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

Posted by Katherine, Alumni Mentor @katemn, Nov 21, 2011

I am new to Mayo online .. I was hoping to find others with .. MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM COMPLEX PULMONARY DISEASE (MAC/MAI) and/or BRONCHIECTASIS. I found only 1 thread on mycobacterium accidently under the catagory "Lungs". I'm hoping by starting a subject matter directly related to MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM COMPLEX PULMONARY DISEASE (MAC/MAI) I may find others out there!

I was diagnosed by a sputum culture August 2007 (but the culture result was accidentally misfiled until 2008!) with MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM COMPLEX PULMONARY DISEASE (MAC/MAI) and BRONCHIECTASIS. I am now on 5 antibiotics. Working with Dr. Timothy Aksamit at Rochester Mayo Clinic .. he is a saint to have put up with me this long! I was terrified of the treatment . started the first antibiotic September 3, 2011 ... am now on all 5 antibiotics for 18 mos to 2 years. Am delighted at the very bearable side effects!

I wrote on the 1 thread I found: If you google NON-TUBERCULOUS MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM COMPLEX PULMONARY DISEASE (MAC/MAI) you will learn a LOT about the disease. But PLEASE do NOT get scared about all the things you read .. that is what I did and nearly refused to do the treatment until after a 2nd Micomacterium was discovered! Educate yourself for "due diligence" .. but take it all with a grain of salt .. you are NOT necessarily going to have all the terrible side effects of the antibiotics! Good luck to you!

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January 2017 Update

One of our great Connect Members .. @Paula_MAC2007  .. had a wonderfully helpful idea that I wanted to share! Her idea .. as you read through the pages to gather information on our shared disease of MAC you can develop a personal "file cabinet" for future reference without the necessity of reading all the pages again!

If you have the "MS Word" program on your computer:
- Document Title Example:  Mayo Clinic Connect MAI/MAC Information
- Then develop different categories that make sense to you such as:  Heath Aids .. Videos .. Healthy Living .. Positive Thinking .. Baseline Testing and Regular Testing .. Antibiotics ..
Tips for
- As you read the pages .. copy/paste/save things of interest into that MS Word document under your preferred categories for future reference.

Then as you want to refer back to something in the future .. YEAH!  You have now created your own personal "file cabinet" on MAC/MAI!  Go to it!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the MAC & Bronchiectasis Support Group.

@jentaylor

Hi all, this is the very first time I've ever joined an online discussion group & I have no idea if I'm doing it correctly! I'll give it a try though. I'm 42 & have had a rare, undiagnosed lung disease since 2007. I've been to great doctors & hospitals & yet no answers. I also have immunodeficiency & get IVIG every 2 weeks. Then to add to all of this, a bonchcoscopy/washings came back positive for MAC (& Aspergillis but probably in my nose). And the most recent Lung CT scan showed the bronchiectasis. So for the past 6 months we have been trying to decide on whether to start treatment because I'm already on 28 daily meds (with a total of 46 including my PRN's). I'm not an easy case & we really wanted to weigh all measures before proceeding with treatment due to the high risk for side effects. We had our appointment yesterday & decided to start today! I'm very nervous! I was online looking for info that I hadn't yet come upon & found this chat/discussion/forum. I'm hoping to find some information but also some support. I feel so alone with this right now, so reading your entries is somehow comforting knowing I'm not the only one. It's another big bump along my health journey & lung dysfunction. Very frustrating & scary to me. I'm overwhelmed. I feel like others don't understand but at least here, I know that you can relate. So thank you for being there!

