Hi...I am currently 64 years old and began working at a homeless shelter in November 2023.
I became very ill at the end of November 2024. I had all the symptoms of active TB except for the cough. I was sick in bed for 2 months.
During this time I had a TB blood test that came up positive. I was quarantined for several weeks due to suspected active TB.
I had 2 chest x-rays and a CT of my chest, abdomen and pelvis. All came back negative for TB.
I was referred to an infectious disease doctor who told me I had latent TB. He could not explain why I was symptomatic for months but ordered a Gallium test, which came back normal, and started me on Isoniazid, 300 mg/daily and Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6), 50 mg/daily. I started these 2 medications on 1/24/25 and will be taking these medications for a total of 9 months.
It is now the beginning of April 2025. I have begun having pain and stiffness in my left fingers which an x-ray has diagnosed as osteoarthritis. I am experiencing trigger finger in 2 of my fingers. I also saw a neurologist recently who diagnosed me with MCI
(mild cognitive impairment).
My original symptoms began to subside a little before I began the TB medications.
I'm now feeling pretty good except for the left hand pain and stiffness and some cognitive difficulties which I have never before experienced in my life.
Could I have some form of active TB in my joints as opposed to Latent TB?