(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.

@katemn

@imeehaigt .. imee, you are SO lucky!! Philippines is listed on the company website as : country safe to purchase from. Lucky you .. it really does help! I prefer the 75mg time release .. can you get that form there? Curious .. what is the cost? Hugs! Katherine

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@imeehaigt, Imee, DARN and Phooey too! I was SO excited to see your site .. BUT as you all know .. I always do my "Due Diligence" ..by putting in the word "review and the name of item or company" .. so I googled "REVIEWS GLOBAL HEALTH SERVICES BRANDMEDICINES.COM". See what I came up with .. sound like BUYER BEWARE! ESPECIALLY with any medical item we mut be SOOOO careful! Katherine

http://brandmedicines.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=659
REVIEWS GLOBAL HEALTH SERVICES BRANDMEDICINES.COM
https://mgreviews.net/brandmedicines-com-review-a-substandard-pharmacy-with-overpriced-medications/
According to Scamadvisor, Brand Medicines e-store is only 46 percent trustworthy. Because the trust level is even less than half, the website is not recommended at all. It was also said by Scamadvisor that the location of brandmedicines is Bulgaria which is a high-risk country. Generally speaking, the reputation of Brand Medicines e-store did not seem to be positive.

According to LegitScript, Brand Medicines is a rogue pharmacy that has failed to provide verification of itself. Therefore, it is not safe to use. By analyzing the results provided by two scam catching websites, it becomes clear that Brand Medicines does not qualify as a trustable pharmacy and it should not be tried out without getting any further information.

Conclusion Brandmedicines.com is a sheer disappointment. The drugs store lacks in almost every aspect. There is not much information about the exact location or authenticity of the company. The customer reviews are positive but are limited to the official website of the store only. Several scams detecting websites have rendered it as a rogue website that is running from a high-risk area. The drugs offered here at Brand Medicines are extremely costly, and most of the people can’t afford to buy them. Moreover, the company failed to impress me in terms of discounts as well. Hence, I would give 1 out of 5 to Brand Medicines and would never recommend it to anyone for buying drugs..

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@katemn

@imeehaigt .. imee, you are SO lucky!! Philippines is listed on the company website as : country safe to purchase from. Lucky you .. it really does help! I prefer the 75mg time release .. can you get that form there? Curious .. what is the cost? Hugs! Katherine

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@windwalker, Terri .. you Drug Dealer you! I'll be visiting you in prison yet! Yes, it IS sold in France! What I do is buy a years supply .. remove it from the boxes .. and place in the MIDDLE of all my clothes in my checked baggage .. so far have not had a problem! BUT See the below! Hugs! Katherine

https://www.fda.gov/aboutfda/transparency/basics/ucm194904.htm

FDA, however, has a policy explaining that it typically does not object to personal imports of drugs that FDA has not approved under certain circumstances, including the following situation:

The drug is for use for a serious condition for which effective treatment is not available in the United States;
There is no commercialization or promotion of the drug to U.S. residents;
The drug is considered not to represent an unreasonable risk;
The individual importing the drug verifies in writing that it is for his or her own use, and provides contact information for the doctor providing treatment or shows the product is for the continuation of treatment begun in a foreign country; and
Generally, not more than a 3-month supply of the drug is imported.

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@imeehaigt

Just last Sunday I did exercised at home and did my daily deep breathing excercise. As Ive said before its been over a month that I stopped producing sticky phlegm since I started to excercise everyday. When I cleared my lungs and tried to expel sputum I noticed a blood in my sputum I got alarmed again and was thinking of taking anti biotics. I am pretty sure that I dont have lung infection since I can always feel if there is an infection I usally smell something different or have difficulty breathing. There is a possibility that this only happened because I forced to cough. So decided to stay calm and observe it I did not take antibiotics, instead I continued to take 1 gloves or garlic and drink fresh aloe vera. This is an experiment lol I dont want to use antibiotics if it is not necessary. So far im still feeling good and no blood now in my sputum. I will let you know if what will happen next. I know this is kinda risky but my body and mind is telling that I dont need those meds this time. Happy 4th to everyone!

