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MAC infection treatment

MAC & Bronchiectasis | Last Active: Oct 16 8:57am | Replies (32)

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@prancer1996

Hello
I have MAC. I am told that 3 antibiotics are required as treatment. Before starting treatment I have been reading side effects and noted that vision and hearing could be impacted. Has anyone currently on the Big 3 had these side effects and if so what are they and what changes were made to help.
Hope to hear from you.
Prancer1996

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Replies to "Hello I have MAC. I am told that 3 antibiotics are required as treatment. Before starting..."

Welcome to Mayo Connect, and to our MAC & Bronchiectasis support group. Many of us have been on the antibiotics with little to no impact on our vision or hearing. My pulmonologist had me get baseline vision and hearing tests done as I started the meds, then every 6 months thereafter. I did experience some increase in existing tinnitus, but no loss of hearing or vision.
If you begin to have vision issues, the medication Ethambutol will be stopped. According to my ophthalmologist, this happens in less than 10% of cases.
If you have hearing issues, the other two medications may be replaced. I am not familiar with the statistics on how often either occurs.

I have been taking the big 3 for 3 1/2 years, I also went on arikayce in end of March or early April. In August I had a feeling that I may have taken the tablets twice. Dismissed it though as I could not recall having done so no matter how hard I tried. There is a chance that that inkling was correct as my eyesight got worse and I became light sensitive. I saw the ophthalmologist and did the field test it showed there was a loss in quality of sight, and I failed the colour charts tests. This occurred at the same time I got new prescription glasses, to make it all the more confusing. Anyway the sensitivity to light is getting better. My doctor feels there is a possibility that my eyes may repair. I have stopped taking the ethambutol. I will be doing a further field test tomorrow.