What was your experience of finishing TB treatment?

[Soul01]

I will finally be finishing treatment soon and am interested to know how people felt after finishing the medication.

I guess I am concerned about stopping after such a long time and wonder how the body reacts, whether people felt unwell, whether people felt back to their more ‘normal’ selves!

Did you have any follow up and if so, what did it involve?

Please feel free to share your experiences.

Thank you.

[hottchoc]

Hi Soul01 I too was scared to come off my meds, but I also felt elated because I would no longer be putting my body under strain. I finished in the September but didn’t get discharged until December. I still had a few complications with a blockage in my lower lung which was drained as I had so much damage, but slowly I began to recover enough where I did not need anymore help (except from the psychologist!) two years on my lung aches occasionally if I do too much but over all I thank my lucky stars. You have done well so stay positive and good luck with everything x

[Soul01 in reply to hottchoc]

Thank you for your reply. Did you feel strange (physically) after stopping the meds?

[hottchoc in reply to Soul01]

No, but I was nervous wondering if I had any trapped bacteria in the pockets of my lung and thought it might all come back. It’s not surprising all these thoughts go through your mind when you have escaped death with TB!

[HelenC Partner TB Alert]

Well done! I hope you get back to 'normal' soon - if not better

[FlowerM]

I had headaches and anxiety but after some time I became better...I finished my treatment in may 2019 and so far my strength is back,I can eat normally,my weight is fine and the coughing is completely gone. The medication really helped me a lot.

[Soul01 in reply to FlowerM]

Thanks for your reply. I need some idea of how I might feel! It must be strange for the body when medication stops after such a long time.

[Stratocycle]

Kudos to you all. I am also curious. I would like to be fit and I hope I can start working out already. But of course I must not. Before I got ill, I was hoping to start at a gym and then this happened.

[Cocogirlie in reply to Stratocycle]

I too want to get back to my workout and getting my body back to some kind of normal. I have lost so much muscle mass and I am fighting to keep weight on. Everyone who does not know I was on TB meds says oh it takes a long time to recover and build muscle again. I am so frustrated. I had a double lung transplant 7 years ago. I am a fighter and survivor and I am not going to let this tb diagnosis take me down. I just want back to normal!

[Cocogirlie]

I too have all the same concerns and questions that you have. I see no concrete answers on this support group so far. I am new to this group but am a little disappointed that there is not much interaction on this subject. I guess I will just have to find out on my own.

[Soul01 in reply to Cocogirlie]

Yes it would be helpful to have information from more people about their experience. Perhaps people want to put it all behind them once treatment has finished and so don’t look on the app. I ha e 17 more days so you are ahead of ne!!

[Cocogirlie in reply to Soul01]

Yes no more as of December 11th!

[Cocogirlie]

I am really concerned about this “tanning” change in skin color. I really want to hear if anyone has changed back?

[sktudup]

I also finished my treatment last month and back to my routine life. I also joined gym to get back in shape but still I feel some pain in lover side and back side of my chest and it makes me some time worried. Is it normal or not I don't know.

[Soul01 in reply to sktudup]

Thanks for your message. I finish in a few days. Physically I am in good shape and hope the fatigue and brain fog will disappear.

I also have pain like you and wonder if it will get better, worse or stay the same.

[CaptEyore in reply to Soul01]

Are you still taking meds or done? Has your pain, brain fog and fatigue gone away. I finish med end of May 2021 and worried about the same things you are

[Soul01 in reply to CaptEyore]

I finished 15 months ago. Pain had improved - hasn’t gone completely but better than it was. Fatigue has improved a lot but still have fatigue from time to time. Brain fog has gone but I sometimes struggle with concentration for long periods of time.

[CaptEyore]

I’m wondering the same thing. I’ll be done the end of May and I can’t wait.