I wish I felt a little better. Discouraged.

These are excellent tips.... I’ve been wearing a mask while weeding soil areas but not mulched areas. Better change my ways!

Couldn’t live without my gardening!

Great tips Sue!

Hi Kay,
I took the big 3 for 18mths daily. During that time the Rifampin was lowered due to excessive tiredness Id have huge waves of intense listlessness. The listlessness stopped with the reduction. Im now on the big 3 3X week.Im hoping the cat scan is showing a mucous plug and not another strain of MAI. If its not a plug I think its an outpatient surgery. OMG. I had one surgery (biopsy) that was dx as MAC. Im scrupulous about protecting myself from it now. I exercise. I take super care of myself and Im scared. Im scared becasue the drugs are not taking away the MAC bacteria. I thinks its for life. IM scared to death. I cant get a second opnion from the jewish center unless they see me if thats correct I need to inquire. I need to know my options. Im only 59 and whats it going to look like in my 70 and 80s? Please writing back soon. Im nervous. I have a terrific doctor and this is good. Thankyou Kay, Deborah

Sorry Kay that was meant for Windwalker. My tech skills are awful!. If this is useful for you the only way I battle my tiredness is exercise and with regular exercise it seemed to reboot my system. I mean I had to fight it hard. Did the treadmill, swam, anything and everything. THen I was able to settle into a regular exercise routine and did much better for it. It took me about 3 months to reboot and so when I was on the treadmill my body had to work three times as hard so I edged it up slowly over time and got my rifampin reduced only still in a dose that is efficient.

Very good advice about wearing a mask when working near soil and wood chips.

I wonder if this would apply to walking on dirt/gravel paths or those that have been covered with mulch, especially when dry? And on a windy day to add to dust stirred up by walking?

I usually walk behind my husband and our (big) dog if we’re on a narrow path so that I don’t risk tripping over the dog’s leash as she’s exploring. That’s probably the worst place to walk!

I’m guessing this is also a place where I should wear a mask?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks for posting about working in soil and mulch. My doctors know that I get through the tiredness by working in the yard but have not said anything about the dangers. I should be finished in two more months. My eyes and hearing have been affected. Will this get better once I am off the med?. I feel sorry for the ones just starting but you will get through the rough times. Just hang in there and keeping reading the posts and voicing your problems. This group has gotten me through the last Thanks to everyone for your comments and help.

@derbeltal, Hello. I am sorry to hear that you have issues with your eyesight and hearing. Sometimes these side effects will resolve themselves, and sometimes they can be permanent. You must be very happy about going off of your meds in two months. How long have you been on them?

Masking up never hurts! The less debris we inhale the better as our lungs are not good at self cleaning due to bronchiectasis.

@n4seth, the fatigue can be very daunting and depressing. I suffer from multiple serious lung issues that would naturally slow me down; one of them being a rigid and nearly flat diaphragm. It takes a LOT of energy for me to consistently draw in good breaths. I begged my dr for Adderall, a stimulant. He is my cousin's dr (she has sarcoidosis, & very fatigued) he believes that people w/chronic illness can benefit from a little lift. He prescribed 20 mg, but I break it off in 2.5 mg. So my 30 day supply lasts a long time. Most drs will frown on this concept, but it is along the lines of 'micro-dosing' like they do with LSD now for depression. I told that prescribing dr that I didn't want to live anymore if I cannot get up off of the couch and enjoy life. I had always been a very active person, so I was very down about the situation. I have ADD also, so it wasn't a big stretch to put me on it. I find that ginsing, a natural herb suppliment, also helps. I buy it by the box of 30. It comes in little glass bottles and also contains Royal bee pollen, which is also supposed to boost energy. Most Asian or international markets carry it. Can buy ginsing tea too. My daughter uses that. Once you have the infection gone, your natural energy should return. Exercise is a great booster too. Remember, A body in motion, stays in motion!