Question
Is it safe to take TB medication with my ARVs?
14 December 2011. Related: All topics, Complications and coinfections, South Africa, Starting treatment, TB.
Hi. I am HIV positive and on ART for 10 months.
My viral load is undetectable and my CD4 count is 180.
Last month I was suffering form breathing problems. Then I went to the doctor and and found fluid in my lungs. They removed that and now they prescribed me TB medicines along with ART.
My ART meds are: Tavin EM (tenofovir and emtricitabine) in the morning; Atazor R (atazanavir and ritonovir (evening).
I also take ZOCOn 150 (1 tab in a weak) and sepmax (one tab afternoon).
My TB medicine is: (1) Ributin150 1 tab alternate day before breakfast; (2) Wysolone 20 after bf for 15 days; (3) Benadon (half tab after bf); (4) pyrazinamide (750 2 tab after lunch); (5) Combutol (1000 1 tab after dinner).
My question is, along with ART medicine, is this combination good for me or is it going to harm me? Please let me know.
Answer
Thank you for your question
I appreciate that it must be difficult for you having to take so many meds at the moment. This will only be for a short time though until the TB is treated.
The TB meds you are taking are recommended for TB. It will therefore not harm you as it is meant to cure the TB. The meds are also routinely prescribed even for people taking HIV meds (called ART), as is your case.
One of your meds, the Wysolone, is or treating breathing difficulties, which is one of the things you mentioned in your email.
Although the TB drugs can be tough and have some side effects, you will only need to take them for about 6 to 12 months, depending on the combination. This is the standard for first line regimen which you are on. It is therefore really important that you take thee meds carefully. This means taking them as prescribed by your doctor.
Missing TB meds can cause drug resistance and even MDR TB (multidrug resistant TB). Treatment for MDR TB is longer and has much nastier side effects, so it is best to adhere to your first line regimen in order to cure the TB and ensure that you don’t develop MDR TB. If you have just started taking the TB meds, you should start to feel better within in 2-3 weeks.
Good luck with completing the remaining meds.
Best wishes.
Further info
TB and HIV coinfection (from the i-Base training manual)
https://i-base.info/ttfa/5-ois-and-coinfections/7-tuberculosis-tb
UK (BHIVA) guidelines on HIV and TB coinfection.
https://www.bhiva.org/TB-guidelines
Hi Tonny,
Isoniazid is often used as a protective treatment to reduce the risk of TB. It can also be used with other anti TB drugs to treat TB.
what are the importance of taking isoniaze and al
ready in first phase of TB medication now the importace of isoniazide fr what reason?
Hi MJ,
Can you talk to your doctor about your TB treatment? You can ask them to check if the TB treatment has worked or if you don’t need to keep taking it.
Does TB medication have a negative effect being on it for two weeks and you dont have TB.
Hi Nthabiseng,
I’m sorry your sister sounds very ill. But it’s important that she sees the doctor about these symptoms straight away. Starting ARVs and TB treatment can be difficult. Please can you arrange for the doctor to see her urgently?
My sister started her TB treatment after she went to collect her ARV’s, it’s been a week now and she’s been unable to speak and hallucinations. She is weak and even vomits. How long will this last or is there a way to treat these symptoms?
Hi Rache,
Yes its safe to take TB meds when taking ARVs. As this is rather a lot of medication, so that you don’t have to take them all at once it might be easier to space them out. So take for example the TB meds in the morning, then the HIV meds in the evening.
kindly advice
been taking ARVs for 8yrs now but been diagnosed with active TB .my ARV combination is efavirenz 600mg,lamivudine 300mg and tenofovir 300mg.my TB drugs are rifampin 150mg,isoniazid 75mg,pyrazinamide 400mg and ethambutol hydrochloride 275mg.
my question is ,is it a safe combination and can i take them together or i have to space..say take ARVs night and TB drugs day time?was also given pyridoxine 50mg.
thankyou
Hi Khethiwe,
Info one how much pyridoxine to take can be found here:
http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/en/d/Js5511e/2.2.html
You aren’t going to die from taking the prridoxine nor the ARVs. They are used to help you.
Hi one of the nurses told me to take 2 pyridoxine because i was telling her about my sickness is that possible? Cz the first time started taking TB treatment they said i must take one.. Please help i feel like im gonna die and im also taking tribuss for HIV