The After Math

I feel like the photo speaks for itself. It almost grosses me out how much of this stuff I have ingested in the last 9 months, between the INH and the multivitamins.



If any of you are interested in going through with the preventative route, i.e- taking INH for 9 months, I suggest, taking your INH with the chewable multivitamin. The 365 brand from Whole Foods was 1) a pill you would sedate a horse with and 2) tasted disgusting.

All-in-all, worth going through, though.

Roll the Credits

Cue the victorious music....now! I'm done, folks! I took my last little while pill of INH this morning. It felt good rattling that little prescription pill bottle, with NOTHING in it...real good in fact.

As I now reflect over the last 9 months and what has happened, I have learned a few things.
1) As much of a bummer as it can be, just take care of yourself while you can. Having latent TB isn't THAT big of a deal, but other things are, so why not prevent when and where you can.

2) Maybe not latent TB, but active TB is a pretty serious thing and should definitely be dealt with. I see the little ladies around this city, wearing masks, especially on the buses, and as silly as they look, they KNOW what's up. They know disgusting viral little things are just chillin' on the hand rails and peoples' cough juices are just lingering in the air. Those wise old kooks are on to something and because I have fallen victim to those lingering cough juices, I now know, too.

3) Alcohol doesn't necessarily have to be avoided at ALL costs while taking INH. I had my blood drawn twice, once before, and once half way, to make sure my liver could tolerate the medication. And let's just say when I wanted to have a drink or two, I most certainly did have a drink or two. I would just make sure you don't have pre-existing liver issues.

4) I now know kind of a lot about TB. That's cool. A friend of mine just came to me, telling me how is brother has recently been diagnosed as having been exposed to TB and referred his brother to my blog...awesome. If I had cool stuff to give away for referrals, I most certainly would.

5) Once exposed to TB, you always "have" it. I underwent a 9 month treatment to decrease the chances of my exposure developing into Active TB. I pretty much now can never have a PPD test again, without some gnarly reaction. From now on, if someone wants to test me for TB, I have to have an x-ray taken. I have never been into needles anyways, so avoiding them when I can maybe not so much of a bad thing.

Thank you, Readers, for sticking around, even when I was a major suck-face and neglected to update you on what's going on. I hope you learned something along this 9 month journey. I am not sure I can really continue writing in this blog, even if I wanted to, anymore. I won't have any TB treatment updates. Well, we'll see.

Love,
Moody but TB Infected

3 Weeks, and Counting

Yes, I said I would write more...yes, I said I would keep you all updated...and yes, I said I would stay on top of everything going on in these here parts. Well, obviously I haven't, and y'all are just going to have to deal. I am not no one is crying over my absence anyways.

Moving forward...I only have about 3 weeks left of the latent TB treatment. Finally, less than a month to go. I have been taking these little white pills religiously for the past 8 months and one week. I am so ready to not have to worry if I have taken them or not, and all that. I don't stress, though, as much as I used to. Taking the treatment through 9 months is a relatively new duration. Typically, the treatment for latent TB was 6 months. So, at this point, I am not as concerned as I maybe would have been in the first 6 months.

I am pretty sure I haven't missed a day, but I am sure there is a pretty good chance I have. So yeah, I just wanted to update you all, and let you know I am still around and doing my thang.

Coming Down the Home Stretch

Good morning readers!!

Well, after looking at today's date...April 15th...yikes for some of you...looks like I have about 8 weeks left of treatment. Awesome!! I am ready to be done taking this stuff. It is not a super huge pain but sometimes I think, "Oh, did I take my INH today?" and then I think and freak out for a second, thinking I maybe forgot, then realize, "No, I did take it. I'm good."

I feel pretty good about the fact that I have had zero adverse affects with the INH. No blotchy, itchy, irritated skin. No liver issues. No stomach issues. All in all, a good experience. It is a relief to know I have cut my chances of developing active TB but 75%.

Thanks, Readers, for hanging in there with me, over the past 7 months. Just two more to go! As a Public Service Announcement to all:

Thanks.

Love,

Moody but TB Infected.

Hey Hey!
I am going to make a valiant effort in trying to write more in documenting my 9 month treatment. Especially as we are approach the last couple months here.

Yay!!!

Let's see, where did we leave off last time? I have seen the NP one or two more times, and again tomorrow. Total boo face. Whatever though. I only have to deal with her a couple more times. Because I semi-work with her, at my visits she talks about how busy she is and blah blah blah, and how she appreciates me "helping" her out with some things. And by helping we both, the NP and I, know it is more like "doing" her work.

Anyways, that is neither here nor there.

I also had my blood drawn at the half way point, back in February. Everything is where it should be. Looks like my liver is mighty strong. I am sure I inherited THAT from my dad...his lineage comes from the European parts of the world.

The best part so far...I have yet to miss a treatment, which STILL wows the NP. I am on THIS! I am in it, to win it!

I don't really have much else to add. I am still taking a multivitamin each morning, which I think is something I want to continue once I am done with the TB treatment.

I am going to shamelessly plug my NEW, FAVORITE blog these days. It is current, cheeky, and very sassy. http://www.moodyeyeview.com/ It is pretty legit. Anyways, that's what I got for you folks. I will be back soon!

Peace out and happy April 1st!

In and Out

Hey.
Just a quick hey, from me today. Feeling a little under the weather. Because my face hurts, I think I may have a sinus infection or something. I don't really feel like talking or anyone, but I have gotten a lot of work done this week.
Anyways, I had my blood drawn yesterday and have an appointment with the NP next week as a typical follow-up and if there are any concerns about the blood work done, they will be discussed too.

I hope all are well. Holla, it's Friday!

Getting Crunchy, and by that I Mean, Hippifying Myself

Hello all,
Thought I would write a quick note, just checking in. I am STILL on the latent TB meds. I don't think I have missed a day, yet. I ALMOST did this past weekend, though. I ended up taking my daily pill much later than I normally would have. Scary? I think so.
I think I am going to go back, though, and check that I haven't missed a day. It will take some skilled math to figure it out, but I know I can do it. I just bought some new multivitamins to continue taking. This batch isn't nearly as fun as my last. The last were chewable and orange flavored. The new stuff is gross and it is like swallowing horse pills. I only got 3 months worth. I am sure it will go by in a flash. After this Friday I will be having some blood work done, to make sure everything is still in order. I probably should have had this done at least a month ago, but the NP isn't always on her A game. Really no surprise there. Oh well.

On a lighter note, I haven't washed my hair for 1 whole month. I have read that shampoo can be super damaging to your hair and strip it of all natural oils. So instead of cutting back on the shampoo sessions, I just stopped completely. I guess I am an "all or nothing kind of person," nothing in between. After about 2 weeks of being a super big fat grease-ball, my hair has finally neutralized and looks decent. I have read accounts where people's hair looks better than amazing. Yeah, I am not there yet. Maybe come week 5 it will. Anyways, fun little experiment. Definitely worth trying, if you can.
The first 2 weeks are down right disgusting, though. You have been warned. There are home remedies, though, that you can use in place of shampoo and conditioners. I have been using those. I am sure my roommates are wondering why there is a box of baking soda and apple cider vinegar in our bathroom. Whatever. Could be other stuff lingering in the bathroom, if you catch my drift. No pun intended. That was TOO easy!!!

I'm out.