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

I saw her two weeks ago while I was hospitalized. She is the one that raised the ethambutol and rifabutin. Glad to hear that she is knowledgeable on MAC. Hopefully I will be able to be treated here in Tallahassee. Thank you!

Hi all,

I'm excited to have found this group. I am posting on behalf of my mother who was diagnosed with MAI about 15 months ago, and she's been on antibiotics for 13 of of those months. She recently got pneumonia, was hospitalized, was taken off of those - as they gave her other things - and in the last month or so, has been home healing up. She's struggling with the disease and I'm not sure how to help her. If anyone has advice or insight to our questions, I'm thankful in advance:

- While she was on the antibiotics, prior to the pneumonia, she was generally not feeling great, but her health seemed to be stable.
- Since she came out of the hospital, her pulmonary doctor said she can discontinue the antibiotics. Her recent CT scan shows no additional changes from last year, which is good news I think. But is discontinuing the medicine typical?
- My mother feels weak, has no energy, and says she's very uncomfortable, more than before. Should she expect to feel better? She seems to be healing very slowly, even at times it seems she's gotten worse than before; it's hard to tell.
- My mother also has depression. It's hard for the family to tell how much of this is physical and mental, though I know the two are intertwined. I'm going to suggest she go to a therapist in addition to her psychiatrist visits (30 mins once a month).
- Has anyone had experience with an MAI specialist in New York City? I tried calling Mt Sinai (who I understand is now associated with National Jewish Health) but their generalized appointment hotline was not very helpful.

Thank you,
Charmaine

I have not posted in a while. I have been off the MAC meds for a year. I am doing well. My meds were not stopped until I had negative sputum results, twice. I continue to see Pulmonologist every three months and have a chest x-ray every visit. There have been no changes suggestive of return of MAC. I have scarring that never changes. I feel well and have regain the weight I lost. I hope this is encouraging to other MAC patients.

Hi all,

I'm excited to have found this group. I am posting on behalf of my mother who was diagnosed with MAI about 15 months ago, and she's been on antibiotics for 13 of of those months. She recently got pneumonia, was hospitalized, was taken off of those - as they gave her other things - and in the last month or so, has been home healing up. She's struggling with the disease and I'm not sure how to help her. If anyone has advice or insight to our questions, I'm thankful in advance:

- While she was on the antibiotics, prior to the pneumonia, she was generally not feeling great, but her health seemed to be stable.
- Since she came out of the hospital, her pulmonary doctor said she can discontinue the antibiotics. Her recent CT scan shows no additional changes from last year, which is good news I think. But is discontinuing the medicine typical?
- My mother feels weak, has no energy, and says she's very uncomfortable, more than before. Should she expect to feel better? She seems to be healing very slowly, even at times it seems she's gotten worse than before; it's hard to tell.
- My mother also has depression. It's hard for the family to tell how much of this is physical and mental, though I know the two are intertwined. I'm going to suggest she go to a therapist in addition to her psychiatrist visits (30 mins once a month).
- Has anyone had experience with an MAI specialist in New York City? I tried calling Mt Sinai (who I understand is now associated with National Jewish Health) but their generalized appointment hotline was not very helpful.

Thank you,
Charmaine

I had quad-bypass in October 2015. When the drain tubes were removed they ruptured an artery and I ended up in a coma. I came out ok, but spent 7 weeks in hospital. I kept telling Drs I had fever/sweats, joint pain, nausea, vomiting and other problems. They ignored me. Went to Drs all of 2016 until they dropped me saying nothing was wrong. In 2017 I started going to the hospital... same one that did surgery. 5x was diagnosed with pneumonia. Finally went to another hospital and they immediately diagnosed me with MAC using same lab reports from first hospital. put me on ethambutol, rfiabutin and azithromycin. After 9 weeks everything was still the same. raised antibiotics 2 weeks ago. Still very sick, not sure what to do.

I had quad-bypass in October 2015. When the drain tubes were removed they ruptured an artery and I ended up in a coma. I came out ok, but spent 7 weeks in hospital. I kept telling Drs I had fever/sweats, joint pain, nausea, vomiting and other problems. They ignored me. Went to Drs all of 2016 until they dropped me saying nothing was wrong. In 2017 I started going to the hospital... same one that did surgery. 5x was diagnosed with pneumonia. Finally went to another hospital and they immediately diagnosed me with MAC using same lab reports from first hospital. put me on ethambutol, rfiabutin and azithromycin. After 9 weeks everything was still the same. raised antibiotics 2 weeks ago. Still very sick, not sure what to do.

