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

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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..."

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.