I’ve infected my family

Feeling really overwhelmed with guilt because today I found out I’ve infected my husband daughter , dad and grandfather awaiting my 11 year old sons results now. Did anyone else on the group infect any of there immediate family? . I’ve been on treatment since the end of January and the medication make me feel really unwell so I’m dreading everyone having to take medication.

[Soul01]

Hi. It isn’t always possible to know who the first person was to get TB. Please don’t feel guilty about it. No one deliberately infects others and we often don’t know how we got TB. Take one day at a time and don’t be so tough on yourself.

[hottchoc]

Please don’t be hard on yourself. You are going through a difficult time. If your family are latent, you can speak with your TB team about whether they take medication or not. TB is horrible, but you will get through this. We will support you and try to answer your questions. I too gave it to my family and friends

[Hidden]

Hey thanks for replying everyone I have active pulmonary Tb and have recently started on voractiv medication , everyone else is latent and will start on another medication that will contain a combination of two antibiotics . I just feel so incredibly guilty six week ago they were negative on the 1st swab but the 2nd have shown they had all become positive . It’s just awful knowing I infected all these people and how many more are unknowingly infected . If my doctors had listened to my concerns instead of swabbing me for covid time and time again it wouldn’t have possibly got to this stage . They even said I was suffering anxiety and that was causing the cough it’s unbelievable . I have also had covid so within ten months I’ve been diagnosed with covid and Tb one word for this is madness.

[hottchoc in reply to Hidden]

Very sadly, your story is not uncommon, and this forum is one reason why it was set up, because nobody else is bothered because it costs them money. So people who do get infected are left completely on their own. But you need to ask yourself- who gave it to you? This is why it is not any fault of your own. In fact I have devised a cough chart for all GPS to use so this scenario doesn’t happen again. I am in talks with public health. So fingers crossed together we can change the behaviours of doctors.

[bambam1234 in reply to Hidden]

I have just recently been diagnosed with active TB, after ten years of coughing, and I was also told I had my cough for various reasons like acid reflux, post nasal drip, and a habit forming cough. I had negative Xrays over the ten years. Now I have just started my first week of meds for six months, and feeling ok...ish, but staying near the loo and a little nauseous. I'm also worried that my daughter and granddaughter will have it. They have to be tested in a few weeks time. I will never forgive myself if they have to go through this too!

I knew nothing about TB and since my diagnosis I have read more and more. My nurse told me not to tell anyone because there is a stigma. I was really surprised that in this day and age there is still a stigma. No wonder....if it is not talked about openly. I feel quite strongly about this.

[SadieR]

Hello sshaw1987,

I’m sorry to hear of your struggles but getting TB is not your fault. It’s disease that is still out there and it’s hard to get people (GP’s) to “think TB” & sadly you are dismissed until things become worse.

I had latent TB which was picked up through contact tracking at work & was treated for 6 months. I was shocked, naively I thought TB was a thing of the past & we’re constantly told (even now) that only certain groups are at risk of catching it, this is not always the case. It becomes frustrating that the medical profession dismiss people who they think don’t meet what they think are the right criteria.

My colleague who had active TB also felt the same guilt as you, but I never saw it as her fault so please don’t punish yourself feeling that it is. You will & your family get treated & get through this & be proud that you battled this disease that’s rarely discussed.

I feel, along with my colleague ever more passionate about making people “think TB”, especially for those people in lower risks groups as we are forgotten. Sadly COVID has put back the TB agenda but we keep trying to do our bit to be advocates for TB.

Stay strong, & I wish you & your family well. Take care 🌻

[greg28a]

It is not your fault. You did not intend to hurt your loved ones. You found out you where sick and informed them all to get tested. Everyone is going to be fine. Stay strong and dont blame yourself