← Return to How much mucus are you clearing with each nebulising/airways clearance

Discussion

How much mucus are you clearing with each nebulising/airways clearance

MAC & Bronchiectasis | Last Active: May 20 5:01pm | Replies (34)
Comment receiving replies
@narelled23

Is MAI essentially the same as MAC?

I am pleased that my question was relevant to others.

There seems to be some similarities in our conditions ie Bronchiestases with reflux and MAC.

I also was diagnosed many years back with asthma and have doctors reports indicating that my cough was dure to under treated asthma...however I didn't feel the Symbicort was doing anything for me.

So it is difficult to know and hard to find a general practitioner with experience. I have just made an appointment to see a GP who I went to some years back who had some experience with respiratory disease in a hospital setting (despite him having moved to a practice some distance away) to see if he can point me in the right direction.

However I also have 2 specialist appointments this month due yo my newly diagnosed MAC. Do I trust their advice? I guess I am going to have to...but I will definitely be bringing up the mucus issue with them.

Jump to this post

Replies to "Is MAI essentially the same as MAC? I am pleased that my question was relevant to..."
blm1007blm1007 | @blm1007blm1007 | May 9 10:10am

What I do know for sure is that MAI and MAC are infections that may require antibiotics to try to eliminate them. I am not that well educated on exactly how they differ .

VIEW AND REPLY
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | May 9 6:52pm

You asked, "Is MAI essentially the same as MAC?" The short answer is yes.
MAI stands for "mycobacteria avium intracellulare" and MAC stands for "mycobacteria avium complex." Intracellulare is one variant of (I believe the most common) of the complex.
MAI is what this infection used to be called until improved technology led to differentiating between subspecies and the new name. That said, the way of treating each is similar - once the culture grows the bacteria, a "sensitivity test" is run to determine which antibiotics will be effective.

MAC is a rare infection, so it is usually outside the experience of general or family practitioners. In particular, they are unfamiliar with exactly when to watch and when to treat, and how to manage the rigorous 3 antibiotic treatment. Even pulmonologists rarely see it, so it is important to find one with experience, or to add an infectious disease doctor to your team.

We have a great group here who can help you learn all about MAC.
Sue

VIEW AND REPLY