Keeping your face covered when coughing prevents the spread of TB.
A diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB), while quite serious, is no longer a death sentence. Most healthy individuals can survive and beat TB with the proper medical care. Living with the disease during treatment is emotionally and physically draining for patients and their friends and family. The disease requires at least nine months of treatment, sometimes more, for effective control. Those living with TB should learn all they can about what is ahead.
Instructions
1. Finish all medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor. The Mayo Clinic recommends hiring a home health care professional to help you remember to take your medication properly.
2. Watch for side effects, because the drugs used to treat TB can cause liver problems. If you notice serious side effects, including nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, vision problems, pain in the abdomen, dark urine, jaundice or a sudden fever with no apparent cause, contact your doctor immediately.
3. Consider hiring a mental health professional or therapist to help you control the emotions you will experience while fighting the disease. These professionals can help you maintain a positive outlook.
4. Stay otherwise healthy by eating a diet rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, getting the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep at night and exercising if your doctor allows it.
5. Protect those around you by staying home for the first few weeks of treatment, since the Mayo Clinic states that the infection is contagious for the first three weeks of treatment.
6. Keep your home well ventilated and do not sleep in the same room as others to protect your family.
7. Cover your mouth with a tissue if you must laugh, sneeze or cough, and seal the infected tissue before disposing of it. Consider wearing a facial mask when you are around others.
Tags: your doctor, Mayo Clinic, side effects, weeks treatment
