Thank you for your response. I've never had a broncoscopy but do have bronchiectasis (finally diagnosed at Rochester)...... it was 5 years of wrong diagnoses where I am. I was told in Rochester there was a small amount of MAC and they conferred and decided to not treat it at this time. Well..... that was two years ago and I just get worried that perhaps it has progressed-- I have no way of knowing. I'm not really ill -- just flares of the horrible coughing which they recommend antibiotics for me and I get over it in about a week. But...... feel uneasy wondering if MAC is worsening and I don't know it. Thanks again

Auntnanny....do any of your Doctors do chest CAT scan? Tdrell

tdrell ------ I had a cat scan at Mayo's two years ago when I was diagnosed. And..... had another one about 3 weeks ago locally. Sent a copy of the scan to Mayo's and my pulmonologist there wrote me a note saying some of the scan looked a little better than 2 years ago and the rest was about the same. I was hoping nothing had worsened so I felt good about that.

Auntnanny....I asked re CAT cause I believe that NJH monitor NTM with CAT scans and the 3 sputums....glad u have had them....and most recent one was a little better!!!
Tdrell

@auntnanny, Jan, that is good news! "a little better" and "about the same" is very good news. This is a degenerative disease that we have, to keep it STABLE is our main goal.

tdrelll ---- Of course I would have loved to hear that everything was better but as windwalker says -- little better and about the same is surely acceptable to me. I do nebulizer once or twice daily (usually twice) with albuterol followed by saline. Takes me about 30-40 minutes to do that. I'm not a TV person, but I try to do it when there is something on that I might like. Goes fast that way. And every 4-5 weeks I get another flare coming on so I try to get a sample right then and get the analysis so we can see which bacteria is flaring this time. It just keeps going...... but I'm really not "sick" -- unless I don't get started on antibiotics right away. If not, I get to feeling bad. I'm learning to try to nip it in the bud. Just hope I don't become immune to the antibiotics. Always a worry......Mayo's hasn't asked me for 3 sputum tests -- they've been making decisions from just one. I'll be prepared if they ask for three. Jan

windwalker ----- yes, I think that's all we can wish for. Dr. Moua told me upfront they could not cure it but he thought they could manage it. I'm wanting very much to believe that. Jan

@auntnanny, Jan, I pull double duty too when I nebulize. I am doing it now, both albuterol and saline after. I use this time to respond to this forum.

windwalker ----- it really helps to pass the time. Does it take you 30-40 minutes to do it? The first hosing apparatus I had took almost 90 minutes and doing that twice a day was really difficult. Then, my regular doctor said "Oh now, shouldn't take that long and he gave me a different set of tubing". The first was what Mayo's had sold me when I was there so I'[ve always been perplexed as to why they are selling that one. I mentioned it to Dr. Moua (Mayo doctor) and he said definitely to go with the new one. I was fearful that it had to be the longer time or it wasn't working right. Just didn't know. Just saying this in case anyone else is out there with tubing that takes a very long time.

@auntnanny Hi Jan! Yes, it takes me 30-40 mins to nebulize both meds. If I am in a hurry, I skip the saline and do it when I return home. I need to do that today because I have a dr appt and do not have time. Had short night of sleep, so I did not get up extra early to accommodate that. Will do it when I get back.