Sometimes patients stop taking TB medicines on their own before the entire course is completed. However, if the patient does not complete the course of the treatment of TB, it can become harder or impossible to cure the person can stay sick for a longer time the medicines can stop working, and the person may have to take different medicines that have more side effects even the new medicines may not cure the TB TB germs can be passed on to others.

TB bacteria die very slowly. It takes at least 6 months to kill all the TB bacteria. People start feeling well after only a few weeks of treatment. But TB bacteria are still alive in the body. That is why it is important to continue to take the medicine until all the TB bacteria are dead, even though the person may feel better and no longer have symptoms of TB disease.

If a person with TB disease stops taking his/her prescribed medicines when they feel better, or are not regular in taking the medicines, TB bacteria will grow again. The person will become sick again because the bacteria may become resistant to the drugs he or she was taking. When this happens he/she may need different drugs to kill the TB bacteria if the old drugs no longer work. These new drugs need to be taken for a longer time and usually have

more serious side-effects.

If a patient on TB treatment becomes infectious again, he/she could spread TB bacteria to their family, friends, or anyone else who spends time with them. It is thus very important to finish the course of medication as per the doctor’s advice. TB patients should talk to their health-care provider if their TB medicine is making them feel sick. Any medicine can cause side-effects, including TB pills. But most people can take their TB medicine without any problems.