1. < MAC & Bronchiectasis

(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.

JK | @contentandwell | Jun 24, 2017
In reply to @kathyg "Hello, Kate What a coincidence that my first name is Katherine/Kathy. I was just diagnosed with..." + (show)
@kathyg

Hello, Kate

What a coincidence that my first name is Katherine/Kathy. I was just diagnosed with MAC, found out via a phone call from my Mayo doctor last night. I have been coughing for over 14 months and I just kept trying to get someone to tell me why..... Now that I have the diagnosis, what do I do? My first reaction was to try to get more information and that is how I stumbled across your posting. My doctor, Dr. Mullen at Mayo in Rochester, is a very nice man and he explained that some of the side effects of the treatment can be worse than the disease. So, I rejected the idea. When I saw your post saying that the reality may not be as bad as the hype, it gives me a different perspective. Would you be willing to share more of your experience with me? The doctors can only tell you what the books tell them unless they have had a patient who has gone through the process. Even then, different folks can have differing reactions. I am a 58 year old, recently retired (in part due to the coughing with the embarrassing results), I am overweight so the shortness of breath was attributed to that.....

Thank you, Kathy

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@unicorn, I don't think I responded to this earlier. My knees have improved so much since I have extended the amount of exercise, primarily in the water. I have never really liked putting my head under (still hold my nose when I do) so I don't swim; since I don't put my head in I can wear my hearing aids. I march/jog -- frontwards and backwards -- and do a faux breast stroke. My arms do a breast stroke and I kick my legs behind me. I am generally in the water for about an hour. I thought I was only one water walking initially but now there many people who do it prescribed by the physical therapy place that has quarters in my club.
I have mentioned this before but not sure if it was on this discussion. I have new hearing aids and I can stream my Itunes into and do my stuff in time to whatever beat is on. It helps to make me more spirited and it makes the time pass more quickly. I suspect you can buy bluetooth ear buds that would accomplish the same thing, and for me it does help.
JK

REPLY
unicorn | @unicorn | Jun 24, 2017
In reply to @katemn "@windwalker, Terri I am answering you on the Main Forum because the info on your salt..." + (show)
@katemn

@windwalker, Terri I am answering you on the Main Forum because the info on your salt treatment is REALLY good info to have on our Main Page .. PLUS I am just SOOOO excited for you!! YEAH!! You are SUCH a trooper .. one of my personal heros with your oxygen tank at the gym etc!! You absolutely deserve every single good thing that happens for you!! I am so very proud of you!! You go girl!! I am sending you one BIG hug! Katherine

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update on my recent Mayo visit.
Posted by @windwalker, 5 minutes ago
Hello! I left my Mayo visit on Tuesday on cloud nine. I found out that I had raised my lung function to 44%, up from 40%. My Dr was totally AMAZED since I suffer from a progressive disease. We figured it was due to the antibiotic and salt treatment regimen and my cardio classes. He said that 4% doesn’t sound like much, but 4% in the other direction (down) starts to put me in the lung transplant category. Mainly because it would mean I am still steadily progressing downward. I cannot tell you how disheartening it has been; to go to my check-ups every six months and be told that I am consistently losing lung function. I had said to my husband when I joined the gym six months ago that I was going to amaze my doctor, and I DID!

I asked about the new drugs that are in trials right now, and he said he expects them to be approved and out within six months to a year Hooray!!! I do know that the inhaled Cipro is one of them. I forgot the name of the other, but it is one that was mentioned at the NTM convention. He said that staying on the salt treatments is critical to keep good lung hygiene. Those of you doing this, stay with it. Those of you who are not, ask your dr to prescribe it. Hope everybody is doing well. Hugs – Terri M.

Jump to this post

Hi Barb: my doc at UCLA did not know about, so I went to Mass General in Boston and they set me up with nebulizer and saline and albuteral. They have a large pulmonary dept. I think this is relatively new

REPLY
unicorn | @unicorn | Jun 24, 2017
In reply to @kathyg "Hello, Kate What a coincidence that my first name is Katherine/Kathy. I was just diagnosed with..." + (show)
@kathyg

Hello, Kate

What a coincidence that my first name is Katherine/Kathy. I was just diagnosed with MAC, found out via a phone call from my Mayo doctor last night. I have been coughing for over 14 months and I just kept trying to get someone to tell me why..... Now that I have the diagnosis, what do I do? My first reaction was to try to get more information and that is how I stumbled across your posting. My doctor, Dr. Mullen at Mayo in Rochester, is a very nice man and he explained that some of the side effects of the treatment can be worse than the disease. So, I rejected the idea. When I saw your post saying that the reality may not be as bad as the hype, it gives me a different perspective. Would you be willing to share more of your experience with me? The doctors can only tell you what the books tell them unless they have had a patient who has gone through the process. Even then, different folks can have differing reactions. I am a 58 year old, recently retired (in part due to the coughing with the embarrassing results), I am overweight so the shortness of breath was attributed to that.....

