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Do Bronchiectasis and MAC go together?

Posted by conniec @conniec, Apr 27, 2017

I was diagnosed with this in January. Had pneumonia in November. My dr didn't tell me to get a sputum sample til my second visit this past week. He started me On nebs and aerobika treatment. I had a second Ct scan and am not sure if there were changes. Does bronchiectasis and MAC go together. It seems like most people here talk about MAC and not bronchiectasis?

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conniec | @conniec | 4 days ago
In reply to @mokie "@conniec Hi, Connie Stay vigilant. I was in your situation for years. I had bronchiectasis and..." + (show)
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@conniec
Hi, Connie
Stay vigilant. I was in your situation for years. I had bronchiectasis and MAC, but few symptoms, little sputum, and I looked healthy. I only had slight sense of being out of breath. Now 11 years in, I am having more trouble breathing, and they can't convert the MAC in my lungs. The cavities are worse. So, this is a very slow-developing illness. Do everything you can now to slow it. It's hard to believe you're even sick, but you are.

Kind regards,
Mokie

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@mokie
Hi Mokie,
Thank you so much for your response. I was actually diagnosed with BE in 2017 or before and did not have good input at that time.
My pulmonologist with subsequent CT scans said there were nodules that seemed to be a NTM but had no idea how to guide me to produce sputum.
Last year I went to Mayo and learned how to do all the things I need to do and was able to produce sputum later at home and have been recently diagnosed with MAC. I don't have any cavital disease. I am 77 and have had BE for around 9 years or more and still have very few symptoms. I am doing what I can to take care of my health and still live life a bit. I also have heart failure and i know my short bursts of shortness of breath are from that and not the BE.
I guess I wonder that if I've had BE for almost 10 years already and MAC probably for 5 and most of that time with essentially no treatment, if that is a good sign that I may not progress much in the future. Especially now that I am at least doing airway clearance about 1x/day and having annual follow ups? Just a thought.
Thanks again, I appreciate your input and I will remain vigilant!

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