RE: OT: X-rays and breastfeeding

[Guest guest]

Is the PPD positive or did she have a possible reaction to the serum

fixative? Some serums do have thimerosol in them (mercury derivative)

as a preservative so check that out. I am allergic to thimerosol or at

least very sensitive to it.

I am probably allergic to the fixative. (It's hard to say definitively

because you can't always test for the individual constituents.) My

forearm swelled up within 15 minutes like a foot ball with a big hive.

Did this happen to her or was it a slow inflammation response over a

couple of days? If it was a slow response then it is less likely it

was an allergic reaction. There is at least one alternative tests

available for skin testing.

I had to go the Chest xray route which were clear. As a nurse I have

not heard of contraindications for breast milk for xrays. You can

always call an xray department at a clinic and ask. The only concern

is if she was pregnant then definately no xrays.

If the chest xray is clear they will only ask that she come in if she

has TB like symptoms in the future to come in and have another.

If the chest xray looks like active TB they will suggest treatment

which then you will need to find out if she can do that while

breastfeeding. Probably not a good idea. The regimen of pills usually

lasts about 9 months so it is a big deal.

TB is one of those issues that if you refuse treatment they can order

you to stay in your house by public health law until you comply and

take your medicine. This is because it is so contagious and a huge

public health risk. TB has become one of those highly resistant

bacterial infections. You can read more about TB at the Center for

Disease Control, the CDC. Hospitals are now checking their high risk

workers like nurses on intensive care floors every 6 months.

It's not hard to get TB because it is passed by droplet transmission

like coughing. You can get it by being in a crowd, riding the bus, or

on an elevator.

http://www.cdc.gov/tb/

My opinion is the one exposure to the chest xray is an accetable

tradeoff for knowing whether or not if she has active TB. It stinks

but sometimes that's a decision we have to make. Some will probably

disagree with me.

This is the western medicine approach.

Hope that helps some.

>

> Hi,

>

>

> As per the INS requirements, we had to take the TB skin test.

>

> The skin/PPD TB test for my wife came positive and we were asked to

> take chest X-ray for her to rule out TB.

>

> Our concern is whether any immediate or long-term effect will be

there

> because of the x-ray (either mom or baby)? Also, how many hours after

> the x-ray can our 15 month old dd be breastfed ?

>

> thanks,

> Suman.

>

[Guest guest]

> Our concern is whether any immediate or long-term effect will be there

> because of the x-ray (either mom or baby)? Also, how many hours after

> the x-ray can our 15 month old dd be breastfed ?

X-rays have no affect on breastmilk or breastfeeding. Check out

www.kellymom.com for more information.

KerryAnn

http://www.cookingtf.com/ - American and Australian TF Menu Mailers

http://www.tfrecipes.com/forum/ - Traditional Foods forum