Paradoxical reactions are immune-mediated disease exacerbations that can occur in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) following initiation of treatment. They are rare, challenging to manage and often fatal. We present a case of neurotuberculosis in a young woman, complicated by a paradoxical reaction in which infliximab was trialled without success. This case demonstrates the severity of presentation that can occur in neurotuberculosis, and the complications that paradoxical reactions can present. It also highlights the difficulty of delivering palliative care within the context of communicable disease with challenges posed by both TB and the COVID-19 pandemic.