Colonization of bacteria

Thank you for that information about the colony count. I was not told that by the lead doctor I saw during my week of testing at NJH. He did say that the count was so low that he didn't want to start antibiotics.
Hearing what you were told at NJH makes me feel better about my decision of not starting the antibiotics that Tyler suggested I start and take. My last colony count is 3. I was in NJH 15 months ago. I feel well, sleep well, appetite good, no uncontrollable coughing, no fever, chills etc. etc. and no shortness of breath.
So yes, your post about NJH's belief about the colony count, it helped me. Thanks.
Barbara

I had bronchoscopy done smear was taken it was negative. The biopsy came back a month later with few MAC cells. How was culture taken ? From sputum? Do pulmonologists treat by culture size differently - heavy vs few? I am currently in waiting mode for 6 months as Dr thinks it will resolve on its own. Wondering if trying to cough daily will help?

FYI: NJH put me on Nebulizing, Vest, Aerobika and Air Way Clearance and Huff Coughing with having found out I had little to a mild showing of MAC.
If nothing else you might study to learn how to do the different things suggested on the threads here on Mayo Clinic Connect, Air Way Clearance and Postural Drainage, Exercise etc. etc. to help clear the lungs of any possible mucus, if they have said you have BE, Bronchiectasis? What do you think????
Barbara

Hi. I was just diagnosed with Klebsiella pneumoniae in a sputum sample result (had been clear til then in the 2 years since my Bronchiectasis diagnosis). I don't know what it means, really, beyond that it's not good. I would be grateful for info on how it's usually managed, etc. before I speak with my pulmonologist.

Thanks!

Hi. I just got a culture back today that shows this. Pulmonologist is out of reach for a couple of days and I don't know what standard treatment protocol is.
How are you doing?

I’m doing okay, I have noticed mucus is much harder to cough up, and thicker also. I find myself nebulizing more often, sometimes 3x daily but not always. Mucus is always a cloudy yellowish/green color. My Mayo Pulmonologist, and a Mayo Transplant Pulmonologist stated that since I have no other symptoms except the discoloration and harder to cough out tells them that it’s colonized not infection. Any my Mayo Pulmonologist put me on Azrithromycin 250 1x daily I believe to ward off future infections, and put me on a maintenance inhaler called Bevespi to keep airways open 2 puffs 2x daily. Hope this helps.

The lab will likely do susceptibility testing on your culture to come up with the correct antibiotic. I believe it's highly treatable if recall correctly. Better than growing NTM or fungus, for a little reframing!

Klebsiella is usually treated with an oral antibiotic for 7-10 days. One of those bugs that's hard to completely eradicate. Good luck to you.

Thank you. This is really helpful - especially in the absence of any response from my pulmonologist! As always, thank goodness for the patient community!
I had only to nebulize once a day and then do airway clearance at night but this seems to have changed suddenly and the mucus is definitely thicker suddenly and hard to expel. I have asthma, too, so am taking an inhaler to keep my airways more open, too.
Thank you for your help and be well!

Thank you! Yes, I hear it can be tricky, unfortunately. I hate the days that have lapsed not getting a pulmonologist reply, either. Maine is not great with leading healthcare.