assurance to myself that I do not have TB.

But because of my paranoia, everytime 1 of my friend starts coughing, I get scared. It has happened numerous times. And I start feeling so guilty that I start thinking that I should rather die than affect other people's lives unknowingly. Sometimes, some friends have a prolonged cough for more than two weeks, and then I get very very worried and scared that he/she has got TB from me. One of my friend has a bad cough right now, even fever and fatigue and once again, I am very worried. I am thinking that I should tell her that I had TB 3 years ago and she may have that so she should go for a TB screening. But I am worried that then she will hate me for not telling her earlier. If it is just my paranoia, I will affect my relationship for no reason in which case the problem is with me and my paranoia.

So different scenarios possible are (what are the answers to these questions):
1) Is it still possible for me to be suffering from TB (active) even if the sputum tests are negative, the X-ray has only some scarring and hence I am spreading it still?

2) Is it possible that I have been cured of TB (inactive), but still have the germs and can spread them to others who do not have the germs?
So my question is this: what does the TB treatment do, a) does it make you stronger so that the germs can't affect you no more (but can still spread from you to others) or b)does it make the germs weaker so that they cannot affect you but can go to others or c) does it kills the germs (so you and everyone else is safe forever)?

3) I do not have TB at all and am not spreading it at all. I am just paranoid. In that case, what should I do to get myself back to my normal self and stop worrying and feeling guilty. It seems to me that almost everyone around me is coughing or am I being over-cautious and observant about people coughing.

Since my treatment, my stamina has for sure gone down or maybe It is an effect of getting older but just 3 years older.
Pls help.

[Guest]

3 is the most likely scenario. the fact that you took the medication for the time and the sputum and chest xray are negative(except for scarring) means it is extremely unlikely for you to get tb again and to spread it.
[quote] Hi Doc,
I am 25 yrs old now. I was coughing terribly from Jan 1999 to march 1999 and then the coughing stopped on its own... [/quote]

[Guest]

Thanks for the quick reply Doc. So I cannot be a silent carrier of TB to other healthy people, rite.
Are there any typical post TB treatment effects? I ask this coz I have since 2000 been a much weaker person. If I go for a long jog or swim or do 80 sit-ups, I will be fine immediately after that, just the normal fatigue. But within a day or two, I will start feeling sick, lack of air, and then have a sore throat, followed by (yellow) phlegm followed by blocked nose and a bad flu which I cure within a week with standard medication. If I do not have long enough sleep for more than 3 days, then also these things happen. Its almost a pattern so whenever I workout or stay in office late, I can predict I am gonna fall sick.

Is it that TB has made my lung weaker and hence it cannot take the pressure. Or is it something else. Perhaps I am suffering from one of the following (I got them from the website, not sure what they are):
1) Carcinoma of the lung (frequently creates cavities in lung tissue)
2) Pneumonia (can proceed to cavitation and resemble TB on chest x-ray)
3) Allergic bronchopulmonary asperigollosis (marked by inflammatory granulomatous lesions in bronchi)
4) Sarcoidosis, allergic alveolitis, pneumoconiosis, silicosis (biopsy and allergy screening eliminate these from diagnosis; silicosis predisposes to tuberculosis)
5) Anorexia nervosa, diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism (chronic malaise, fatigue and cachexia [wasting])
6) Mediastinial lymphadenopathy (may also be lymphoma)
7) something else
Maybe one of them developed as a result of my treatment coz my lung was weak.

What other lung or any other disease or disorder (perhaps infectious coz lots people around me do keep getting chronic cough and flu even when I am ok) whould cause such weakness/symptoms or am I just a weak person? Could I be a carrier of some other infectious disease?
Thanks again.

[quote] 3 is the most likely scenario. the fact that you took the medication for the time and the sputum and chest xray are negative(except for scarring) means it is extremely unlikely for you to get tb again and to spread it... [/quote]

[Guest]

you really should discuss all this with your physician. you have too many questions and concerns for me to adequatley answer them in this forum.
[quote] Thanks for the quick reply Doc. So I cannot be a silent carrier of TB to other healthy people, rite... [/quote]

[Guest]

Thanks for your time and advise. I will consult my doc in detail.

[quote] you really should discuss all this with your physician. you have too many questions and concerns for me to adequatley answer them in this forum... [/quote]