I am going to discuss with my provider about possibly having another CT done. It only took 2 1/2 weeks for the spot to show up in between CT that I had done while in the hospital. The last one I had done was in early part of June. I am on medications, and seems like my symptoms are worsening. Xrays, and labs come back normal; they say that I am just a weird patient.. haha... My infectious disease doctor says that it will help me control, but not make it dormant. They added Cipro 500 BID, but I just don't think this is the answer. My primary is thinking in 1 year I can stop medications, but from what I have read and the specialist opinion as long as I live here I will have to remain on the antibiotics. However if I move to a drier climate, it would help for my health.. Granted I moved here to Louisiana for work, one of the wettest climates.. lol

Apparently, the meds need to be taken together....my dr. had me on the first round for 18 months. So it takes awhile. Have you done a sputum test to determine exactly what germ it is and if the meds you are taking are effective with that germ? That is super important.

I am just concerned for the fact that if I do happen to get sick, not sure what medications I will be able to take at that time. Or if I will have to have IV medication. I have tried to do a sputum test, however I cannot cough anything up. I cough all day/night long, however never cough anything up. I contacted the office to get the results from my biopsy/lab.. Have not received them yet. I feel that at this point it is just a guessing game as to what I need to take.

Yes, I understand the meds need to be taken together. I've been on the meds for 14 months. I do sputum tests every month. I'm not sure what you mean by "determine exactly what germ it is". The MAC I have is intracellulare. (not sure of the spelling).

I do not cough anything up either no matter what they have tried. Have you asked if they think you have Pleurisy from coughing?

Jo Ann Ki 
 

@jkiemen They suspected that I had pleurisy back in the early part of June.. Still saying that my chest tightness and pain is currently pleurisy.

@dmarks , I was treated with only one drug in 2005 and the MAC retreated for eight years. Then I got it again in 2013, again was treated with one drug for 10 days in one month, then switched to another drug the following month. At the six month check-up, I was cleared of mac. I alternated these two antibiotics for three years afterwards to keep it away. Then in 2016 I was positive for pseudomonas. Then one of my alternating meds got switched to tobramycin. That knocked out the infection in 30 days. Now, I still do alternating antibiotics, but only one per month. So far, so good. It has been a long time since I had an active infection.

@cowgirlmt , Didn't you say in an earlier post that you were diagnosed with the intracellular type of mac?

@windwalker I was told by my pulmonologist and infectious disease doctors that it was the intracellular.

@cowgirlmt, It sounded like it could be pleurisy to me. I have had that before. Every breath hurts.