Having bronchiectasis makes you susceptible to MAC and other pathogens. So I would think the MAC came second.

I joined this group but never know where to go to start a conversation so I'll sneak in here.
I have Bronchiectasis an I am on azithromyacin now because of a cold with cough. Getting better but very tired an weak. I'd like to know the other signs of bronchiectasis that happen. Right now I always have cough with phlehm. Should I take precautions like wearing a mask if I'm around people that are sick with colds etc.
If someone thinks I'm in the wrong place than tell me where I should be.
Thanks, Bomar

poodledoc, My intro to Bronchiecstasis involves an admirable piece of behavior from an oncologist. At the time I was having periodic visits following successful chemo/radiation tx. for an early stage adenocarcinoma. My oncologist was on vacation; his practice being followed by a senior physician he knew. One of my periodic visits occurred during the period the "stand-in" doc was "on duty." It was very routine. I did however mention to him that I'd been experiencing more frequent coughing spells. However, later in the day I received a phone call from the doc. He explained that while making a note in my chart he happened to notice a radiologist's report from an earlier CT chest scan. The radiologist had noted an area in one lung in which the tissue reflected a "thickening." The oncologist went on to tell me that the finding could be associated with a lung condition called bronchiecstasis; he even spelled it for me. He also suggested I follow-up with my PCP.
I did that which led to a pulmo referral and a bronchoscopy. He was looking for MAC and was puzzled when I was negative at that point. He didn't make much of bronchiecstasis, in fact, I can't remember him mentioning it.
The ensuing period the duration of which I'm unsure at this point was characterized by semi-annual flare-ups of febrile acute bronchitis (at least that's how I characterized them, a practice with which my doc offered no objections or correction). I eventually ended up going to a different pulmo whom i really liked. During that period I did have a CT scan and also came up positive for MAC on a sputum culture.

More recently, with yet another pulmo due to the "really-liked" one moving away, I had another CT scan and was surprised to learn that the MAC had actually improved (it was only after I found this forum that I learned that MAC does occasionally spontaneously(or perhaps in response to tx.) improve.

So yes poodledoc, I have had CT scans though I imagine antibiotic tx. began simply based on the clinical judgment of my PCP. I've always felt that the way the "stand-in" doc handled me is admirable. In a way remarkable in that his focus was my condition in relation to cancer treatment and could justifiably be limited to that. However he didn't look at it that way, but rather went to the trouble to notify me about an "off-topic" issue which, going forward, has proven to be a much bigger issue than the adenocarcinoma.