My Life as a TB Patient - Part 3

In my previous blog, I mentioned that I had started my TB drugs for treatment. I was taken 2 pills each for every type of the antibiotic. Thus, I was having 8 pills to be taken in the empty-stomach in an hour before my breakfast in every morning. At the beginning, I was having nauseatic feeling after taking the drugs, then when I got used to it, it became better.  Since I started the TB treatment, I did not have night sweat while I was sleeping.

In the first 3 months, I was required to go back to the hospital for follow-up checking. I had to do the chest x-ray and blood test to check on my condition. Well, after 3 months of treatment, the doctor said I had improvements, my TB drugs had been cut to half, that was only taken Rifampin and Pyridoxine (2 doses each). The doctor also told me that I could go back to work.

So, I returned to my work in September 2009. I was wearing a mask while I was working and taking the LRT. This is due to I wanted to protect myself from getting any virus infection. I also brought my own food for my lunch as I did not want to take the outside food.

I was thinking that since I could return to my work and everything should be alright as I was still kept on taking the medicines. I was still having cough at that time, the doctor also given me treatment for the cough, but it was no effect for me. I was having phlegm too for the cough. My coughing was on and off.

But on one day, when I was coughing, I was coughed out a little bit blood. Hence, I quickly went to see the doctor and told him my condition. The doctor then told me I might cough too vigorous and caused the small blood vessel to burst and caused the bleeding. The doctor told me to monitor for a few days more if I would happen the same. If I would have cough out blood again, it was required to go back for treatment, otherwise it was alright. Since then, I did not cough out any blood, so I did not go back to see the doctor again.

I was required to do for another sputum test in October when I went for my TB follow-up treatment. The reason I was still having cough quite badly. A shock for me, after the sputum test had out in the end of Oct, the doctor told me that I was still having the TB bacteria and my TB had relapsed. Oh my God, what happened to me, why did I have such thing?! I was wondering so much. I was followed the prescription and be careful with my diet, and yet such unfortunate happened to me. The doctor wanted me to self quarantined again, and I had to stop my work again. Therefore I had to go back to my office to report the status of my work to my superior and colleagues in order for them to do the follow-up or taken over as I could not just leave my work in the half way.

Anyway, the doctor from the private hospital whom I seeked for the TB treatment had referred me to see the chest specialist at the UMMC due to my medical conditions, i.e. I am heart disease patient cum TB relapse. I was referred to see the chest specialist at UMMC, he is a Professor. He is a nice doctor. After he found out my case, he told me to continue the treatment and required to self-quarantined again. But again I was unfortunate, I was started to have fever after seeing the Professor. My fever was high and could not subside for about 5 days. Thus I was admitted into UMMC, and had been stayed for a month there. I have blogged about my one month admission in my previous post, if you would like to read it, you many click here.

Anyway, during my staying in the ward, my TB medicines had stopped. This was due to I was having many tests to do and also having ‘dripping’. I started my TB treatment again after my discharge from UMMC. The chest specialist told me that since I had stopped the TB treatment during my admission for more than 2 weeks, thus I had to restart the TB treatment from the beginning, which means I was treated as a new case of TB. So, I was required to take the antibiotics again and was having the self-quarantined at home.

Again, I was on medical leaves again. I had to apply for the unpaid leaves from my work due to I had fully utilised my medical leaves and annual leaves for such sickness. L Again I had to go back to see the chest specialist at UMMC for my TB treatment every month since I discharged. I was referred to see another chest specialist, he is Dr. B.K. Lim. Well, he is a nice and good doctor, and he is good-looking too. Haha! J I was required to do the chest X-ray and blood test for my check-up. SAME OLD THINGS AGAIN!!! I already do not afraid of the needles then.  

When I was having TB treatment in UMMC, all the charges are free. Any medical tests or investigation procedures are required to be done related to the TB sickness, it is free of charge in the government hospital. Therefore, I did not need to pay for my x-rays, blood tests. I was so mad that I had spent so much for my TB sickness in the beginning at the private hospital and yet I even got relapse for it. I think it was worthless to seek treatment at the private hospital at that time!!!