There is certainly no way for me to speak for anyone other than myself. My first go round with MAC was 10 years ago. It was misdiagnosed and I would say that I felt sick, weak and coughed day and night for maybe 8-10 months. I did not have any medications except for an inhaler as needed. I had another infection in June of 2020. This one was diagnosed. I did not receive antibiotics, but began nebulizing saline and albuterol and using a vibrating vest twice a day. I felt sick, weak, and coughed all the time for at least a year. It was very discouraging. It was not until I learned about postural drainage (on this site, not from my former pulmonologist) that I began to find some improvement. At this time, I feel like I am living a pretty good life for a 75 year old, but there was a lot of frustration while I was in the thick of the disease. It seems to me that there are many pieces to this puzzle, and that they may be different for everyone. Don't give up hope, keep searching for answers to your questions. This site is a wonderful resource.