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@tdrell, Terri, OK .. then just WHAT is your "thick mucus " coming from?? Did they evaluate that?? BUT drinking lots of water if we can is really good for our kidneys if we are able to! Plus flushes any meds out of our bodies! Thanks for the info! Hugs! Katherine

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@katemn

@imeehaigt .. imee, you are SO lucky!! Philippines is listed on the company website as : country safe to purchase from. Lucky you .. it really does help! I prefer the 75mg time release .. can you get that form there? Curious .. what is the cost? Hugs! Katherine

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Boomer, this is JUST me .. but I prefer the Time Release 75mg Ambroxal Musosolvan that I can get when I can walk right into a pharmacy I know I can trust .. I search until I can get it .. so it stays in my body ! Just me. If the day comes when I have no other option .. who knows! Katherine

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@katemn

@imeehaigt .. imee, you are SO lucky!! Philippines is listed on the company website as : country safe to purchase from. Lucky you .. it really does help! I prefer the 75mg time release .. can you get that form there? Curious .. what is the cost? Hugs! Katherine

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Aww Im glad you researhed it, I used to have drug store I still have my license but im not sure how much it will cost if it will be shipped via fedex I will let you know once I visit manila and maybe I can buy for you and shipped it via fedex or if I have relatives travelling to US that they can just send it to you.

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@jula73, Jula .. I am assuming that is your first name .. PLEASE correct me if I am not correct! I am going to answer you on our Main MAC page because I want you to get LOTS of support from our wonderful Community of caring people! You said: I am a 73-year-old female with a recent diagnosis of MAC along with a history of 34 years of severe rheumatoid arthritis. I also have osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, GERD and a neuromuscular disease called CMT (Charcot Marie Tooth Disease). I also live with scoliosis which can be one of the symptoms of CMT and for which I had corrective surgery 11 years ago. My MAC diagnosis came about a month ago. I am not on treatment yet except for an inhaler. I have been reading many of the messages posted here and am learning quite a bit. One thing I have not noticed is mention of loss of voice or raspy voice. My voice has gotten raspy in the past when I have had sinus infections. I do not believe I have sinus trouble presently but my voice has been getting worse since the beginning of this year. I am trying to drink extra fluids but I am beginning to worry about losing my voice totally. I'm looking for suggestions. I am going to be scheduled for a bronchoscopy sometimes soon. I am a former LPN who worked on a post op surgical floor, in nursing homes and for many years as an occupational health nurse.
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Jula, I am REALLY glad you found us! Welcome! It sounds like you have REALLY been through the wringer with all your health issues .. some that seem to go hand and hand with MAC. MANY of our Group have RA and GERD. I am hoping someone will jump in on the " loss of voice or raspy voice".

You may be new to MAC .. but trust me .. we have ALL been on this journey .. all of us at a different point .. but all on this shared journey .. we are here to help you .. support you in any way we can. We have "been there .. done that". Know how scary it is in the beginning .. BUT have come through that time .. KNOW there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Know what that light is? Knowledge! Knowledge is POWER! Knowledge is learning to advocate for yourself. Knowledge is TAKING BACK your power over your health care! How do you do that? By reading through the past pages of our Forum .. JUST like you seem to be doing! CONTINUE to do that .. read the Connect Forum to educate yourself to our shared MAC disease?! Yes, of course you will! Then as you read .. feel free to come back with ALL your questions .. we are here for you EVERY step of the way. We know where you are right now .. how you feel .. how tough it is .. BUT we also know where you are going .. AND how you are going to get there!! BECAUSE we HAVE DONE IT!! We will walk this walk with you .. just keep coming back with your questions ,... concerns .. cares. We will be here. Sending you a hug in this tough time! Katherine

