Skipping or missing doses of TB treatment can make your TB drug-resistant.
When you skip even one day of your prescribed tuberculosis (TB) medication, you risk disrupting the crucial process of eliminating the bacteria from your body. Consistent daily dosing is essential to maintain a steady level of the drugs, which are designed to kill the TB germs effectively.
According to the provided information:
- Skipping or missing doses can make your TB drug-resistant.
- This means that your medicine may no longer be able to kill the germs in your body.
- Drug-resistant TB is significantly harder to treat.
- Treating drug-resistant TB can take up to two years to cure, which is much longer than standard TB treatment.
Therefore, while skipping one single dose might not immediately cause full resistance, it contributes to the risk. It's vital to take your TB medication exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider, every single day, to ensure the best chance of a complete cure and prevent the development of drug-resistant TB.