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@regen99 I'm not quite sure what you mean. The two are similar in that they affect the lungs, and some symptoms overlap, but generally underlying cause is different, and so is the treatment.
MAC is an infection caused by organisms in the Mycobacteria Avium family that causes a variety of symptoms including fever, fatigue, weight loss, cough, lung nodules or cavities and excessive sputum.
Symptoms may be similar to pneumonia, but the cause is different. It is an opportunistic infection that attacks lungs already compromised by Bronchiectasis, COPD, Asthma or Cystic Fibrosis, and is generally very slow growing. A significant infection with MAC requires treatment with multiple antibiotics over many months to eradicate.
Pneumonia may be viral, bacterial or chemical in nature, usually has a rapid onset, and can attack anyone. Short term antbiotic or steroid treatment may be ordered for some types of pneumonia, viral versions may just need to "run their course".
Here is the definition of pneumonia and it's underlying causes from Mayo Clinic:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pneumonia/symptoms-causes/syc-20354204
Have you been diagnosed with pneumonia?
Replies to "@regen99 I'm not quite sure what you mean. The two are similar in that they affect..."
thank you. I have some but not all of the symptoms Mayo lists. And they change...No one knows.
The antibiotics 'helped' but since recovery is a long process, and I am worn out and down from
other things, hard to tell. My concern is that the doctor referenced who saw the xray stated that I have 'recurrent pneumonia'. I was never informed of this, and no one seems to know what it means. Very irresponsible medical treatment, and upsetting and confusing as well.
Yes, of course I will be checking back in with the primary care dr. But my age, and an untreated diagnosis (same dr) of GERD which was never explained to me nor treated, is appearing, exacerbated by the antibiotics (and my overwhelming anxiety); now there will be tests for that.
Pretty tired of it all.
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Thanks Sue. I have had a very uninsightful and fraught relationship with a highly rated pulmonologist. He has suspected MAC for several years, claims to be able to see it on expats and scans,
But trying to grow a culture 3 times produced nothing. I have never had some of the symptoms, but have pretty religiously followed the regime. I am now 87, have copd, bronchiectasis, MAC (?)
And now an infection they are treating as “recurring pneumonia”. In addition he turnSoed me over to Infectious Disease and Palliative Care for further treatment.
In exhaustion and desperation, I have decided to shed all the extra care and just go with my main provider in a small clinic. I like him, he is practical, and can do everything that PC and Hospice
Could do. The antibiotics he gave me a week ago are, I think, not working. I saw the pulmonologist 3 weeks ago because I was suddenly way more out of breath than usual. This has not improved, I must use oxygen for housework, exercise, but not at night. I feel that I may not recover the the pneumonia, and wish I had known I was being treated for it for some time.
Karen