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@katemn

@jula73, Jula .. I am assuming that is your first name .. PLEASE correct me if I am not correct! I am going to answer you on our Main MAC page because I want you to get LOTS of support from our wonderful Community of caring people! You said: I am a 73-year-old female with a recent diagnosis of MAC along with a history of 34 years of severe rheumatoid arthritis. I also have osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, GERD and a neuromuscular disease called CMT (Charcot Marie Tooth Disease). I also live with scoliosis which can be one of the symptoms of CMT and for which I had corrective surgery 11 years ago. My MAC diagnosis came about a month ago. I am not on treatment yet except for an inhaler. I have been reading many of the messages posted here and am learning quite a bit. One thing I have not noticed is mention of loss of voice or raspy voice. My voice has gotten raspy in the past when I have had sinus infections. I do not believe I have sinus trouble presently but my voice has been getting worse since the beginning of this year. I am trying to drink extra fluids but I am beginning to worry about losing my voice totally. I'm looking for suggestions. I am going to be scheduled for a bronchoscopy sometimes soon. I am a former LPN who worked on a post op surgical floor, in nursing homes and for many years as an occupational health nurse.
=====
Jula, I am REALLY glad you found us! Welcome! It sounds like you have REALLY been through the wringer with all your health issues .. some that seem to go hand and hand with MAC. MANY of our Group have RA and GERD. I am hoping someone will jump in on the " loss of voice or raspy voice".

You may be new to MAC .. but trust me .. we have ALL been on this journey .. all of us at a different point .. but all on this shared journey .. we are here to help you .. support you in any way we can. We have "been there .. done that". Know how scary it is in the beginning .. BUT have come through that time .. KNOW there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Know what that light is? Knowledge! Knowledge is POWER! Knowledge is learning to advocate for yourself. Knowledge is TAKING BACK your power over your health care! How do you do that? By reading through the past pages of our Forum .. JUST like you seem to be doing! CONTINUE to do that .. read the Connect Forum to educate yourself to our shared MAC disease?! Yes, of course you will! Then as you read .. feel free to come back with ALL your questions .. we are here for you EVERY step of the way. We know where you are right now .. how you feel .. how tough it is .. BUT we also know where you are going .. AND how you are going to get there!! BECAUSE we HAVE DONE IT!! We will walk this walk with you .. just keep coming back with your questions ,... concerns .. cares. We will be here. Sending you a hug in this tough time! Katherine

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Hi Jula: When I had bad gerd, with hiatal hernia, my voice got raspy also. May be the acid in your throat. i stopped eating at night, and went low fat and it is controlled now. Also, sleep on left side a lot. xo

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@katemn

@imeehaigt .. imee, you are SO lucky!! Philippines is listed on the company website as : country safe to purchase from. Lucky you .. it really does help! I prefer the 75mg time release .. can you get that form there? Curious .. what is the cost? Hugs! Katherine

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@imeehaigt, Imee, I REALLY question if drugs would get over the border with all the drug trafficking!! AND if it would be worth it for your FAMILY or us!! It might seem legit and simple to us .. BUT just think of the consequences!! Too scary to me frankly. You just get YOUR supply when you go home .. EACH of us be responsible for our OWN supply of . DO NOT get ANYONE in trouble trying to be helpful! Per Mama Katherine! Hugs to all! Katherine

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@unicorn .. Christa Good information .. thank you! I also find I cough less when I sleep on my left side. Hug! Katherine

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@imeehaigt

Just last Sunday I did exercised at home and did my daily deep breathing excercise. As Ive said before its been over a month that I stopped producing sticky phlegm since I started to excercise everyday. When I cleared my lungs and tried to expel sputum I noticed a blood in my sputum I got alarmed again and was thinking of taking anti biotics. I am pretty sure that I dont have lung infection since I can always feel if there is an infection I usally smell something different or have difficulty breathing. There is a possibility that this only happened because I forced to cough. So decided to stay calm and observe it I did not take antibiotics, instead I continued to take 1 gloves or garlic and drink fresh aloe vera. This is an experiment lol I dont want to use antibiotics if it is not necessary. So far im still feeling good and no blood now in my sputum. I will let you know if what will happen next. I know this is kinda risky but my body and mind is telling that I dont need those meds this time. Happy 4th to everyone!

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Katemn....great question....where does my mucus come from if not an active pulmonary NTM infection. I assume a combination from
-chronic allergicq rhinorrhea....when pulmonologist at NJH was doing a laryngoscopy on my nose he noted and put it in the written summary "there was a copious amount of mucopurulent material present thru out" i already use steroid nose sprays as well as antihistamine nasal sprays as well as oral ones.
-esophagram I had over a year ago showed when i eat the food does not enter into the stomach at the normal speed.....it sits a long time....i notice more mucus coughed up after eating.
- i have allergies.
The above is my interpretation?...tdrell

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