@raintyler I sympathize with your situation. At least you knew what to ask for, which is great. I had (had is operative word) a pulmonologist who wasn't listening to my constant complaint of immovable mucus and was sick for two months while he did little despite my requests. So I fired him, got another pulmonologist, and a culture and a bronchoscopy confirmed MAC infection. I drive 2.5 hours to get care - would go farther if needed - altho that's not within everyone's reach.
Airway clearance is key. MAC lives in mucus, BE creates space for mucus to accumulate, and mucus removal is the game. You need a PEP- you can get one on Amazon w/o scrip, Aerobika is best but scrip is required (I'm still waiting for mine to arrive), vest if that's needed. 7% hypertonic saline is best. I specify 7 because my pulm would only give me 3. I researched as soon as I learned the culture was + for MAC and immediately implemented all environmental changes I then read about (I'm a project manager and very risk averse ;-). I've read some ID doctors support environmental controls, some don't. But if I know the primary vectors of transmission are potting soil and aerosolized water, I'm going to avoid them. I now only take baths instead of showers. I turned my water heater up to +130 degrees (MAC grows in biofilm and high heat retards growth), replaced my dishwasher with one that sanitizes, bought a LifeWater bottle and countertop pitcher to filter my water (you need a .02 micron filter). I wear a mask when around people- sometimes just surgical, sometimes N95 depending on situation. Exercise supports airway clearance and your immune system so I exercise daily now altho I couldn't when first diagnosed as I was too sick. I do postural drainage to aid airway clearance - bridge pose is great.
You need a pulmonologist and an Infectious Disease doctor to properly treat (imo) and they need experience in this area. To provide perspective, NTM infection occurs in very low numbers of the population, depending upon the region in which you live. In areas where it's prevalent, it's still only ~30 / 100,000 people but avg's about 20 / 100K nationally. The CCN at NTM Fndn has a list of providers and hopefully one is near you. Otherwise read doctor profiles and look for those which specifically state they treat NTM infection. Interview providers you find and keep searching to find one you can work with and with whom you're comfortable. Best of luck to you.
@skygirl thanks for your helpful overview. It could be a great resource for those new to BE-NTM