Since I so don’t trust our Doctors here and our maid ‘maskeena’ is sick, I looked up her diseases. She has been in the hospital for several months now. Need I talk about our hospitals!!! Anyway even she ‘la3at chabdha’ and wants to get out. I talked to the Dr. and he said why are you so eager to get her out? Dr. ‘nafseyatha ta3bana’ she doesn’t want to spend Ramadan here!!!
Anyway here is what I found since the Drs don’t tell you anything. Trust Google. The disease infected her bones bas el-7emdellah it’s not contagious. She can come home rest and take her treatment.
What is tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by the microorganism Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It can affect several organs of the human body, including the brain, the kidneys and the bones; but most commonly it affects the lungs (Pulmonary Tuberculosis). The first stage of the infection usually lasts for several months. During this period, the body’s natural defenses (immune system) resist the disease, and most or all of the bacteria are walled in by a fibrous capsule that develops around the area. Before the initial attack is over, a few bacteria may escape into the bloodstream and be carried elsewhere in the body, where they are again walled in. In many cases, the disease never develops beyond this stage – and is referred to as TB infection. If the immune system fails to stop the infection and it is left untreated, the disease progresses to the second stage, active disease. There, the germ multiplies rapidly and destroys the tissues of the lungs (or the other affected organ). In some cases, the disease, although halted at first, flares up after a latent period. Sometimes, the latent period is many years, and the bacteria become active when the opportunity presents itself, especially when immunity is low.
The second stage of the disease is manifested by destruction or “consumption” of the tissues of the affected organ. When the lung is affected, it results in diminished respiratory capacity, associated with other symptoms; when other organs are affected, even if treated adequately, it may leave permanent, disabling scar tissue.
Typical signs of tuberculosis are:
- Fatigue.
- Lack of appetite.
- Weight loss.
- Fever.
- Night sweats.
- Weakness due to anemia (TB in the bone marrow)
- Joint pain
- Pain associated with reproductive system or urinary tract, and possibly, resulting in infertility
- Abdominal pain
- Fever and shortness of breath (TB in the lining around the heart, the pericardium, or miliary TB, a large number in the bloodstream)
- Altered mental state, headache and coma (TB in the brain and/or central nervous system)
How is tuberculosis treated?
Today, treatment involves three or four different kinds of antibiotics given in combination over six to nine months.
Multiple medicines are necessary to prevent the emergence of resistance, which would lead to treatment failure and the nightmare of multiple drug-resistant organisms.
Single medicines must never be added to a failing treatment regime. Therapy should be directed by a chest physician who will have specialist knowledge of the complications and side effects of TB medicines.
Attention to the details of treatment is vital. The main cause of treatment failure is non-compliance with what is perceived as a demanding and prolonged programme of therapy.
Those patients who are microscopy or smear positive are infectious and, if possible, should avoid contact with other people for two weeks.
Patients do not require hospital admission in order to start treatment. Other patients with a lower bacterial load are smear negative but culture positive on testing. These patients are not as infectious but should still have therapy along conventional lines.
Chemoprophylaxis with a single medicine, isoniazid, may be given for 6 to 12 months with the aim of preventing future disease in individuals who show no evidence of disease, but have a strongly positive tuberculin skin test and no evidence of previous BCG vaccine to explain the positive skin test.
Pregnant women with TB must be treated urgently as the disease may progress rapidly with high risk to both mother and baby.
#1 by Oryx on September 13, 2007 - 6:28 AM
Poor Deyna, enshallah she gets well soon, and it’s good that you Googled it, walla with our pathetic doctors that’s the only way to go, you have to be resourceful and knowledgeable or they’ll get you killed with a smile!!
#2 by fa6fooo6 on September 15, 2007 - 12:16 PM
Wallah I didn’t read a thing..
Cause I just got up from bed o not in the mood for diseases..
I miss dina
Stupid Dr’s.. or assholes which ever is the closest