I need help with tolerating MAC antibiotics please

I started the same meds your on in July. I know everyone is different. I wait 2 hrs after my evening meal and take all 3 meds with a Big 12 oz glass of water. I sit upright for 1 hour keeping my mind busy on reading, movies, or I pad games. Than I have some soda crackers to keep something in my stomach. I sit upright for at least another 1/2 hr or until I get tired than I lay down. I do get clammy during the night. The next day I do get some light headed and low energy. I also do breathing exercises 3 times a day. This works for me.

After a year of treatment for MAC, I recently changed doctors. Every time I saw my ID doctor, I complained how much I was feeling awful on the meds, and he never suggested that there was another treatment that might work better for me. My new ID doctor changed my medication regimen and I am feeling much better since. My former doctor prescribed Rifampin, Clarithromycin and Ethambutol, taken 3x a week. The new doctor prescribed Azithromycin in place of the Clarithromycin. As soon as I began the new meds — immediately — my diarrhea and gut problems disappeared. I know that you’re on Azithromycin, Ethambutol and Rifampin. Perhaps you can ask your doctor if one of the three meds you’re on could be replaced with something that doesn’t upset your gut as much. Also, I’ve found that eating Greek yogurt is very helpful, but I don’t take it within four hours of taking the meds. I’ve found it to be much more effective than probiotic pills that I used to take. Hope this is helpful, and good luck with your treatment!

@44tankie My pulmonologist would agree that eating dairy several hours after Azithromycin is critical. The dairy can interfere with the efficacy of the Azithromycin.

@paxmundi Dairy does not interfere with absorption of Azithromycin, my ID doc actually suggested taking it with a dish of ice cream. https://www.drugs.com/tips/azithromycin-patient-tips

This is different than tetracycline, ciprofloxacin and some other antibiotics.

@sueinmn Thanks for this. Dr. Shoshana Zha's nurse practitioner just told me this week that I should not have dairy for a few hours of taking Azithromycin so I will get back to her and have her explain what she meant more fully.