(MAC/MAI) Mycobacterium Avium Complex Pulmonary Disease: Join us

Melissa, I so understand how tough it is to have not just one but two! Mine was: *MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM COMPLEX PULMONARY DISEASE (MAC/MAI) (08/07 CULTURE) (09/11 began antibiotic treatment) and then * MYCOBACTERIUM ABSCESSUS SUBSPECIES M. BOLETTI ISOLATES (09/11)

Mayo Clinic at Rochester MN told me that my second mycobacterium diagnosed in 2011 was the most serious of the two (despite it being classified as a "subspecies") and that I really must go on the antibiotics after waiting since being diagnosed in 2007.

But be assured .. after being on four antibiotics for thirty months .. I have had negative cultures since May 2014. I am blessed in finding a doctor at Mayo who specializes in MAI.

I won't kid anyone going through this. I was so sure that all the coughing was caused by the MAI. Ok .. then when I went off the antibiotics in MAY 2011 .. why the horrific coughing?? Then I start researching the Bronchiectasis I also noticed on my medical records but ignored because the MAI was so serious.

Then was told they really don't know .. chicken/egg scenario. MAI/Bronchiectasis. Which comes first .. which leads to the other? Do you develop Bronchiectasis first .. the mucus stays in the bronchial tubes and becomes a breeding ground for the mycobacterium .. OR does the MAI come first and develops into the Bronchiectasis? The doctors do NOT have an answer.

BUT Bronchiectasis did not seem the only answer because my coughing seemed to be SO triggered by certain things .. to me it seemed like dust .. etc. I then saw an Environmental Pulmonologist at Mayo Clinic who pointed out another thing on my medical record: Reactive Airway Disease. WHAT??? Another thing I had just ignored because of the other pressing medical issues? Yep! Well I was just positive I could get a "quick fix" by seeing an Allergist .. getting two dust mite allergy shots per week for 12-16 weeks and get FIXED!! No more coughing!

Nope! After allergy testing I was SHOCKED to find I do NOT have a dust mite allergy. The wonderful allergy doctor explained it thus: If someone hits you on the head .. you are not allergic to being hit on the head .. you are just reacting to being hit on the head so you have to avoid being hit on the head!!

This was greatly dismaying to me as I wanted my "quick fix" but finally it did make sense to me. I would just have to find a way to avoid dust mites because there is no quick fix for me. I will not bore you with the HUGE effort I have taken but I am now using a multitude of products and procedures .. it has helped but has not eliminated the coughing.

So for those of you still dealing with the beginnings of MAI .. I do not want to discourage you .. but I also don't want to pretend the journey is without difficulties. What I will say is this .. when I was diagnosed a wonderful person told me: "If we all put our troubles in a great big circle .. more than likely most of us would take back our own troubles." My husband and I then reminded us that we have not lost a child .. we have not lost a grandchild .. THAT would be a trouble. We will take back our troubles with an attitude of gratitude. I hope you can also. With hugs and well wishes for you all .. I know I have not written in a long time .. my husband is now in Stage 4 cancer .. but doing well so far with a new type of chemo.
Katherine

Dear All, @apportee, @bruce668 .. bruce, @cila .. Cila, @cathyt .. Cathy, @coylemel333 .. Melody, @cowboy1997, @david1952 .. David, @digmeme .. Linda, @elaine .. Elaine, @flib .. Flib, @fransky, @heathert .. Heather, @hopeful33250 .. , @imeehaigt, .. imee, TeresaH, @janovr .. Jan, @justjanet .. Janet, @jillnc, @jms7,@josephene .. Jo, @judyem .. Judy, @katiemknor .. Winnie, @kaystrand .. kay S., @kwilbur .. Kathryn, @laneyk .. Elaine, @liliane .. Liliane, @lynnettehuler .. Lynn, @margaretg .. Margaret, @melissa23 .. Melissa, @mimi68 ..Linda, @Paula_MAC2007 .. Paula, @reneeg .. Renee, @philomena .. Rosie MN, @rosemarya .. Rosemary, @shirleymac .. Shirley, @sophie1019 .. Sophie, @suzieapples, @tdrell .. terri, @tutti .. Lisa, @windwalker .. Terri, @boomerexpert, anyone else I forgot to make note of!

Once again in our supportive community .. one of our members has stepped up to the plate and volunteered to Mentor an Advocacy Forum to FIGHT for getting trials for NEW antibiotics for our MAC disease! That member is @boomerexpert! Please thank her! The new Forum can be reached at:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/we-must-advocate-for-ourselves/?pg=3
I feel confident that ALL of you will support her in this effort as you have supported each other on our shared journey! She will make it easy for you by sharing lab name/addresses/person to address it to .. an outline letter that you can send to the research labs .. BUT you MUST personalize your letter by talking about your OWN personal struggles .. your hardships. Make them see YOU as a human being .. NOT as a statistic or a number!

Again, I want to thank Heather, @heathert , for getting this ball rolling .. for doing so much research! We have some awesome members in our community .. hats off to each and every one of you!

