TB Treatment
Antibiotic Side Effects
Pictures & Pages/Related Info
Identifying Concerns & Supports (pg. Red Book 23)
What is it
An unwanted effect on the body from taking treatment (Latent or Active TB treatment).
People may have fears about the side effects of treatment – it can be very helpful for the person to be listened to and reassured by the PHO.
Key Points
Most people don’t have any side effects from the TB pills and the treatment is generally considered very safe.
Because we want to make sure people stay healthy, we often ask people how they’re feeling on treatment and do blood tests. Both help the TB Team to know if a person might be having a side effect.
If you or the patient have concerns, it is best to discuss these concerns with the doctor/nurse.
As the PHO, it is important to encourage someone if they are experiencing even minor side effects to discuss them with the doctor/nurse.
TB treatment is long, and it is possible the doctor/nurse can suggest something to take away or lessen the side effects and make the person more comfortable during their treatment.
Very rare, but someone can be allergic to one of the TB antibiotics. Other treatments are available that are just as safe and work just as well.
Side Effects | What it might look like 👀 |
|---|---|
Orange colour of secretions | Orange pee, tears, colouring of contact lenses |
Allergic reaction | General redness and itching |
Digestive | Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and abdominal cramps |
Other | Other side effects are possible but rare. The important thing is for the patient to see the nurse or doctor if they are ever worried about a side effect. |
It is good to be able to tell the difference between antibiotic side effects and TB symptoms (Active TB “Common Symptoms”)
Liver Problems
Some of the TB antibiotics can be hard on the liver.
Blood tests help monitor and make sure the liver is healthy during treatment.
These tests are a precaution. They will let the nurse know early if anything might be wrong.
Drinking alcohol – drinking alcohol can also be hard on the liver and even more so when taking the TB antibiotics at the same time.
As the PHO, it is important to encourage someone if they are drinking alcohol to be honest with the nurse. The health team is not going to judge them. They just need to know so they can plan properly to keep the person healthy.