Q: My 33 years old wife has been diagnosed with latent tuberculosis (TB). She is taking AKT4 with Veloz D and vitamin B12 twice daily for the last 20 days. But she is getting acidity and having a gastric problem as well as headache nowadays. The doctor has suggested Digene gel but it is not quite effective. How can she overcome such side effects?

A:Irrespective of side effects, the patient must continue with anti-TB medication. One of the four medicines, isoniazid causes certain side effects such as deficiency of vitamin B-6; hence Vitamin B-6 10mg daily should be taken. Acidity, nausea and vomiting are caused by many anti-TB drugs but in due course they disappear. In the meantime she can take pantoprazole (sold as Pantodac) 40 mg just once daily.