Table 3 Selected Illustrative Quotes for Theme 2: Medication Issues for TB
From: Factors influencing quality of life in patients with active tuberculosis
Theme 2: Medication Issues |
|---|
Sub-Theme: Adverse Events |
Gastrointestinal Disturbances |
   "I had lots of vomiting after I started taking the pills and didn't have any appetite". (Male) |
   "I have to eat before I take my pills, if I don't then I feel sick and my stomach hurts". (Male) |
Itchiness |
   "I felt itchy all over and was told to take benedryl but that made me really sleepy". (Male) |
   "I had lots of itchiness when I first started taking the pills but it is better now and I put lotion on my skin". (Female) |
   "I was so itchy with one of the pills that I could not sleep all night long for days". (Female) |
Sub-Theme: Ease of Administration |
Size of Medication |
   "I felt physically sick because of the size of the pills; they are too big". (Female) |
   "The pills are so big, it is hard to swallow them". (Female) |
   "I feel nauseated when I take the pills because they are so large". (Male) |
   "I can't swallow those white pills; I need to crush then otherwise I vomit it back up". (Female) |
Number of Medications |
   "I thought that many tablets a day ...it is not possible to take on an empty stomach". (Male) |
   " There were too many pills to take at once, especially at the beginning but now it is much better with just six to take in a day". (Female) |
Sub-Theme: Compliance |
Clinic-based patients |
   "I was taking other pills so it was easy to take the TB medications too". (Female) |
   "I did not forget to take my pills because I want to get better". (Female) |
   "I understand the importance of taking the tablets so I do not forget; I take them in the mornings, half-hour before my breakfast". (Male) |
   "I place it in my container the night before so that I remember to take it the next day". (Male) |
Inner-city Patients |
   "I always take my pills since I get them with my methadone everyday". (Female) |
   "The [street] nurse always finds us and gives me the medications". (Male) |
   "If I've been drinking too much then sometimes I don't know what the time is". (Male) |
   "If I'm picking empty cans and bottles on the other side of town, it's hard to get to [street nurse name] to get my pills every day". (Male) |
   "I missed taking some pills because I was drunk or high on drugs". (Female) |