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Hi Jentaylor, I recently joined this group too and they are wonderful. Katherine is the best in terms of helpful information and support. Keep the faith. I struggle with NTM, bronchiectasis, SIBO, fructose and lactose intolerances. I have learned to take it one day at a time and focus as Katherine says on what I can control. Yoga, mindfulness exercises have proven helpful for me. Hugs. Rosie

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@katemn

@jentaylor Hi Jen, I think this is just so great! You will come back to our Forum with all kinds of notes and information to share! Can't wait to hear all about it .. but I will be a proud Grammy watching my final little one walk across that stage getting her college diploma! Both wonderful events! Keep good notes to share! Hugs! Katherine

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Pamela...thanks Sooooo much for the info that the May NTM Washington DC Conference will be video taped and posted for Public viewing.
I was able to attend the National workshop on NTM in Denver from National Jewish Health in sept 2016 ....thanks to the MAC group telling me about it. It was awesome( see videos of it and same from 2015)
What I discovered as I rewatched the videos of the workshop that I had attended. It was if I was hearing it all for first time!!!
So for those of us unable to attend Conference in May...i am thinking we will get great benefit also from watching Videos 2 months later.TerriD

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@colapyrus

For those of you who were evaluated at National Jewish: how long (approximately) does it take to get in once you have sent the records and the sputum sample?

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Colapyrus, I began submitting materials in September 2016. I had gone thru telephone nurse conference in August....y. she submitted situation to the mycobacterium speciality group, they then sent me a packet including sputum specimen material.
I had a call from Meaghan the scheduler in late October offering me appt with a dr....but not the one l wanted....for mid December...if I wanted Dr Huitt, I would have to wait til January 5...which is what I did. I did not consider
My case an emergency....not did a Dr refer me....perhaps that would have sped up the process. If you don't have a Dr preference...no doubt an appt would be sooner. They work as a team so you get the input from all the great minds thereTerri D

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@katemn

Joined: Feb 13, 2017 Posted by @21042, 13 minutes ago
I talked to my pulmonologist on Tues. and i brought up probiotics to her. She said these three antibiotics do not attack the good bacteria in the gut, that they only work for nothing but mac. Did your doctor recommend them? Im so confused. She said they would do nothing. I have been so sick today. An hour after i took my meds last night i vomited it all up and have been sick since. The first day i took all the meds at 9:00 pm. and went to bed. I did fine. I ate at 6:00 pm. Ive never had anything make me so ill. Im so nauseated i cant eat, but i know i cant continue not eating. Also my dr. gave me Ondansetron 4mg. for nausea. Doesnt help a bit.
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@21042 .. Kathi I think you can already tell I am a pretty straight shooter .. I tell it like it is .. so here goes. Your doctor is NUTS .. AND poorly informed!! You can tell her that Dr. Timothy Aksamit at Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN .. a worldwide respected EXPERT on MAC told ME to start on probiotics the FIRST time he started me on antibiotics! Plus if you read through the pages of our Forum you will read how much probiotics are helping our other members. Kathi, do what feels right for you and your body .. BUT I just wonder how many MAC patients your Pulmonologists has treated in the past 12 months?? Sorry, but she just doesn't seem up to speed enough to help you to your best self.

Please re read the above message from Posted by @pamelasc1, 3 days ago .. might that help you? I feel so bad for you .. BUT do NOT give up .. it is so tough in the beginning but it DOES get better .. just put one foot in front in front of the other. We will all be here for you. I am answering you an the Main MAC Forum .. I want you to get more support from more of our wonderful members! I am sending you a BIG Hug! Katherine

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@decosmo, Rosie, it is so true that putting our health as a priority sometimes means putting a piece of "who" we are on the back burner as you did when you made the choice to not teach and coach .. but in truth if we don't make our health #1 .. in time we will be left with NOTHING! Years ago when I was very young .. in my 20's I had a boss who said to me "When you have your health .. you have everything!". Frankly there was absolutely no way I was going to "get it" in my 20's! But I can hear his voice in my mind now .. AND I "get it"! You are making very wise choices .. I applaud you.

