No symptoms or health problems

I'm also newly diagnosed (in 2024) and currently "watching and waiting". I fit the profile - white, thin, 67 years old, etc. My eventual diagnosis came as a result of a CT scan of my shoulder - which showed something in my right lung. My orthopedic doctor sent me to a pulmonologist and the journey began. I had no idea something was happening in my lungs. I've gardened my entire adult life and have had lots of chickens to care for. At this time, I don't do any type of airway clearance because I don't seem to produce much sputum/mucous at all. I do know the dry cough I have is becoming much more of a regular thing in my life. My family is noticing the increase in coughing as well. I have a good pulmonologist and ID doctor and both are monitoring my health. My ID doctor prescribed an antibiotic (Levofloxacin) and prednisone last week due to an exacerbation I was experiencing - fever, fatigue, and increase in coughing. I'm definitely feeling better after starting the meds. I had a pulmonary function test in December and it was overall good. All this to say - like you - I hesitate to start the big three antibiotic regimen. I will listen to my doctors, learn as much as I can, and do all I can to hopefully keep the MAC and bronchiectasis from getting worse. This forum is definitely helpful!

@mholm @greenly @snoei @laureltn @deborahuhrich @marmee26
Wow, six people responding here in just one day who are or were all asymptomatic, several with different stories of staying healthy or having their infection progress!

I guess that's why many of us stress in our posts that everyone is different, and what works for me may not work for you.

Here are some things to consider -
"Watchful waiting" still means you need to do airway clearance every day, whether you have much mucus or not, to keep things clear and moving in your lungs. With saline is even better, because it creates an inhospitable environment for NTM and may help loosen mucus.
Exercise, eat well and get plenty of rest.
If you have asthma, keep it under tight control.
Finally, be hyperalert to any change in your health - a cold, cough, fever, fatigue, weight loss - and alert your doctor right away - don't wait for pneumonia or bronchitis to develop.

What tips do you have about waiting?

Thank you, Sue! I'm learning so much, and my list of questions for my doctor continues to grow. I've been watching Dr. McShane's webinar on airway clearance, and it's so informative. I wonder why my pulmonologist has not discussed this with me, but I will definitely be discussing it with him at my appointment in a few weeks. Knowledge is power! I know we all want to be as informed and proactive as possible. Thanks so very much for all of your guidance and resources!

Im also 60, no symptoms. Incidental finding of MAC and CT with mild nodules and bx. I started ACT with 7%saline and watched and wait approach.
The sputum was still showing MAC after 6 months and CT was “ waxing and weaning” with some nodules improving and some new one showing up. The pulmonologist at NJH who has been taking care of me since the beginning, recommended treatment with the big 3. She felt that aggressive treatment had the best results. I trusted her approach and I stated antibiotics in November.
I hope you will find a decision that you are comfortable with. It’s not an easy decision no matter what.

If you are well, why are you taking Azithromycin 3x a week??

If you have MAC, it can become resistent over time

I was quickly diagnosed over 7 yrs ago with bronchiectasis & MAC due to hemoptysis & a trip to the ER. I am soon to be 75 & continue the “watchful waiting”. My only symptom now is a cough which seems to occur more frequently. For several yrs post diagnosis I experienced regular hemoptysis but fortunately it now occurs very infrequently. I nebulize twice a day with 7% sodium chloride & believe that switching from 3% actually helped end my hemoptysis. I also use the Aerobika daily (which I really don’t feel helps me) & more recently have been doing a couple of rounds of Autogenic drainage. My nighttime deep breathing & back exercises often lead to sputum drainage. I walk regularly, garden & try to stay active. I am not on any special diet but try to eat well & my weight is stable.

Special thanks to Sue, Linda, Scoop & many others who regularly post informative information. Wishing a healthy 2025 to all. Linda

My pulmonologist says at a low dose it acts as an anti-inflammatory, not as antibiotic. He really insists I take it because I declined steroids due to also having osteoporosis. Occasionally I do experience mild shortness of breath and know it is a sign that I need to ramp up my airway clearance.

I’m awaiting my treatment to begin.

I was a professional gardener for over a decade in my 30s and 40 and now I can enjoy gardening in my own yard —finally— but apparently my newly diagnosed NTM intracellulare comes from soil. Yay. I’ll be masking up from now on.

As my profile says, I only just was diagnosed in aug of 2024 after taking part in a lung cancer screening program offered in my province for people aged 55-75. A bronchoscopy later, and MAC intracellulare I have.
Not even two days pass and my dry cough I’d had for a few months I had attributed to allergies, turns into a full blown lung infection/pneumonia Thankfully, after seven weeks with home IV I could self-administer, the infection was clearing up. BUT, by the second follow up(December) CT, the MAC had spread to both lungs extensively and even though I am not coughing anymore at all, I am lethargic, can’t exercise like I could before and my body aches and joints hurt etc. I find I aspirate and choke on saliva quite often. I’m being treated for reflux now and have bed propped up.

I just had a bilateral mastectomy in Jan of 2023 and did a short stint on Tamoxifen. I also had melanoma in 2012 and managed to recover rather well and quickly from all of them. Now, because in Canada we need to wait for Rifampin and Ethambutol to be issued by TB Control, it’s taking a few weeks (since I was prescribed) and giving me the opportunity to research side effects and measures to deal with them etc. Which is how I ended up finding this support group!

I have a couple concerns/questions:
—I’ve read I should exercise and be doing breathing exercises to cough up sputum. What if I don’t have any? Or do I have it and don’t know? I haven’t heard back from a breathing test I just had that was supposed to be unrelated and ordered a year before this all started… back when dealing with breast cancer. No news = good news? Doubtful but who knows?
—I’ve read to take probiotics. I only ate yogurt while I was on Ertapenem for the pneumonia for seven weeks but that was IV fed and not orally taken. What is the safest way to do so without interfering with the drugs?
I have had a weak stomach in the past for certain antibiotics. Are there foods to avoid? Foods to aid in making me less nauseous perhaps?
I can do ginger teas and chews but anything else?

Treatment can start any day now, any advice on what to do is greatly appreciated.

Sidebar: I pray I don’t end up with hives all over like I did from amoxicillin and Clindamycin. Unrecognizable I was.

PS I’m 55 female and WAS slim until I got sick and unable to do as much. Now wondering do I also watch what I eat (like try to lose weight) or is it good I put on weight? Help please and thank you!

bee1950, can you tolerate 7% well without bronchodilator?