Key points
Laura, a tuberculosis (TB) survivor, describes being diagnosed and treated for active TB disease.
Laura's story
Laura had been coughing for many months. Several doctor visits had resulted in a range of diagnoses: acid reflux, pneumonia, and bronchitis. Yet her symptoms continued to get worse.
She was having night sweats, weight loss, severe fatigue, and still, the persistent cough. After many misdiagnoses, she eventually was diagnosed with active TB disease.
She didn't know much about TB at the time other than that it was contagious. As a school teacher, one of her main concerns upon learning she had active TB disease was the welfare of her students. Her friends, family, and people in her community were also worried.
“The community where I live is very small. Once they found out that I had TB, of course they were very scared. They didn’t know how TB works and how it’s contracted. And once they were educated by the health department, they were more open to take me in — to show me their support,” recalls Laura.
Treatment and support
The support of her parents, husband, and children helped her get through the difficult nine months of treatment for active TB disease. Her local health department also played an important role.
“I see them coming to my door every day to provide me with the medicine that I needed and educate me a little bit about tuberculosis,” says Laura.
Laura's message
With her active TB disease behind her, Laura is now an active member of the TB survivor network We Are TB. She wants to share her experiences with TB to raise awareness about the disease and to help others.
"I wanted to bring awareness to other people. To bring awareness to the public about tuberculosis and how can it be contracted. And to the doctors to find a better cure or to diagnose TB faster. And to researchers, to come up with a better treatment, shorter and efficient for the patients," says Laura.
If you are a TB patient, survivor, or family member in need of support, We Are TB is a community of TB survivors, people being treated for TB, and their family members who are committed to the common goal of eliminating TB.