Hi Helen, I completely understand your ambivalence re these strong antibiotics. Also, the more we read, the more scary it becomes!!!! that being said, there is no way around the fact that MAC is insidious and all the saline rinses and healthy food will not eliminate it from our system. It lays in wait till we get another health challenge, a cold, a surgery and then, when we are compromised...it will blossom again and again. So, after having pneumonia for about 5 months (i would take an antibiotic and it would quiet down for a week, then return, antibiotics again, good for a few weeks , then return, finally had one pos sputum, and all the lung symptoms and radiologic findings that confirmed MAC. I took the suggestions offered on this forum, begin one med at a time with pre and post blood work, one week before you begin any and then one week after, when all is clear re blood work, start the next antibiotic. Ask for Uric acid blood test when start the Raphampin. I take meds in PM so few side effects during waking hours, then take probiotics morning and through out the day with the high probiotic foods I have added to my diet regularly now. Only have Azythro and Raf on board so far. My anxieties about taking the meds were much worse then any side effects I have experienced so far. Good luck and wishing you full healing.