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!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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.

oceanbliss | @oceanbliss | Jun 29, 2017
In reply to @katemn "Hello @internalmeddoc. I am curious .. where do you practice .. do your medical research? I..." + (show)
@katemn

Hello @internalmeddoc. I am curious .. where do you practice .. do your medical research?

I was diagnosed with MAI/MAC in 2011 at Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN by Dr. Timothy Aksamit .. a worldwide respected expert on MAC/MAI. I found his philosophy on initial diagnosing of MAC/MAI to be EVALUATING: Xrays .. sputum culture .. CT scans .. pulmonary function tests .. and my responses to his VARIOUS medical questions. He then puts it all together like a big puzzle and then based on his MAI/MAC experience decides if/when to treat with what antibiotic regimen.

I am going to be very frank with you as the Volunteer Mentor of this Mayo Clinic Connect .. I find your statement " bronchoscopy to obtain samples and a possible biopsy even better. A lung scan or MRI is also a good idea prior to bronchoscopy to locate and target areas in the lung involved. Also, if there are any peripheral lymph nodes involved (enlarged or inflamed), these should be biopsied and sent to the lab. Also available are the more advanced PCRs for all tissue, sputum or bronchoscopy samples." .. to be possibly misleading and frightening to our newer members just newly diagnosed.

I am not a doctor but even I know a bronchoscopy to be MUCH more invasive than the method used by Dr. Timothy Aksamit. IF/WHEN the MAC/MAI CANNOT be diagnosed by 3 consecutive sputum tests (the currently accepted "gold standard) there definitely are times when further means are necessary for diagnosis such as a bronchoscopy etc. But for you to say that " bronchoscopy to obtain samples and a possible biopsy even better" makes me very uncomfortable. I could not allow your statement to stand on our Forum that Newcomers might read and be frightened by.

Mayo Clinic abides by the Hippocratic Oath .. “first, do no harm” .. LESS IS MORE! Katherine. Volunteer Mentor

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Please take me off your email list. I keep selecting unsubscribe but I keep getting these darn emails. I&apos;m desperate!

REPLY
ling123 | @ling123 | Jun 29, 2017
In reply to @katemn "Hello @internalmeddoc. I am curious .. where do you practice .. do your medical research? I..." + (show)
@katemn

Hello @internalmeddoc. I am curious .. where do you practice .. do your medical research?

I was diagnosed with MAI/MAC in 2011 at Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN by Dr. Timothy Aksamit .. a worldwide respected expert on MAC/MAI. I found his philosophy on initial diagnosing of MAC/MAI to be EVALUATING: Xrays .. sputum culture .. CT scans .. pulmonary function tests .. and my responses to his VARIOUS medical questions. He then puts it all together like a big puzzle and then based on his MAI/MAC experience decides if/when to treat with what antibiotic regimen.

I am going to be very frank with you as the Volunteer Mentor of this Mayo Clinic Connect .. I find your statement " bronchoscopy to obtain samples and a possible biopsy even better. A lung scan or MRI is also a good idea prior to bronchoscopy to locate and target areas in the lung involved. Also, if there are any peripheral lymph nodes involved (enlarged or inflamed), these should be biopsied and sent to the lab. Also available are the more advanced PCRs for all tissue, sputum or bronchoscopy samples." .. to be possibly misleading and frightening to our newer members just newly diagnosed.

I am not a doctor but even I know a bronchoscopy to be MUCH more invasive than the method used by Dr. Timothy Aksamit. IF/WHEN the MAC/MAI CANNOT be diagnosed by 3 consecutive sputum tests (the currently accepted "gold standard) there definitely are times when further means are necessary for diagnosis such as a bronchoscopy etc. But for you to say that " bronchoscopy to obtain samples and a possible biopsy even better" makes me very uncomfortable. I could not allow your statement to stand on our Forum that Newcomers might read and be frightened by.

Mayo Clinic abides by the Hippocratic Oath .. “first, do no harm” .. LESS IS MORE! Katherine. Volunteer Mentor

Jump to this post

Hi @oceanbliss, have you followed these steps: From the Mayo Connect site main page (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/; you will need to be logged in), click the Following link (with a + sign next to the text) for a particular group under My Groups (for myself, there is only one group: MAC & Brochiectasis). You should see a dropdown list after that. From the dropdown list, select "Unfollow. Do not notify me about this any more". Then click the Update button. Hope this helps.

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boomerexpert | @boomerexpert | Jun 29, 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

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Studies from 2015 - since then research has shown that raising hot water temps can create heat resistant strains, so current recommendation is to keep heaters at the usual temp of 120-125.

