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MAC antibiotics and side effects

MAC & Bronchiectasis | Last Active: Oct 27 12:28pm | Replies (160)

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@softballqueen

<p>I have had bronchiectasis for 2o years with chronic cough/mild shortness of breath. 2 years ago my PFT dropped 10%, then 11% more last year and I am now @ 59%. This prompted my pulmonologist to do bronch which revealed MAC. I have been on 3 antibiotics for almost 2 weeks and can barely function. I've lost 7 lbs and have 0 appetite due to nausea all day long. I tried to play tennis over weekend and couldn't and have to quit my softball team as the fatigue is overwhelming. I work 4 days a week at an administrative job that I love and wanted to continue 3 more years until I'm 65, but I often cannot make it through a full workday now. The treatment for me really is worse than the disease and to think about doing it for at least 18 months. Can you tell me your experience with the side effects and whether or not they lightened up?</p>

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Replies to "I have had bronchiectasis for 2o years with chronic cough/mild shortness of breath. 2 years ago..."

You are absolutely right. It wasn't John Hurt but William Hurt..........I loved the ending..............it was perfect. John Hurt is an actor but not in this movie. Thanks for the help..............Jane

Thank you for this. I have given up trying to describe to family and friends how I feel. I answer OK to every inquirer. How can you explain that at eleven o'clock you feel on the edge of fainting, too fatigued to carry on but two hours later you may be your old self. .

@mary1944, Hi Mary. My Mayo doctor is treating me by using alternating antibiotics. He uses doxycycline for 10 days one month, then Ciprofloxacin for 10 days on alternating months. This may not be an option for you because I do not know what kind of mac you have, but you can ask your doctor if that is an option for you. I was put on that regimen in 2013. I did contract pseudomonas in 2016 and the doxycycline was replaced with tobramycin for 28 days. that got rid of the pseudomonas infection.

@flib I know what you mean; it is hard for people to understand the debilitating aspect of the fatigue that comes and goes. Especially when we look fine on the outside. Have your family members look up this disease and read about it. Or let them see posts on this blog. I have had this disease & fatigue for years; but, because I maintain a cheery attitude my husband constantly forgets that I have it. He asks me to do things like take a long bike ride, etc. I did try to yesterday, but couldn't make it out of the neighborhood.

@flib We have what is called 'Pluff Mud' here in coastal S.C.It is found down by the water's edge. It is mud that you can sink up to your knees in. It is very thick and will suck the shoes right off of you. Plus it it very difficult to get out of it and people have been known to need rescue from it. When I am having a very bad fatigue day I tell my husband that I am a stick in Pluff Mud. That way he knows the level of fatigue is very bad and not to expect much from me.

@macjane, I am going to watch this movie this week. Thank you for sharing.

@flib Terri @windwalker is right about encouraging your family to read about these topics. You can send them the links to articles that you want them to read so they don't feel puzzled about where to look or what words to use to search for them. Before my diagnosis with bronchiectasis and MAC, my husband used to complain about me not taking care of myself enough to ask for stronger cough suppressant from my doctor every time I coughed or tried to clear out phlegm that made a lot of noise. At that time, neither of us knew what I had. But I just knew that cough suppressant was not going to help. We would argue back and forth endlessly to no avail. Fortunately, my husband is a avid reader of any and all subjects that are of interest to him. After the diagnosis, he spent a lot of time reading about bronchiectasis and MAC and realized that using cough suppressant would have been the wrong thing to do in my situation. Nowadays, he would instead ask me whether I have tried to clear the phlegm out when he does not hear the noises for a while. I no longer need to explain myself and there is no more complaint, only concerns.

But you tried! Last time I got on a bike a few years ago I fell off! When I was a little girl in the 50’s I rode “no hands” down the middle of the street while my dad took movies! Where did that girl go?:) I think the fact that we keep trying in spite of “debilitating” fatigue and everything else MAC says a lot about us!

I used to turn corners with no hands. I am getting on my stationery bike first thing after my appointment. I need to get some exercise. I also want to walk in water. I was told walk not swim until I feel better. Mucho thanks for your reply.

@macjane If you have access to a resistance pool, it will be even better. When you walk against the current, it gives you more workout without exerting yourself too much.