Hello Joann. I can totally relate to every question that you asked here. In 2005,I had to leave the workforce at the age of 48. I was just too ill to drag myself in to my workplace every day, and was also diagnosed with bronchiectasis and mac. I went on disability in 2010. My lung function was so measurably low that I had no trouble qualifying. That was the yr I had time to research this disease and seek good medical attention. I lived in total misery until 2013. I had the back and chest pain, the constant coughing, acid reflux burning my esophagus, shortness of breath, intolerance to smells, rapid and drastic weight loss, lack of appetite, sleepless nights, night sweats, and extreme fatigue. I felt so wretched; that I had my Living Trust drawn up. Seriously, I felt like death was near. I started treatment at Mayo Clinic in 2013, and that is when my quality of life improved ten-fold. My mac and pseudomonas got properly treated and the regular 7% saline treatments also helped to improve my lung function. I was fortunate; my mac went negative after one year, and my pseudomonas went negative after 1 month. I stayed on prophalactic antibiotics (preventative measure) for 7 more yrs to keep this away. I was just taken off of them two months ago. What may have also helped me is that I moved away from a 'Hot spot' (Az) for mac to an area where my water has tested negative for it (SC). At one point, I could not walk 10 feet without being out of breath and needing to sit down. Now, I can walk my whole neighborhood and ride my bike for miles. My pain is gone, as is my cough. I am still very short of breath, but I live with it. At least I feel good most of the time. I am lucky, because for some, this disease is a never ending battle. I want you to know that there is hope for getting or feeling better again. I am curious if you have started implementing any of the suggestions you have read on this site yet?