Living with TB 4: The Side Effects

Undergoing TB treatment isn't as straight forward as it seemed to be.

There are side effects that I have to uncover myself the hard way...

The mild one:

Don't take diabetes medication same time as antiTB! If not, the result is very bad gastric the entire day.

The more serious one:

One of the antibiotics I am taking actually increases uric acid in my blood. For normal people, it may be fine, for someone with gout like me? Extreme gout attack!

One month into the antiTB medication, I suddenly have very bad gout attack!

I have been controlling my diet and managing my gout well and to have such a bad attack puzzled me.

When I couldn't figure out what triggered the attack, I googled "TB medicine". That's when I found out about the uric acid issue.

I also found out that I couldn't stop or change the TB medication half way despite of my gout. So the next best thing is to bite the bullet and go through with it!

So other than the 12 pills I have been taking daily, I started taking pain killer and another pill to flush out the excess uric acid, 3 times a day.

Oh, and not forgetting 2 diabetes pills, twice a day.

A lot of candies to take every day indeed. Bitter candies :o

Well, looking at it on the bright side, I am very near the finishing line! 3 more days to go!

All goes as planned, I should be on TB medication once a week after that. Meaning gout should not be an issue any more. Look forward to that.

Looking back, it's not easy living with TB, especially the first 2 weeks.

Being locked up in the house was something I have to go through as I wouldn't want to pass it on to others.

The following 2 weeks were ok as I got to get out and do my usual things like shopping, movies, etc albeit with a mask.

When gout came, it was bad. Real bad.

I was in constant pain for at least the first week. Life gotten a little unbearable with lacked of sleep, constantly fighting the pain and frustration as I have to find out about the gout issue from the internet and not the hospital.

When I finally have to accept the fact that this is something I have to go through, instead of in constant foul mood and negative state of mind, I started counting the days when I would stop TB medication on a daily basis. This kept me going.

The fact that at that point in time, I got to know someone on line with encouraging words and opening up my mind tremendously on a daily basis did play a big part in changing my mindset.

Melissa of Vancouver, if you are reading this, thanks for everything. Can't wait to meet you in person :)

During these times, when the pain was bearable, I would go out in wheelchair with my wife Pam or with cousin Joo Lee's family.

At times, I would go out on my own in a wheelchair. Pretty cool experience!

Do you know that there is even a cabin wheelchair specially designed to fit in the aircraft cabin?

I got the opportunity to sit in one going back to Penang 2 weeks ago!

The last 2 weeks, the swelling and pain became more and more bearable (it won't go away completely due to the TB medication, but at least it is manageable) and I got to go out in crutches instead!

Walking in crutches was again, another totally new experience!

It's amazing I have to be in wheelchair and crutches to fully comprehend what true conveniences are.

I hope I will continue to remember this experience and what I have gone through just so I will not take things for granted.

I know my family won't be reading this, so here goes:

The truth is, despite the fact that they don't want to learn about the net and other modern gadgets, both my mum and aunt have shown me the true value of unconditional and traditional love they know how by ensuring I constantly have food, snacks and some form or others of traditional supplement available to me.

I have forgotten about the fact that I am their son-nephew and they do love me in their own way.

May not be the way I want, getting savvy with gadgets and be able to communicate with me at my level. But they do care and love me in their own way.

I will continue to have major issues with them when they don't listen, can't get things right, having difficulties in communicating, etc.

But from now, I am going to remember about how their love and care had brought me up to be a decent human being, more than the reasons they pissed me off and why they can't change.

Even if they don't change, I'll learn to accept the way they are. My duty as a son is to look after them and make sure they have as good a life (if not even better life) as I can provide them with.

Hanging out with Aunty Mary and niece Lee Mun.

With cousin Joo Lee who has played an important part of

looking after me and ensuring I have food to eat

(well, most of the time)!

I would like to think this has been a life changing experience and

I thank God that this is only a temporary setback.

To be continued...