Very interesting your post "I have been reading certain strains actually create lactose" .. as you learn more about it .. post about it on our Forum for our pages .. I had not heard of it .. it will help others who are also lactose intolerant! If you find a probiotic that works for you .. be sure to post about it. It will help other people! Hugs to you! Katherine

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@katemn

Joined: Feb 13, 2017 Posted by @21042, 13 minutes ago
I talked to my pulmonologist on Tues. and i brought up probiotics to her. She said these three antibiotics do not attack the good bacteria in the gut, that they only work for nothing but mac. Did your doctor recommend them? Im so confused. She said they would do nothing. I have been so sick today. An hour after i took my meds last night i vomited it all up and have been sick since. The first day i took all the meds at 9:00 pm. and went to bed. I did fine. I ate at 6:00 pm. Ive never had anything make me so ill. Im so nauseated i cant eat, but i know i cant continue not eating. Also my dr. gave me Ondansetron 4mg. for nausea. Doesnt help a bit.
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@21042 .. Kathi I think you can already tell I am a pretty straight shooter .. I tell it like it is .. so here goes. Your doctor is NUTS .. AND poorly informed!! You can tell her that Dr. Timothy Aksamit at Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN .. a worldwide respected EXPERT on MAC told ME to start on probiotics the FIRST time he started me on antibiotics! Plus if you read through the pages of our Forum you will read how much probiotics are helping our other members. Kathi, do what feels right for you and your body .. BUT I just wonder how many MAC patients your Pulmonologists has treated in the past 12 months?? Sorry, but she just doesn't seem up to speed enough to help you to your best self.

Please re read the above message from Posted by @pamelasc1, 3 days ago .. might that help you? I feel so bad for you .. BUT do NOT give up .. it is so tough in the beginning but it DOES get better .. just put one foot in front in front of the other. We will all be here for you. I am answering you an the Main MAC Forum .. I want you to get more support from more of our wonderful members! I am sending you a BIG Hug! Katherine

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@tessie, Hi Tessie, would you mind giving us a link to the particular probiotic your doctor prescribed? Under products there are quite a few .. did one particular one work well for you? Hugs! Katherine

http://www.biokplus.com/en_us/about-probiotics#why-bio-k
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@katemn

Joined: Feb 13, 2017 Posted by @21042, 13 minutes ago
I talked to my pulmonologist on Tues. and i brought up probiotics to her. She said these three antibiotics do not attack the good bacteria in the gut, that they only work for nothing but mac. Did your doctor recommend them? Im so confused. She said they would do nothing. I have been so sick today. An hour after i took my meds last night i vomited it all up and have been sick since. The first day i took all the meds at 9:00 pm. and went to bed. I did fine. I ate at 6:00 pm. Ive never had anything make me so ill. Im so nauseated i cant eat, but i know i cant continue not eating. Also my dr. gave me Ondansetron 4mg. for nausea. Doesnt help a bit.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
@21042 .. Kathi I think you can already tell I am a pretty straight shooter .. I tell it like it is .. so here goes. Your doctor is NUTS .. AND poorly informed!! You can tell her that Dr. Timothy Aksamit at Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN .. a worldwide respected EXPERT on MAC told ME to start on probiotics the FIRST time he started me on antibiotics! Plus if you read through the pages of our Forum you will read how much probiotics are helping our other members. Kathi, do what feels right for you and your body .. BUT I just wonder how many MAC patients your Pulmonologists has treated in the past 12 months?? Sorry, but she just doesn't seem up to speed enough to help you to your best self.

Please re read the above message from Posted by @pamelasc1, 3 days ago .. might that help you? I feel so bad for you .. BUT do NOT give up .. it is so tough in the beginning but it DOES get better .. just put one foot in front in front of the other. We will all be here for you. I am answering you an the Main MAC Forum .. I want you to get more support from more of our wonderful members! I am sending you a BIG Hug! Katherine

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$190 plus tax, it came to $215 

