Here comes the dreaded answer - It depends.

Due to side effects, I had to stop antibiotics after 19 months while still having MAC-positive cultures, but CT signs of improvement and I had less symptoms. I immediately transitioned to 7% saline nebs along with levalbuterol and/or duoneb as needed for other symptoms, with airway clearance.

I have stayed asymptomatic for 22 months, except one small flare managed with additional nebs and a course of prednisone. In July, my CT scan showed no change from December 2019, but I have not had another sputum culture, and will not unless I become symptomatic. Some other people with low colony counts of MAC or with no tolerance for the antibiotics have had similar experiences. Still others have had increasing colony counts, or symptoms, and had to use antibiotics.

All that said, we NEVER say we have "gotten rid of MAC" - only knocked it down to the point we can monitor it and live with it - most people will have more than one bout, whether or not they use antibiotics.

So what is the takeaway? If you don't have serious active symptoms like fever, weight loss, unstoppable cough, shortness of breath, the CT scan doesn't show cavities or nodules in your lungs, and you have a moderate colony count of MAC, but not an aggressive form like M.abscessus, you might be a candidate for conservative treatment with aggressive airway clearance, 7% saline, al healthy diet and close monitoring.

Find a doctor - pulmonologist or infectious disease - experienced in managing MAC and bronchiectasis - to evaluate your own situation.

What has been your experience so far?
Sue