Dear All, I can't find the post that said just what the interventional radiologist did to stop the bleeding .. anyone refer me to the post? Appreciate it! Hugs! Katherine (Yes Colleen I tried the Control F but my searching isn't as fancy as yours!)

Yes. My pulmonary doctor does believe that I have had bronchiectasis which eventually caused MAC. Considering how many years when I was producing excessive amount of thick mucous, I may have had brochiectasis for a very long time. But until I started coughing up blood, I never thought of seeing a pulmonary specialist. My PCP had me tested for allergies, which I was tested positive for bee venom, for all kinds of tree pollen, for ragweed, grass, dust mote, etc. I was treated with allergy shots for 5 years. The symptoms did improve somewhat. But never completely went away. I think my allergies served to disguise the bronchiectasis. I was so frustrated with the thick mucous and the coughing that the mucous caused without knowing why. Now that I know what has been causing the annoying symptoms, I actually feel relieved. Like you said, there are things in our lives that we have no control over. But there are also things that we can control, like our emotions, our fear, our ability to live a happy life despite of our medical conditions. And that is all we CAN do. Thank you for all the pep talks that you have given us on this site. You are so much sicker than some of us. Yet you've spent so much time advising us, comforting us and propping us up when we feel down. You should know how much we all appreciate the fact that you are here for us. Hugs right back. Ling

Thanks Terry, calling around for interventional radiologist. xo

Katherine,
Here's the post by @colapyrus where she talks about interventional radiation and stopping the bleeding http://mayocl.in/2sqO8O6

My doc told me the interventional radiologist threads a small wire? or something through the chest cavity and gets to the bleeding capillary and zaps it or closes it, I guess they have a camera down there also.

Sounds like a wise idea to me ... just like all your other suggestions. Terry

I had never heard of it taking up to two months to grow the mycobacterium
in a lab dish. I would think they would have to do the same with whatever they
washed out with a bronch. Most labs don't test for the strain either. The report
generally comes back either positive or negative. They are usually very vague.
Learned at the conference that they are trying to change that. They want all MAC
to be typed as to what specie it actually is.
 

@windwalker Terry, Mayo Clinic Report tells EXACTLY what species the MAC is .. number of colonies etc .. but yes it does take up to two months for the cultures to process is my understanding. Hugs! Katherine

@katemn,and All, I believe that intervention radiology can be used for stopping the bleeding in our lungs. I've had a needle biopsy on my breast useing intervention radiology. My pain management uses it when he's given me epideral injections, a spinal cord stimulator trial and a morphine pump trial, and radiofrequency abliteration on my back and neck. So it has many uses.
Becky

Windwalker.....at NJH in January....I learned that the CAT scan evidence and 2 out of three sputum specimens positive for NTM Define the infection....
and didn't someone recently report the number of Colonies of the specific NTM grown in Broth....given 6-8 weeks to grow are used to diagnosis NTM?
Since there are fast growing and slow growing NTM....the need for 3 steps and up to 2 months are why...
Has Anyone else read or heard of the above? Tdrell