Hello @imeehaigt (do you have a first name .. seems so much more personal!) .. SO glad you found us! Hmmm .. your situation sound a bit complex .. I feel because of your braces. Based on my own and everyone else's on our Forum's experience .. that darn Mycobacterium is a sneaky little varmit who just loves to hide in strange places! Just don't have a clue if the braces are an issue or not .. leave that to the doctors!

I think if I was sitting in your shoes .. your having already gone through antibiotic treatment .. I would decide to do my "Due Diligence" and get a good second opinion from an Infectious Disease doctor who is REALLY up on MAC. You should be googling first: Infectious Disease Doctors in your area .. then calling and asking "How many MAC patients have you treated in the past 12 months?".

When you have scouted out that doctor .. FIRST .. request "Any and All" medical records from any/all doctors who have treated your lungs in the past .. go PICK them up yourself!! That makes sure the records don't get lost in the shuffle. THEN start asking the above questions from this new doctor to really figure out what is going on with your body. You and I are not doctors .. you need proper guidance to make an educated decision on what you want to do.

Before you contact doctors I would especially recommend an article I just recently happened upon  .. REALLY interesting .. lots of data that I WISH I'd had available when I was first diagnosed.  It was meant for doctors .. so is VERY detailed so don't let it scare you off .. but if I was you I would print it off and keep it handy as a reference as you are dealing with your situation.  I have put the link below:
http://nordphysicianguides.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/NORD_Physician%E2%80%99s-Guide-to-NTM.pdf
BUT you are given just one body in this lifetime .. one set of lungs .. only YOU can take care of them .. no one else is going to care as much as you do. YOU have to take care of you! With what you have going on .. if it was me .. I'd pursue what I'm suggesting .. but that is only me. You are only 40 .. a long time to live in that body .. take good care of it! A good friend of mine chose to get braces in her mid 50s! If you need to remove your braces temporarily for your long term health .. that could be a choice you make?

Truthfully .. I wouldn't think day/night shifts would make a difference .. UNLESS it affects your sleeping and you are not getting proper rest. Sleep is VITAL for good health. In terms of mucus .. I am not recommending it but I read:
For Bronchitis "This Mucinex medicine really helped me out with a bronchitis attack. I have been suffering with acute bronchitis for about 3 weeks now, after taking all of the medication that my doctor prescribed I still have no relief. After reading reviews I decided to give Mucinex (liquid) a try, to my surprise it really helps to bring up all of that sticky mucus that was stuck in my lungs. Although I'm not fully well yet, I can see better days ahead!"

I use what is kind of a SUPER Mucinex to liquefy the mucus that I got in Vienna from a doctor. Unavailable in the USA .. but I get it whenever I travel .. it really helps me cough up the sputum.. Remember that collected sputum is a breeding ground for MAC .. we want to get it up as much as we can .. I call the coughing my "lung hygiene" .. I know it is embarrassing .. but it really is a necessary function for our healthy lungs!

Hope you find some of this helpful .. sending you a hug in this tough decision time! Keep coming back .. your will find everyone very kind and supportive of your journey! Katherine