Thank you, Kathy

Jump to this post

Contentandwell: I am a waterbaby, but I do get bored. Impressed you spend an hour in, I only do 20 min. but it is nonstop. xo

REPLY
boomerexpert | @boomerexpert | Jun 24, 2017
In reply to @katemn "Dear All, I am finding my Aerobika really works great hooked up to my saline solution..." + (show)
@katemn

Dear All, I am finding my Aerobika really works great hooked up to my saline solution as instructed by my Pulmonologist .. PLUS I also use it after using my inhalers .. PLUS I use it immediately after I exercise .. I find right after I exercise I am really able to bring up some "nasty" stuff with the Aerobika. THEN when reading " Member advice from 2017 Conference: "They stressed the importance of keeping your nebulizing equipment clean by use of boiling or using bottle sterilizers." .. it made sense to me that it would OBVIOUSLY also apply to my Aerobika. Since I do NOT sterilize my nebs daily .. and I have become SO conscious of sterilizing since being diagnosed with 3 MORE bacteria .. I decided to NOT stick with just ONE Aerobika .. but since they are expensive .. I did some research and decided to share my research. I am NOT recommending this to ANYONE .. just saying it worked for me .. AND if you decide to purchase from Ebay .. ONLY purchase from the SAME vendor on Ebay that I did .. I purchased from him twice (purchased from-100% rating: ravenator123 ) and the product was EXACTLY the same as the one I purchased from the Medical Supply Co.

AEROBIKA-EBAY http://www.ebay.com/itm/Aerobika-Oscillating-Positive-Expiratory-Pressure-Therapy-PEP-Device/222365799192?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D38530%26meid%3D770f957ccb25404b97e7b52a01662bde%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D162365627793 purchased from-100% rating: ravenator123 ( 1146 ) $54 w.shipping 6/19/17 $64. w/shipping

AEROBIKA-MEDICAL SUPPLY http://www.aerobika-therapy.com/order-today/ ordered 2/25/17 $90.00

Hugs to all! Katherine

Jump to this post

I've had my house checked for Radon and it's clear...Great minds!

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boomerexpert | @boomerexpert | Jun 24, 2017

You're safe...it tends to fall to one offspring (guessing the one most like the parent genetically...) so I got it from my mother's side (I am most like her in every way, plus it usually skips generations, so her grandmother had it, skipped her mother, then she got it...thanks mom...you forgot about the skipping thing...) - all my sibs don't have it.

REPLY
jentaylor | @jentaylor | Jun 24, 2017
In reply to @katemn "@windwalker, Terri I am answering you on the Main Forum because the info on your salt..." + (show)
@katemn

@windwalker, Terri I am answering you on the Main Forum because the info on your salt treatment is REALLY good info to have on our Main Page .. PLUS I am just SOOOO excited for you!! YEAH!! You are SUCH a trooper .. one of my personal heros with your oxygen tank at the gym etc!! You absolutely deserve every single good thing that happens for you!! I am so very proud of you!! You go girl!! I am sending you one BIG hug! Katherine

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

update on my recent Mayo visit.
Posted by @windwalker, 5 minutes ago
Hello! I left my Mayo visit on Tuesday on cloud nine. I found out that I had raised my lung function to 44%, up from 40%. My Dr was totally AMAZED since I suffer from a progressive disease. We figured it was due to the antibiotic and salt treatment regimen and my cardio classes. He said that 4% doesn’t sound like much, but 4% in the other direction (down) starts to put me in the lung transplant category. Mainly because it would mean I am still steadily progressing downward. I cannot tell you how disheartening it has been; to go to my check-ups every six months and be told that I am consistently losing lung function. I had said to my husband when I joined the gym six months ago that I was going to amaze my doctor, and I DID!

I asked about the new drugs that are in trials right now, and he said he expects them to be approved and out within six months to a year Hooray!!! I do know that the inhaled Cipro is one of them. I forgot the name of the other, but it is one that was mentioned at the NTM convention. He said that staying on the salt treatments is critical to keep good lung hygiene. Those of you doing this, stay with it. Those of you who are not, ask your dr to prescribe it. Hope everybody is doing well. Hugs – Terri M.