REPLY
boomerexpert | @boomerexpert | Jun 29, 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

Done...registered.

REPLY
Katherine, Alumni Mentor | @katemn | Jun 29, 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

Boomer, this is GREAT question for those going to their doctors within the next few months .. GRILL the doctors on just WHAT IS the newest research on hot water heater temperature?? IS IT 120 .. IS IT 125 .. IS IT 130?? It is ALL too confusing for those of us sitting out here with different research studies .. trying to make sense of it! Then PLEASE come back to Connect with the ANSWERS from specific sources so we can get a consensus for our Connect! We all try to help each other sort out what is best for each other .. this is an example where we really need to get to the bottom of it! PLEASE HELP! Hugs to all! Katherine

REPLY
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jun 29, 2017
In reply to @katemn "Hello @internalmeddoc. I am curious .. where do you practice .. do your medical research? I..." + (show)
@katemn

Hello @internalmeddoc. I am curious .. where do you practice .. do your medical research?

I was diagnosed with MAI/MAC in 2011 at Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN by Dr. Timothy Aksamit .. a worldwide respected expert on MAC/MAI. I found his philosophy on initial diagnosing of MAC/MAI to be EVALUATING: Xrays .. sputum culture .. CT scans .. pulmonary function tests .. and my responses to his VARIOUS medical questions. He then puts it all together like a big puzzle and then based on his MAI/MAC experience decides if/when to treat with what antibiotic regimen.

I am going to be very frank with you as the Volunteer Mentor of this Mayo Clinic Connect .. I find your statement " bronchoscopy to obtain samples and a possible biopsy even better. A lung scan or MRI is also a good idea prior to bronchoscopy to locate and target areas in the lung involved. Also, if there are any peripheral lymph nodes involved (enlarged or inflamed), these should be biopsied and sent to the lab. Also available are the more advanced PCRs for all tissue, sputum or bronchoscopy samples." .. to be possibly misleading and frightening to our newer members just newly diagnosed.

I am not a doctor but even I know a bronchoscopy to be MUCH more invasive than the method used by Dr. Timothy Aksamit. IF/WHEN the MAC/MAI CANNOT be diagnosed by 3 consecutive sputum tests (the currently accepted "gold standard) there definitely are times when further means are necessary for diagnosis such as a bronchoscopy etc. But for you to say that " bronchoscopy to obtain samples and a possible biopsy even better" makes me very uncomfortable. I could not allow your statement to stand on our Forum that Newcomers might read and be frightened by.

Mayo Clinic abides by the Hippocratic Oath .. “first, do no harm” .. LESS IS MORE! Katherine. Volunteer Mentor

Jump to this post

Perfect instructions Ling. Additionally, here are the instructions on how to unsubscribe from a particular discussion thread.

How to unsubscribe from a thread
1. Open an email that you have received about the discussion thread.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the email.
3. Click "Unsubscribe"
4. Select "Unfollow. Do not notify of this anymore" from the drop-down selection.
5. Click Update.

REPLY
Katherine, Alumni Mentor | @katemn | Jun 29, 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

@jkiemen, Jo Ann personally I feel my ONLY responsibility is to look just as good as I possibly can at ANY GIVEN AGE .. dress well .. do my hair, nails, pedicure .. AND PHOOEY on anyone else! Nope my skin is not as beautiful as it was at age 50 .. Nope I am not MANY things I was at age 50 or 30 .. BUT I am ALSO MANY MORE things that I was NOT at those ages! I know that I have gained in wisdom .. patience .. caring .. "attitude" (I feel VERY free to state my opinion .. AND do NOT suffer fools gladly as the saying goes!) so if someone called me an "old woman" to my face .. I probably would reply "UP YOURS!". BUT if it was ONLY a mild reference to the fact MAC tend to cluster in "older women" .. I would NOT take offence .. it IS the truth .. Truth IS Truth! It would all depend on how it was referenced! Just MY take on the situation! Hugs! Katherine

REPLY
unicorn | @unicorn | Jun 29, 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

I've got Dr. O'Donnel, and he is pretty great

REPLY
heathert | @heathert | Jun 29, 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

I do not have the Alpha1 gene. The possibility of us being contagious really brings a new light to this, TB is highly infectious as are all other bugs, so why wouldnt this be. Maby if we get rid of our MAC, and then it returns it could be that we catch it from our nearest and dearest again who havnt yet been treated. Very interesting

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