How long will it take for my father to recover from TB?

Question

Hi doctor,

My father aged 74 is suffering from TB and is under medication for the same since 15 days. There was a bronchoscopy done, which diagnosed the ailment. It has been two weeks since he has the medicines, but he is still feeling very weak. His appetite is very low. Also, he makes a sound while breathing and feels breathless when he is served food. He is unable to sit for more than 5 minutes and always lies down. He has chills and sweats too. I wish to know when he can get rid of these symptoms as his medication is already started. The improvement I see is only minimal.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com. It usually takes three to four weeks to see some improvement. As it has already been 15 days, there should have been some improvement by now. Appetite will be low because of tuberculosis and because of medications. But if he eats less, he shall become more weak that he will be unable to tolerate the medications. So, make sure that he eats frequently. I suggest you syrup Aptivate 0.67 tbsp thrice a day before food to stimulate his appetite. Also, the TB medications can cause mild damage to the liver, which in turn cause weakness and loss of appetite. I recommend you to get LFT (liver function tests) to check his liver status.