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@katemn

Joined: Feb 13, 2017 Posted by @21042, 13 minutes ago
I talked to my pulmonologist on Tues. and i brought up probiotics to her. She said these three antibiotics do not attack the good bacteria in the gut, that they only work for nothing but mac. Did your doctor recommend them? Im so confused. She said they would do nothing. I have been so sick today. An hour after i took my meds last night i vomited it all up and have been sick since. The first day i took all the meds at 9:00 pm. and went to bed. I did fine. I ate at 6:00 pm. Ive never had anything make me so ill. Im so nauseated i cant eat, but i know i cant continue not eating. Also my dr. gave me Ondansetron 4mg. for nausea. Doesnt help a bit.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
@21042 .. Kathi I think you can already tell I am a pretty straight shooter .. I tell it like it is .. so here goes. Your doctor is NUTS .. AND poorly informed!! You can tell her that Dr. Timothy Aksamit at Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN .. a worldwide respected EXPERT on MAC told ME to start on probiotics the FIRST time he started me on antibiotics! Plus if you read through the pages of our Forum you will read how much probiotics are helping our other members. Kathi, do what feels right for you and your body .. BUT I just wonder how many MAC patients your Pulmonologists has treated in the past 12 months?? Sorry, but she just doesn't seem up to speed enough to help you to your best self.

Please re read the above message from Posted by @pamelasc1, 3 days ago .. might that help you? I feel so bad for you .. BUT do NOT give up .. it is so tough in the beginning but it DOES get better .. just put one foot in front in front of the other. We will all be here for you. I am answering you an the Main MAC Forum .. I want you to get more support from more of our wonderful members! I am sending you a BIG Hug! Katherine

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You will find several shown under products, i.e., 12.5. The pharmacist placed an order for me. Tessie

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@katemn

@128128terry11t Terry, OH what a tough time you have had! But I am SO glad you have found us! Please do stay on this Forum .. you will find such kind supportive people .. PLUS if you take the time to read the past pages you will find a wealth of information on just how to handle the antibiotics .. potential side effects .. just plain healthy living and positive thinking! We are all on this same journey .. gathered together to help each other. I would PLEASE advise you NOT to "private message" .. by each of us sharing our fears .. symptoms .. ideas .. tips .. just thoughts even .. we help each other on our shared journey. Gathered together we strengthen each other .. as it has been said 'The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.' .

Be SURE to take your Rifampin FIRST thing in the morning on an EMPTY stomach .. it is notorious for sleep disturbance. You should have been told that in my opinion! As you read through the pages you will read that! You will also read about the various baseline testing you should have ASAP.

I also have Bronchiectasis .. cough up blood periodically. The first time I spoke of this to my beloved Dr. Aksamit of Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN .. he did not seem in the least concerned .. just asked me the quantity .. if fresh .. darker .. clots? Since it has never been in excess of perhaps 1/2 tsp in total fresh blood .. an occasional blood clot .. only darker blood later on as I cough up the last of it .. he has never been concerned. SO .. if your coughed up blood is within these parameters .. do NOT be afraid .. it is just a part of Bronchiectasis!

As I just mention to another Forum member: (RIFAMPIN INTERFERS WITH LIVER ABSORBSON OF SYNTHROID) .. so be aware of this if you take that med .. you may have to increase your Synthroid. Keep getting it checked. Frequently need to increase 25mg. Also make SURE you do NOT get a generic .. name brand only .. generics can vary!

You need NOT feel desperate .. we are here for you .. gathered together to help you through this tough time. Sending you a BIG Hug! Katherine

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Hi Terri, I'm sorrry to hear about the severity of everything. That must be rough to handle & manage. I was on oxygen 24/7 for 3 years & miraculously I was able to wean off. We have no medically based answer for it. Regardless, I still have plenty on my plate but that has been one huge blessing over the years. Most people don't realize the severity of illnesses or understand what it might be like. It makes it really hard. Although, when I was wearing oxygen 24/7, (I still do at night) everybody would stare & it was apparent that something was wrong & I hated that! People probably still stare when I'm doing poorly or on oxygen for short periods. So I don't know if it's worse to have people know & maybe try to be understanding or at least considerate, or if everything looks normal on the outside so nobody knows...?!? I guess both ways just awful. I just wanted to respond & let you know that I'm & sending you good energy! ~Jen

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@katemn

@128128terry11t Terry, OH what a tough time you have had! But I am SO glad you have found us! Please do stay on this Forum .. you will find such kind supportive people .. PLUS if you take the time to read the past pages you will find a wealth of information on just how to handle the antibiotics .. potential side effects .. just plain healthy living and positive thinking! We are all on this same journey .. gathered together to help each other. I would PLEASE advise you NOT to "private message" .. by each of us sharing our fears .. symptoms .. ideas .. tips .. just thoughts even .. we help each other on our shared journey. Gathered together we strengthen each other .. as it has been said 'The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.' .