I am grateful to be a part of this community! Hugs to all! Katherine

@windwalker Hi terri! I have LOTS of notes .. and just found: Also, if you are concerned that you have alpha-1 antitrypsin disorder, take a look at the Alpha-One Foundation - there's a lot of information at that site - your doctor can order a blood test to test if you have alpha-1 - since you have bronchiectasis, I am rather surprised that it hasn't already been done -

I know you have an interest in the Alpha 1 gene .. I did not pursue it .. perhaps you would like to? So far this is the only thing I found in my notes about the gene .. it was in reference to Bronchiectasis not 23and me. Hugs! Katherine

Boomer, what my husband's Oncologist has told us is that Imbruvica either works front end for a patient .. or it does not. Luckily for my husband it REALLY has .. he has now been on it for two years and doing very well. My understanding of it is that with single drug use has been the most safe .. the most problems have come with combination drug therapy. Luckily my husband's Oncologist was smart enough to go single drug and all has been well. .. and yes my husband was Stage 4. BUT due to this therapy.. I'm KEEPIN" that fella around! Katherine

Hello. My name is Mary Jo. I am new to the forum. I only discovered you while looking for treatment at Mayo in Florida. I did not have MAC, I had its relative called Kansasaii. It is in the same TB family, inhaled water droplets. Where did it come from? Who knows. This was in 1996. I used the same "cocktail" as many in this forum. I recovered and felt very well...until 2009. I learned I had bronchiectasis. The doctor I went to at Duke (after many failed diagnose every where else) told me it was caused by the Kansasaii. Bronchiectasis is widened lung airways with areas that collect mucus and bacteria instead of getting rid of it. That is why you clear and cough up mucus. I take antibiotics 2weeks of every month, switching ABX each time. I use a Aerobika daily and cough up as much "stuff" as I can. Just because you have Mac does not mean you have bronchiectasis. It took years for mine to develope. I did not know that the Mac never really went away, because my doctors said my Kansasaii is gone. I do have problems with staph in the lungs. I realize this group is for Mac, but need to find a good pulmonary doctor in Florida. In 2017 my doctor at Duke cannot take out of state insurance.
My aunt has Mac so I will hook her up with forum. She definitely has trouble with the meds. Wishing you all a lovely holiday season! And stay well!

Hello my comrades with MAC. I am Active Duty military and frustrated with my limited access to answers about my infection.

I had a >21mm PPD in 2011 along with gross reading CT Scans and misread chest x-rays. For three months in 2011 I was treated for Latent Tuberculosis then released from treatment after I demanded a QuantiFERON TB test which came back negative for TB.

In 2014, my body finally deteriorated to the point that my neurologist addressed my persistent cough and ordered an AFB sputum culture – Positive for Mycobacterium avium. My doctors act as if they have never seen the manifestation of this infection. My CT Scans have revealed “reticulondular, interstitial, pleuroparenchymal opacities in both lung apices” and x-rays range in readings from “mild, bilateral nodular changes in the lung apices” and “biapical pleural thickening”, to “the lungs are normal in appearance without evidence of active disease”. It seems that “normal” was much easier to deal with than the potential of missing the infection back in 2011.

I am currently on 2 antibiotics (azitrthromycin 500mg 3xs a week and rifampin 600mg 3xs a week) and have been since FEB 2015, yet sputum cultures continue to come back Postive.

Has anybody out there had AFB cultures to determine if the MAC is in their Blood & Urine?

Had anybody out there had their M. avium subspecies identified?

To aggravate matters more, I am told that the MAC is not in my lungs. My doctors are thinking of discontinuing the “toxic” antibiotic treatment. Over the past three years I have developed SVT, Raynaud’s disease, migraines, levido reticularis, vulvudynia, unspecified diffuse connective tissue disease and now I have left-side-facial muscle pain/droop and similar pain/swelling/immobility in my right hand.

I have asked the Military to Please send me to see Dr. Timothy Aksamit at the Mayo Clinic.

Dear All, @apportee, @bruce668 .. bruce, @cila .. Cila, @cathyt .. Cathy, @coylemel333 .. Melody, @cowboy1997, @david1952 .. David, @digmeme .. Linda, @elaine .. Elaine, @flib .. Flib, @fransky, @heathert .. Heather, @hopeful33250 .. , @imeehaigt, .. imee, TeresaH, @janovr .. Jan, @justjanet .. Janet, @jillnc, @jms7,@josephene .. Jo, @judyem .. Judy, @katiemknor .. Winnie, @kaystrand .. kay S., @kwilbur .. Kathryn, @laneyk .. Elaine, @liliane .. Liliane, @lynnettehuler .. Lynn, @margaretg .. Margaret, @melissa23 .. Melissa, @mimi68 ..Linda, @Paula_MAC2007 .. Paula, @reneeg .. Renee, @philomena .. Rosie MN, @rosemarya .. Rosemary, @shirleymac .. Shirley, @sophie1019 .. Sophie, @suzieapples, @tdrell .. terri, @tutti .. Lisa, @windwalker .. Terri, @boomerexpert, anyone else I forgot to make note of!

Once again in our supportive community .. one of our members has stepped up to the plate and volunteered to Mentor an Advocacy Forum to FIGHT for getting trials for NEW antibiotics for our MAC disease! That member is @boomerexpert! Please thank her! The new Forum can be reached at:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/we-must-advocate-for-ourselves/?pg=3
I feel confident that ALL of you will support her in this effort as you have supported each other on our shared journey! She will make it easy for you by sharing lab name/addresses/person to address it to .. an outline letter that you can send to the research labs .. BUT you MUST personalize your letter by talking about your OWN personal struggles .. your hardships. Make them see YOU as a human being .. NOT as a statistic or a number!

Again, I want to thank Heather, @heathert , for getting this ball rolling .. for doing so much research! We have some awesome members in our community .. hats off to each and every one of you!

I am grateful to be a part of this community! Hugs to all! Katherine