Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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Tb gold test.

PW39
PW39
Just seen my rheumy today and I noticed after I left that he had ordered a quantiferon Tb gold. He ran the usual stuff, (uric acid, cbc, metabolic panel comp, crp, sed rate, and hepatitis panel). We have discussed adding something more powerful than the plaquenil I am currently taking. The hold up is that I'm in need of having some major dental work done in the next couple months so once this is done we are gonna try to get my ra stopped in its tracks. My questions are is this a normal test that I would need to be checked for or does he think I have tb? I wished I could have asked while I was there didn't notice until I had already left. Hopefully he is just thinking of adding a biologic and is just getting a head start on the process. Please tell me your opinions since this kinda has me concerned. Just for a recap had to get off mtx back in March due to elevated liver. My labs are now back to normal as of July and had bloodwork done again today. Plaquenil is all I'm currently on other than allopurinol I take for gout. Thanks for listening.
51percent
51percent
This is the newest TB test...it's a blood test instead of the old test where they put a tiny amount under the skin and then watched for a reaction after 48 hours. Pain to have to go back to the doc so now they have this new test that is a blood test...one blood draw and it's over!.

The biologic drugs can bring on TB if you have been exposed so the makers insist that everyone going on a biologic be tested annually for TB just in case as drug resistant TB is now running wild.

So it looks like he's getting ready to start you on a biologic....congrats!

Jen
PW39
PW39
Thanks for the fast response Jen. Good to see you back around helping with your wisdom. Seems like I do remember taking a tb skin test your referring to back about 25 years ago for a job I worked at a health dept when I was just a teenager and still in high school. I was a file clerk way back before everything went computerized. Lol.
carrottop50
carrottop50
Yes I think Jen is right... I guess you have to have a TB test with in one year of starting a Biologic so my doctor has told me. I was on Humira then doctor wanted me on an other biologic so since it had been more then a year since my last TB test I had to have another one.
MarleneJ
MarleneJ
It is standard to check for TB before starting a biologic. But they will take tests from years ago.

I did not know they had a new test out. A friend of my daughter's with lupus also had TB. She had to go through an extensive treatment for the TB before she could go on a biologic. I think it took over a year.

The last TB test I did, they couldn't even tell where it was. So I guess I am safe in that regard. I hope your labs come back clean as well!
PW39
PW39
Thanks for your input Carrot and Marlene. Every time I get a new test it makes me nervous cause I'm one that thinks what if all the time. Lol. Good news the tests for tb and hep were negative and all other bloodwork was in the normal range other than a slightly elevated but stable liver function test that came back at 49. My letter stated that 44 was within the normal range. Soon as I get this dental work out of the way I'd say a biologic is just a visit or a phone call away. My rheumy is definitely ready to move ford with a stronger treatment. Hope everyone is having a good day today. My hands are feeling better than usual this morning for a change.