Jump to this post

@windwalker Hi Terris M., thanks for the info regarding reasons to keep up with daily saline nebs...very helpful to hear! Also, great idea on what to do with my time while doing nebs...spending time catching up with Connect!!! Helpful to hear I'm not alone with long time doing daily nebs! I know many of you do but it makes me feel less lonesome or just somebody to "complain" about it to...my husband certainly can't relate!!! Also good to have perspective, knowing it could be much worse! Best, Jen 🙂

REPLY
jentaylor | @jentaylor | Jun 24, 2017
In reply to @katemn "@windwalker, Terri I am answering you on the Main Forum because the info on your salt..." + (show)
@katemn

@windwalker, Terri I am answering you on the Main Forum because the info on your salt treatment is REALLY good info to have on our Main Page .. PLUS I am just SOOOO excited for you!! YEAH!! You are SUCH a trooper .. one of my personal heros with your oxygen tank at the gym etc!! You absolutely deserve every single good thing that happens for you!! I am so very proud of you!! You go girl!! I am sending you one BIG hug! Katherine

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

update on my recent Mayo visit.
Posted by @windwalker, 5 minutes ago
Hello! I left my Mayo visit on Tuesday on cloud nine. I found out that I had raised my lung function to 44%, up from 40%. My Dr was totally AMAZED since I suffer from a progressive disease. We figured it was due to the antibiotic and salt treatment regimen and my cardio classes. He said that 4% doesn’t sound like much, but 4% in the other direction (down) starts to put me in the lung transplant category. Mainly because it would mean I am still steadily progressing downward. I cannot tell you how disheartening it has been; to go to my check-ups every six months and be told that I am consistently losing lung function. I had said to my husband when I joined the gym six months ago that I was going to amaze my doctor, and I DID!

I asked about the new drugs that are in trials right now, and he said he expects them to be approved and out within six months to a year Hooray!!! I do know that the inhaled Cipro is one of them. I forgot the name of the other, but it is one that was mentioned at the NTM convention. He said that staying on the salt treatments is critical to keep good lung hygiene. Those of you doing this, stay with it. Those of you who are not, ask your dr to prescribe it. Hope everybody is doing well. Hugs – Terri M.

Jump to this post

@bschaper2 Hi Barb, the first time I had a Saline neb tx (I use short for writing out treatment every time:) was at Mayo in March. They did it to induce sputum for hopefully obtaining a culture. Some people start coughing during their the neb tx & it makes it easy to obtain a culture (also good for "cleaning" or "cleansing" your lungs a regular basis). I'm not one of the lucky ones that easily bring up sputum & I barely cough while doing the tx. But I find over the next hour it does loosen up the mucous making it easier to "clear". I asked at Mayo what percentage of Saline that they used & found out that it is a high concentration of 10%. When I got home & talked to my PCP & Pulm
Dr, they felt comfortable prescribing 7% but not 10%. The pharmacy did not have it in stock but it was easily ordered. Now I'm suppose to use it 2x/day before I do the other neb medications. Just thought I'd share what I know about Saline nebs. Hope it helps! Best, Jen 🙂

REPLY
jentaylor | @jentaylor | Jun 24, 2017
In reply to @kathyg "Hello, Kate What a coincidence that my first name is Katherine/Kathy. I was just diagnosed with..." + (show)
@kathyg

Hello, Kate

What a coincidence that my first name is Katherine/Kathy. I was just diagnosed with MAC, found out via a phone call from my Mayo doctor last night. I have been coughing for over 14 months and I just kept trying to get someone to tell me why..... Now that I have the diagnosis, what do I do? My first reaction was to try to get more information and that is how I stumbled across your posting. My doctor, Dr. Mullen at Mayo in Rochester, is a very nice man and he explained that some of the side effects of the treatment can be worse than the disease. So, I rejected the idea. When I saw your post saying that the reality may not be as bad as the hype, it gives me a different perspective. Would you be willing to share more of your experience with me? The doctors can only tell you what the books tell them unless they have had a patient who has gone through the process. Even then, different folks can have differing reactions. I am a 58 year old, recently retired (in part due to the coughing with the embarrassing results), I am overweight so the shortness of breath was attributed to that.....

