Katherine, Dr O Donnel (pulmonist and Dr. Hurtado (infctious diseases) are at Boston's Massachusettes General

@unicorn .. Christa that is great information to add to our Forum Main pages and to my File Cabinet .. thank you! Hugs! Katherine

@windwalker, Terri I would NOT be a bit surprised if the decrease had something to do with all your wonderful exercise program! You encourage all of us! Hugs! Katherine

Please add your doctor recommendations to this discussion so that others can find your recommendations easily. cc @unicorn

Good MAC Doctor? http://mayocl.in/2paMbB7

Windwalker...can you imagine trying to go to work...do activities of daily living...and have time for all the dr/lab/radiology appts??
think of all the years you put into Social security etc via taxes....
went to hand doctor (new since the one l had gone to retired after 38 years....12 years with me) in addition to new splints/braces l have to get EMG and then return for bad news (carpal tunnel no doubt)..interesting how one appt begets at least 2 more and more braces etc. So at night...l now have the special GERD requirements.....the CPAP and an ugly black splint on my right hand and arm.....tdrell

Jentaylor...interesting re comment about being in Kenya...(wow you really have had amazing experiences as a nurse...) one of my 3 sisters when l would stay with her in Chicago or Tuscon would be totally revolted when l would cough and have to bring up the mucus...even if we were in separate rooms..."you should do something about that" like l had not been searching for an answer for months. And after two years and the bronchoscopy , at last l had an answer (so it seemed til NJH said it was GERD) l called her and told her I had Mycobacterium Avian. 'AHA....she replied... you got it in Africa!!" 24 years ago l spent a week in Niger in the capital city visiting a college friend and her hubby who was Med director of western africa for Peace Corps. they lived in capital city in lovely house left by the french colonists,,,,air-conditioned etc. their car was air conditioned...yes we made a few trips to visit villages where Peace Corps volunteers were....but truth be told...conditions there were 100% better than some of the Public health houses l visited in Indianapolis or Racine.
So catching an NTM just cause it was Africa is plain silly in this case...not necessarily Jen's situation in Africa but mine.
If NTM is ever in the public's awareness....there certainly will have to be alot of public teaching re where...how...who gets....prevention etc Tdrell

ginak and windwalker....newer hospitals are not putting in central humidifiers cause of the chance of bugs growing in the water sources and being aerosolized ....and no longer using room humidifiers. So how many health care personnel were for years...and maybe still are in older facilities breathing in all the bacteria??? tdrell

I am moving to an apartment building in December and have asked the sellers to remove the humidifier from the forced air heating unit. Terry

Hi tdrell, when you saw Dr. Huitt how many days is your appt. at NJH? I have an appt. on the sept. 20-29 did you stay there that long? I'm a little bit nervous b/c is out of my state. I don't know what to expect. Thanks! Cila.

@cila Cila,
was it hard to get an appt at NJH? If they have openings close to the time you
are going, you can ask if they can schedule your appts closer together to make
it fewer days that you are there. When I went to the Mayo for the first time to
get lots of testing, I think it took only 4 full days. It took me two weeks of
testing to go through the pre-qualifying tests for a lung transplant. I have
called Mayo in the past and asked them if they could condense my appts so that I
am not paying for so many hotel nights. The schedulers don't always think about
the fact that you are coming from out of town. They are usually happy to oblige
if they are not slammed patients and that is the only openings they have. Big
rule of thumb when dealing with medical is 'It never hurts to ask'.