Taking isoniazid while in nursing school.

[studentnursemon86]

I wasn't sure where to post this; I just want to know if anyone else went through this and how they dealt.

The last 6 years at my job, my PPD started coming out positive after I was exposed to a patient who potentially had TB. I'm guessing the patient did, because my PPD was always negative before that. My employer just had me do a chest x-Ray every year and then just had me fill out a form to have documentation that I was symptom free.

2 months ago I had to get a physical at my PCP for nursing school. I informed him my PPD was always positive, so he decided we should do a quantiferon gold test. It came out positive. I got yet another chest x-Ray which was negative. Then I'm told that I should take isoniazid (a tb med) for a year since that's what the city health bureau requires. Meanwhile, work and school are happy with the negative chest X-ray.

I'm ok with not being allowed to drink on this med, but I can't take Tylenol if I have a fever, and I have to go for monthly liver function tests. It makes me feel weak and tired all the time. I wasn't like this before. I used to have energy.

Has anyone taken this and if so, how did you get through it? I start my first year of nursing school in a week. I can't overload on caffeine because of the fact that I'm on beta blockers and my resting HR is 90 with them (130 without).

I was hoping someone out there could give me advice. I'm already taking a multivitamin plus vitamin d and b6 as recommended by my doctor.

[studentnursemon86]

Thanks. I've been on it a little over a month. I had to tell my PCP to do monthly liver function tests so I'm not too confident in their knowledge of this.

They didn't tell me about the b6 either, a coworker did.

I've been on the INH a little over a month. I get the occasional belly ache, but my major issue is the fatigue. I started taking the b6 a week ago so I am hoping that help.

If I can stick it out 6 months that will be good; I'm not sure why they have me on a while year. I've checked the CDC and WHO and the most I've seen is 9 months.

[frivoloussal]

If it's definite fatigue and weakness, that is something you should tell your PCP about.

Regarding the b6, maybe I would tell your PCP about that, too. You want to make absolutely sure you're taking the right amount (not too much) with the INH, especially for an extended period.