Hello Farfalina, I have been colonized with M. Abscessus since 2018. Almost all of my cultures have shown it. But I've never been sick enough to warrant treatment, or another way to put it, colonization has not progressed to infection. That's not to say I haven't had symptoms. I have, including insidious weight loss, fatigue, digestive issues and generally feeling unwell. But I think I'm very fortunate with my pulmonologist, who I've been with since 2012, so he knows me well enough to know when I'm BS'ing about how well I am.

In my opinion, treatment comes down to how sick you are, and how you feel about being ill to that degree, and how proactive you can be in managing your symptoms and strengthening your immune system. After struggling for a few years, I've managed to gain weight and strength, reducing fatigue and digestive issues and am feeling quite well now. Even the bronchiectasis is not a problem. For context, I've been treated for an M. Avium infection once and Mac complex twice since 2005. I hope this helps.

Best,
Roisin