My ID doctor prescribed the "Big 2" this past March (had been on the "3" the previous year and had side effects and was taken off of them). So, in March of this year, my doctor advised taking Azrithro and Ethambutol. I was to take the Azithro the first week and add the Etham the 2nd week. Three days into the Azith, I began smelling sewage and tasting metal.

Thinking my 11 year old home had a sewage problem and finding it hard to live in it, I called a major plumbing company and had everything that might cause this awful odor replaced, including the ejection pump, disposal, etc. Thousands of dollars and I had no clue a drug could cause such symptoms. Also, I began to lose weight due to the metallic taste of food and lack of appetite.

I took the Azrithro and the Ethambutol as prescribed for one month because I had a follow up appointment with my ID doctor and wanted to discuss this with him. He agreed the Azithro may have caused the "phantasmia" and "dysgeusia" symptoms and took me off the drugs. Within 3 days, the symptoms lessened and after about 6 weeks, they were gone.

Now I have the problem of not being able to take the major macrolide for our diseases (BE and MAC). I have been using the Aerobika only as my airway clearance, eating a mostly plant-based diet (for 20+ years), and I exercise daily. (I have major hemoptysis episodes so am unable to use saline/albuterol because they cause the episodes).

But, in spite of the barriers, I haven't felt this well in over a year and have no clue what the future holds for me but it won't be the antibiotics.

Please keep in mind, every individual is different and what works for one may not work for another, but I'm "good" for now anyway and know I may not always feel this well in the future. I am not as interested in "saving" my life at this point as I am "living" my life, especially at the age of almost 80.

Wishing you the best as we move forward.