Thank you, Kathy

Jump to this post

Hi all, I was wondering if any of you use a SmartVest? They had me use it during hospitalization on some occasions then my Pulm Dr prescribed it after one of my hospitalizations this past Fall. It seems like an incredibly smart idea but unfortunately it has not been too effective for me...big bummer!!! I was using it as prescribed at 30 mins twice daily. It basically shakes your whole trunk for the purpose of trying to loosen up secretions & mobilize "stuck" mucous in the lungs. It's a shame to see this great piece of equipment (not to mention expensive $$$$) go unused. Of course I can't sell it as it's a prescription so I just keep it in the basement. Maybe it will work for me at a different time. I'm wondering if it's because I have a rather big bust & protruding abdomen (due to a tear in the abdominal muscles) in addition to being overweight. The "vest" is exactly what it looks like & it's worn the same way. Anyone else have expierence with this??? Best, Jen 🙂

REPLY
Mentor
Terri Martin, Volunteer Mentor | @windwalker | Jun 24, 2017
In reply to @katemn "@windwalker, Terri I am answering you on the Main Forum because the info on your salt..." + (show)
@katemn

@windwalker, Terri I am answering you on the Main Forum because the info on your salt treatment is REALLY good info to have on our Main Page .. PLUS I am just SOOOO excited for you!! YEAH!! You are SUCH a trooper .. one of my personal heros with your oxygen tank at the gym etc!! You absolutely deserve every single good thing that happens for you!! I am so very proud of you!! You go girl!! I am sending you one BIG hug! Katherine

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

update on my recent Mayo visit.
Posted by @windwalker, 5 minutes ago
Hello! I left my Mayo visit on Tuesday on cloud nine. I found out that I had raised my lung function to 44%, up from 40%. My Dr was totally AMAZED since I suffer from a progressive disease. We figured it was due to the antibiotic and salt treatment regimen and my cardio classes. He said that 4% doesn’t sound like much, but 4% in the other direction (down) starts to put me in the lung transplant category. Mainly because it would mean I am still steadily progressing downward. I cannot tell you how disheartening it has been; to go to my check-ups every six months and be told that I am consistently losing lung function. I had said to my husband when I joined the gym six months ago that I was going to amaze my doctor, and I DID!

I asked about the new drugs that are in trials right now, and he said he expects them to be approved and out within six months to a year Hooray!!! I do know that the inhaled Cipro is one of them. I forgot the name of the other, but it is one that was mentioned at the NTM convention. He said that staying on the salt treatments is critical to keep good lung hygiene. Those of you doing this, stay with it. Those of you who are not, ask your dr to prescribe it. Hope everybody is doing well. Hugs – Terri M.

Jump to this post

@jentaylor, Hello Jen! Can you guess what I am doing right now? Yep, nebulizing! I spent five hours on the boat and in the water today. It was hotter than blazes out there. I hope you had a good day also. XXOX Terri M.

REPLY
JK | @contentandwell | Jun 24, 2017
In reply to @katemn "@windwalker, Terri I am answering you on the Main Forum because the info on your salt..." + (show)
@katemn

@windwalker, Terri I am answering you on the Main Forum because the info on your salt treatment is REALLY good info to have on our Main Page .. PLUS I am just SOOOO excited for you!! YEAH!! You are SUCH a trooper .. one of my personal heros with your oxygen tank at the gym etc!! You absolutely deserve every single good thing that happens for you!! I am so very proud of you!! You go girl!! I am sending you one BIG hug! Katherine

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

update on my recent Mayo visit.
Posted by @windwalker, 5 minutes ago
Hello! I left my Mayo visit on Tuesday on cloud nine. I found out that I had raised my lung function to 44%, up from 40%. My Dr was totally AMAZED since I suffer from a progressive disease. We figured it was due to the antibiotic and salt treatment regimen and my cardio classes. He said that 4% doesn’t sound like much, but 4% in the other direction (down) starts to put me in the lung transplant category. Mainly because it would mean I am still steadily progressing downward. I cannot tell you how disheartening it has been; to go to my check-ups every six months and be told that I am consistently losing lung function. I had said to my husband when I joined the gym six months ago that I was going to amaze my doctor, and I DID!

I asked about the new drugs that are in trials right now, and he said he expects them to be approved and out within six months to a year Hooray!!! I do know that the inhaled Cipro is one of them. I forgot the name of the other, but it is one that was mentioned at the NTM convention. He said that staying on the salt treatments is critical to keep good lung hygiene. Those of you doing this, stay with it. Those of you who are not, ask your dr to prescribe it. Hope everybody is doing well. Hugs – Terri M.

Jump to this post

@unicorn Can't help but be curious. Do you live in CA and actually came all the way across the country to go to MGH? I love MGH, that was where I had my transplant and they were outstanding, plus I go to a couple of doctors there. I wish I could go there for my PCP but it's just two far. You have to leave 2 hours to get there from here in NH in case of traffic. With no traffic it's about an hour away.
JK

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