Tuberculous Meningitis: What to Eat

Generally, patients with tuberculous meningitis can consume foods such as eggs, millet porridge, spinach, apples, lean meat, and take medications including Isoniazid tablets, Rifampicin capsules, Pyrazinamide tablets, Ethambutol Hydrochloride tablets, and Mecobalamin tablets. Detailed explanations are as follows:

I. Foods

1. Eggs: Rich in high-quality protein, lecithin, and various vitamins, protein serves as an essential building block for body repair and immune cell production, helping enhance immune resistance against tuberculosis infection. It also provides nutritional support for the repair of brain nerve tissues.

2. Millet Porridge: With a soft and mushy texture, it is easily digested and absorbed without increasing the gastrointestinal burden. It supplies sufficient carbohydrates to provide energy. Millet also contains B vitamins, which help maintain normal nervous system function.

3. Spinach: Rich in folic acid, iron, and vitamin C, folic acid plays a positive role in nerve cell repair, iron helps prevent and improve disease-related anemia, and vitamin C promotes iron absorption while boosting immunity.

4. Apples: Rich in vitamin C, dietary fiber, and various minerals, vitamin C enhances the body's antioxidant capacity and improves resistance. Dietary fiber promotes intestinal motility, preventing constipation caused by long-term bed rest.

5. Lean Meat: Such as lean pork and beef, rich in high-quality protein and iron. Protein promotes tissue repair and boosts immunity, helping the body fight against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

II. Medications

1. Isoniazid Tablets: A first-line anti-tuberculosis drug that inhibits the synthesis of the cell wall of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, effectively killing the bacteria. It is one of the core drugs for treating tuberculous meningitis and must be used according to the prescribed course under a doctor's guidance to avoid drug resistance caused by discontinuation without permission.

2. Rifampicin Capsules: Inhibits RNA polymerase in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, blocking nucleic acid synthesis and exerting a bactericidal effect. It is often used in combination with Isoniazid to enhance anti-tuberculosis effects and is suitable for the entire treatment course of tuberculous meningitis. Liver function should be monitored regularly during use.

3. Pyrazinamide Tablets: Strongly kills intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis and can penetrate the blood-brain barrier, achieving effective drug concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid. It is suitable for patients with tuberculous meningitis and can be used in combination with other anti-tuberculosis drugs to shorten the treatment duration and improve efficacy.

4. Ethambutol Hydrochloride Tablets: Inhibits arabinosyl transferase in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, affecting cell wall synthesis and exerting a bacteriostatic effect. When used in combination with other anti-tuberculosis drugs, it reduces the development of drug resistance. Regular vision checks are necessary during use to prevent optic nerve damage.

5. Mecobalamin Tablets: An endogenous coenzyme B12 that promotes the synthesis and repair of nerve myelin sheaths, improves nerve conduction function, and can be used to alleviate neurological damage symptoms possibly caused by tuberculous meningitis, providing auxiliary protection for the nervous system.

Daily diets for patients with tuberculous meningitis should follow the principles of being light, easily digestible, and nutritionally balanced, avoiding spicy, greasy, and irritating foods. Medications must strictly follow medical instructions, taking them on time and in the correct dosage; never adjust the dosage or discontinue the medication on your own.