Hi all,

I'm excited to have found this group. I am posting on behalf of my mother who was diagnosed with MAI about 15 months ago, and she's been on antibiotics for 13 of of those months. She recently got pneumonia, was hospitalized, was taken off of those - as they gave her other things - and in the last month or so, has been home healing up. She's struggling with the disease and I'm not sure how to help her. If anyone has advice or insight to our questions, I'm thankful in advance:

- While she was on the antibiotics, prior to the pneumonia, she was generally not feeling great, but her health seemed to be stable.
- Since she came out of the hospital, her pulmonary doctor said she can discontinue the antibiotics. Her recent CT scan shows no additional changes from last year, which is good news I think. But is discontinuing the medicine typical?
- My mother feels weak, has no energy, and says she's very uncomfortable, more than before. Should she expect to feel better? She seems to be healing very slowly, even at times it seems she's gotten worse than before; it's hard to tell.
- My mother also has depression. It's hard for the family to tell how much of this is physical and mental, though I know the two are intertwined. I'm going to suggest she go to a therapist in addition to her psychiatrist visits (30 mins once a month).
- Has anyone had experience with an MAI specialist in New York City? I tried calling Mt Sinai (who I understand is now associated with National Jewish Health) but their generalized appointment hotline was not very helpful.

Thank you,
Charmaine

I have not posted in a while. I have been off the MAC meds for a year. I am doing well. My meds were not stopped until I had negative sputum results, twice. I continue to see Pulmonologist every three months and have a chest x-ray every visit. There have been no changes suggestive of return of MAC. I have scarring that never changes. I feel well and have regain the weight I lost. I hope this is encouraging to other MAC patients.

Hi all,

I'm excited to have found this group. I am posting on behalf of my mother who was diagnosed with MAI about 15 months ago, and she's been on antibiotics for 13 of of those months. She recently got pneumonia, was hospitalized, was taken off of those - as they gave her other things - and in the last month or so, has been home healing up. She's struggling with the disease and I'm not sure how to help her. If anyone has advice or insight to our questions, I'm thankful in advance:

- While she was on the antibiotics, prior to the pneumonia, she was generally not feeling great, but her health seemed to be stable.
- Since she came out of the hospital, her pulmonary doctor said she can discontinue the antibiotics. Her recent CT scan shows no additional changes from last year, which is good news I think. But is discontinuing the medicine typical?
- My mother feels weak, has no energy, and says she's very uncomfortable, more than before. Should she expect to feel better? She seems to be healing very slowly, even at times it seems she's gotten worse than before; it's hard to tell.
- My mother also has depression. It's hard for the family to tell how much of this is physical and mental, though I know the two are intertwined. I'm going to suggest she go to a therapist in addition to her psychiatrist visits (30 mins once a month).
- Has anyone had experience with an MAI specialist in New York City? I tried calling Mt Sinai (who I understand is now associated with National Jewish Health) but their generalized appointment hotline was not very helpful.

Thank you,
Charmaine

Hi all,

I'm excited to have found this group. I am posting on behalf of my mother who was diagnosed with MAI about 15 months ago, and she's been on antibiotics for 13 of of those months. She recently got pneumonia, was hospitalized, was taken off of those - as they gave her other things - and in the last month or so, has been home healing up. She's struggling with the disease and I'm not sure how to help her. If anyone has advice or insight to our questions, I'm thankful in advance:

- While she was on the antibiotics, prior to the pneumonia, she was generally not feeling great, but her health seemed to be stable.
- Since she came out of the hospital, her pulmonary doctor said she can discontinue the antibiotics. Her recent CT scan shows no additional changes from last year, which is good news I think. But is discontinuing the medicine typical?
- My mother feels weak, has no energy, and says she's very uncomfortable, more than before. Should she expect to feel better? She seems to be healing very slowly, even at times it seems she's gotten worse than before; it's hard to tell.
- My mother also has depression. It's hard for the family to tell how much of this is physical and mental, though I know the two are intertwined. I'm going to suggest she go to a therapist in addition to her psychiatrist visits (30 mins once a month).
- Has anyone had experience with an MAI specialist in New York City? I tried calling Mt Sinai (who I understand is now associated with National Jewish Health) but their generalized appointment hotline was not very helpful.

Thank you,
Charmaine