Written By: Debjani Arora | Updated : August 23, 2018 3:12 PM IST
Life after a tuberculosis is not easy, especially if you had to recover from multi-drug resistant TB. The drugs, the injections take a toll on a person's mental and physical health. Some people who are on pills and injections (sometimes a combination of four or six drugs) find it difficult to cope with the medications as these drugs are of high dosage. Moreover, the injections make it painful and intolerable. But to fight MDR-TB it is necessary to be on track with medications and complete the course of antibiotics. At times, the treatment might go on for six or nine months making one weak and fatigued. The aftertaste of these medications, as reported is so weird that people drop from the treatment mid-way when they feel a little better and stop experiencing the initial symptoms. However, dropping from the treatment mid-way could lead to a relapse of TB or MDR-TB which could become difficult to treat. Just like it is difficult to deal with medications the aftermath of the treatment takes a lot to deal with. It takes anywhere around 6 to 9 months to get fitter and better.
Here are a few things you need to do to help yourself get better after an MDR-TB treatment.
Amp up your nutritional intake: The body's response to TB infection and medications leads to diarrhoea, loss of fluids, electrolytes and other nutritional reserves resulting in protein loss and muscle decay. Weight loss, malnutrition and decreased appetite are consequences of the disease, but the most common side effects are nausea, vomiting and appetite loss. Due to loss of appetite one becomes weak and fatigued. But the idea is to eat a balanced diet while on treatment and during the recovery stage. Malnutrition can trigger a relapse of TB and lower immunity during recovery which could be detrimental for health. Here are a few things you can do to ensure you eat right:
Try to do some physical activities: We are not telling you to hit the gym as soon as you are off the medications. But try to gain back your strength with some yoga and breathing exercises. It will also help you to get your appetite back and eat healthily.
Avoid crowded spaces: At least for some time after the treatment avoid going to crowded places and if you must, cover your face. Also, keep your house ventilated to breathe in fresh air and prevent the spread of bacteria which thrives in a damp and closed environment. Since TB is an airborne disease closed environments can be dangerous, especially for the family members. So allow some air movement to happen.
In a nutshell, nutrition, rest and exercise post the MDR-TB treatment is crucial for faster recovery and revival.
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