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Starting Big 3.. suggestions on how to take them.

MAC & Bronchiectasis | Last Active: Feb 6 2:12pm | Replies (29)
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@maryjanechilds

Bonnie, apparently every doctor has a different regimen for taking the antibiotics. To avoid nausea I recommend starting each drug separately:
Azithromycin for one week
Add rifampin the second week
Add ethambutol the third week.
I was told to take azithromycin with food and rifampin and ethambutol on an empty stomach. I take azithromycin after breakfast and ethambutol and rifampin at bedtime (approximately 3 hours after dinner). You can also take ethambutol and rifampin an hour before a meal but I prefer taking it at bedtime. This routine has worked for me. I have been negative for MAC since April, 2024 so will complete my treatment April of this year.

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Replies to "Bonnie, apparently every doctor has a different regimen for taking the antibiotics. To avoid nausea I..."
traceyk | @traceyk | Jan 30 11:38am

I’m new here Mary, but what great news to hear that you have been negative for nearly the year now! I’m praying to be like you. If I look at things from the perspective of six months to get the negative test, it certainly shines a different light on this treatment. Can’t believe I didn’t look at it from that point of view before. Not quite so daunting.

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