Hi Kay, I, too, feel your pain. I have experimented with time of day and the amount I take together. I take the ethambutol and azithromycin around 3:00 PM with a little something to eat. (you could wait to take the azithromycin with dinner.) I then wait until 5:00 PM to take the rifampin and then dinner 1 hour later. That seems to work for me. Taking more than 3 pills at a time can upset your stomach.The rifampin is my albatross. Body aches and pains. When I had trouble with diarrhea, my doctor was concerned about C-Diff. That wasn't an issue. I hope you can find a settled place to be with this medication. It isn't easy and we all are rooting for you. Feel well soon.