Be SURE to take your Rifampin FIRST thing in the morning on an EMPTY stomach .. it is notorious for sleep disturbance. You should have been told that in my opinion! As you read through the pages you will read that! You will also read about the various baseline testing you should have ASAP.

I also have Bronchiectasis .. cough up blood periodically. The first time I spoke of this to my beloved Dr. Aksamit of Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN .. he did not seem in the least concerned .. just asked me the quantity .. if fresh .. darker .. clots? Since it has never been in excess of perhaps 1/2 tsp in total fresh blood .. an occasional blood clot .. only darker blood later on as I cough up the last of it .. he has never been concerned. SO .. if your coughed up blood is within these parameters .. do NOT be afraid .. it is just a part of Bronchiectasis!

As I just mention to another Forum member: (RIFAMPIN INTERFERS WITH LIVER ABSORBSON OF SYNTHROID) .. so be aware of this if you take that med .. you may have to increase your Synthroid. Keep getting it checked. Frequently need to increase 25mg. Also make SURE you do NOT get a generic .. name brand only .. generics can vary!

You need NOT feel desperate .. we are here for you .. gathered together to help you through this tough time. Sending you a BIG Hug! Katherine

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<br><br><br><br><br>Thank you Jen. <br><br>

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@katemn

Joined: Feb 13, 2017 Posted by @21042, 13 minutes ago
I talked to my pulmonologist on Tues. and i brought up probiotics to her. She said these three antibiotics do not attack the good bacteria in the gut, that they only work for nothing but mac. Did your doctor recommend them? Im so confused. She said they would do nothing. I have been so sick today. An hour after i took my meds last night i vomited it all up and have been sick since. The first day i took all the meds at 9:00 pm. and went to bed. I did fine. I ate at 6:00 pm. Ive never had anything make me so ill. Im so nauseated i cant eat, but i know i cant continue not eating. Also my dr. gave me Ondansetron 4mg. for nausea. Doesnt help a bit.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
@21042 .. Kathi I think you can already tell I am a pretty straight shooter .. I tell it like it is .. so here goes. Your doctor is NUTS .. AND poorly informed!! You can tell her that Dr. Timothy Aksamit at Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN .. a worldwide respected EXPERT on MAC told ME to start on probiotics the FIRST time he started me on antibiotics! Plus if you read through the pages of our Forum you will read how much probiotics are helping our other members. Kathi, do what feels right for you and your body .. BUT I just wonder how many MAC patients your Pulmonologists has treated in the past 12 months?? Sorry, but she just doesn't seem up to speed enough to help you to your best self.

Please re read the above message from Posted by @pamelasc1, 3 days ago .. might that help you? I feel so bad for you .. BUT do NOT give up .. it is so tough in the beginning but it DOES get better .. just put one foot in front in front of the other. We will all be here for you. I am answering you an the Main MAC Forum .. I want you to get more support from more of our wonderful members! I am sending you a BIG Hug! Katherine

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Rosie - this is Pamela - my probiotic is dairy free - it is made by Jarrow and called Ultra Jarrow Dophilus - 50 billion per capsule. I take it mid day with applesauce just after lunch as I take my meds for MAC after dinner so I try to keep them separate. As to your cough, early on when I first began the meds for MAC my cough got much worse and I was coughing up stuff I could not believe - my doctor had the sputum tested for pseudemonis, and that is what I had, above and beyond the MAC - has to be treated with Levofloxacin. Once I got on that, it cleared up within 3 weeks and no more coughing up terrible stuff - you may want to get a test for pseudemonis, just to rule it out. Pamela

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