Where to get blood test for titer and addition titers if needed?

[fusionid]

I will be starting medical School soon at UC Davis and need proof of positive titers. Where is a place to get it done for best price? thanks

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[fusionid]

also, how much should I expect to pay?

 

[citygirl]

Prices through private labs and hospitals vary greatly. Call around. The tests are usually about $30 to $40 each. Mine were about $150 for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella titers. You probably need a TB test. If you pay more that $20 for that its too much. Check with UC Davis. They may do it cheaper for incoming students.

 

[fusionid]

they want us to have all that stuff ready before we start orientation.

I need titers for measles, rubella, varicella and hepatitis B.

Additionally I need a chest X-ray for TB.

Thanks for replying. At least 150 is not that much. I will call around tomorrow.

 

[Wednesday]

I got my HepB series + titer and TB test (not x-ray) for free through my university health office. They told us we'd have to have everything before we started orientation too, but I went to a local doctor and she sent me to the health office during the summer. It doesn't hurt to call them and ask if they'll give them to you, or at least give you a discount.

 

[ckent]

If you have health insurance, your health insurance should pay for it. If you don't, you might want to find out if it's possible to wait until after you enroll in school or are covered by your school plan to get it done.

 

[fusionid]

I was thinking about that. But they insist they want proof before clases start. If not "you will have to attend, at your expense, an emergency clinic where blood will be drawn, vaccinations given, ..." it says so in their Handout notice.

 

[doc05]

the student health office at UC davis will probably pay for it.

 

[fusionid]

I doubt it, the part that says at your expense is underlined

 

[KyGrlDr2B]

Just go to your local health department if you don't have access to your University Health services yet. That's probably going to be your best bet. If you don't want to do that, you'll have to make an appt with a doc and get it done.

BTW, I can't believe you need a chest x-ray....I thought they only did that if your TB test was positive??

 

[fusionid]

let me clarify
I need the chest X-ray because I show positive skin test results for TB. This is because I was born in Mexico where kids are vaccinated for TB early on. Hence the test comes up positive even though you will never develop the disease. Immigrants are offered a 1 year treatment which they argue stops any disease development (will never happen anyways). I did that just to make no fuss. Even after this I need X-rays done since, again I show positive skin result...

 

[ckent]

Originally posted by fusionid
let me clarify
I need the chest X-ray because I show positive skin test results for TB. This is because I was born in Mexico where kids are vaccinated for TB early on. Hence the test comes up positive even though you will never develop the disease. Immigrants are offered a 1 year treatment which they argue stops any disease development (will never happen anyways). I did that just to make no fuss. Even after this I need X-rays done since, again I show positive skin result...

Actually, the BCG (TB) vaccine you received as a child is not a very effective one, and as a young adult, you are probably close to being just as susceptible to TB as a non-vaccinated individual. The chest X-ray is necessary to confirm that you do not have active, contagious TB, as the PPD skin test is ruined in people who have received the BCG.

Just be sure that you wear respiratory precautions when you see patients with TB, as you are far from being immune from it.

 

[fusionid]

I stand corrected

 

[fusionid]

I meant that you will never develop TB from the vaccination itself

 

[KyGrlDr2B]

Originally posted by fusionid
let me clarify
I need the chest X-ray because I show positive skin test results for TB. This is because I was born in Mexico where kids are vaccinated for TB early on. Hence the test comes up positive even though you will never develop the disease. Immigrants are offered a 1 year treatment which they argue stops any disease development (will never happen anyways). I did that just to make no fuss. Even after this I need X-rays done since, again I show positive skin result...

Okay, now that makes much more sense! I was thinking, wow, they are really strict, making people get chest x rays.... Like I said, try the health department first.

 

[Moskeeto]

I got mine done at the UCD campus clinic and I just got the bill from the lab, $218, thats not including the office visit price. I talked to the nurse there and she said they'd be having a special clinic for all the students that didn't have everything done. so you can wait until you get here to do it during orientation, but you won't be able to go to any free clinics until the results are done. It takes about 1 week to get the results.

 

[fusionid]

I will probably have to pay ~300 dlls since I need the chest X-ray. Doesn't the insurance kick in while in orientation?

 

[ckent]

Originally posted by fusionid
I will probably have to pay ~300 dlls since I need the chest X-ray. Doesn't the insurance kick in while in orientation?

Best way to tell that is to call your schools insurance company and ask when their policy starts. If they don't start until the first day of school, I'd send an e-mail to the dean of student affairs letting him or her know of your predicament. It really seems ridiculous that you can't even wait until after a few days of school to get the tests that you need done so that your insurance can kick in since you won't even be seeing any patients for your first month or longer of school.

 

[UCSBMed1]

Hey guys...

I'm also working on my vaccination/titers.

I am all done, but the results of my last HepB test are confusing. It says that I am "Non-reactive" to a Hep B Surface Antibody test. Do you think that my med school will make me re-start the Hep B series even though I've already been vaccinated for Hep B?

Thanks for the help.

 

[KyGrlDr2B]

I know of a couple people in my class whose titers said they were not immune to Hep B. They are having to do it all over again. I think there might have been a problem with timing between 2 of the shots or something.

 

[ckent]

Originally posted by UCSBPre-Med1
Hey guys...

I'm also working on my vaccination/titers.

I am all done, but the results of my last HepB test are confusing. It says that I am "Non-reactive" to a Hep B Surface Antibody test. Do you think that my med school will make me re-start the Hep B series even though I've already been vaccinated for Hep B?

Thanks for the help.

I think that only ~95% of patients seroconvert (have hep b surface antibodies) after receiving the 3 shots. It has less to do with the timing of the shots, then just the fact that each time you have the shot, a certain percentage will seroconvert, so they give it to you 3 times to maximize their yield. You will have to restart the Hep B series. It's good that you got tested for it, since Hep B is particularly contagious with needle sticks.

 

[jasminpi]

IMO the best place to get titers, especially in the expensive US healthcare system, is by ordering online. I ordered online on a Sunday night, went in on Monday and got my results in 3 days. Mine were about 80% cheaper than what my doctor wanted to charge. I ordered through Accesa Labs titer test

 

[Astra]

IMO the best place to get titers, especially in the expensive US healthcare system, is by ordering online. I ordered online on a Sunday night, went in on Monday and got my results in 3 days. Mine were about 80% cheaper than what my doctor wanted to charge. I ordered through Accesa Labs titer test

honestly, why go through the effort of searching for old threads to necrobump?

2/10 troll.