Was originally on the usual Big 3 for 3Xweek. Didn't test negative right away so got switched from 3X/wk to every day. Didn't test negative right away so inhaled amikacin was thrown into the mix even though susceptibility profile indicated resistant. Felt that there would be a synergistic effect along with other drugs. It seems to have worked and I kept testing negative. Took everything for about 2 years. Four weeks ago, dr said that I could go off the meds and took another sputum sample. Sure enough, that tested positive. He said that I could still go off drugs until the next one or two sputums were tested to see if truly positive. I opted to continue the azithromycin and clofazimine (was taken off ethambutol after 18 mos due to visual problems and clofazimine substituted). I stayed on them because I didn't want my body to get used to no drugs only to have to go back on them if I were to test positive. Dr. said that if those sputums tested positive, he would want me to start inhaled arikayce. Susceptibility panel showed: clofazimine, susceptible; rifabutin, intermediate; moxifloxacin, resistant; amikacin, resistant; linezolid, resistant; ciprofloxacin, resistant; streptomycin, resistant; clarithromycin, susceptible.
I look forward to hearing from you and thank you.
Terry