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@tdrell

@jasmine321 ....I am curious what criteria your pulmonologist uses to start treatment for NTM. Because my local ID doctors would have rushed to put me on the triple antibiotic meds with one positive culture, my ID doc at NJH saw no indication for treatment. I asked her what I should say to local docs. She said the gold standard to consider Rx is 2 positive sputum cultures and CT scan showing bronchiectasis. Tdrell44

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Replies to "@jasmine321 ....I am curious what criteria your pulmonologist uses to start treatment for NTM. Because my..."

@tdrell I was diagnosed with bronchiectasis and MAC in 2011. Took triple antibiotics for 12 months and was MAC free for 7 years. I saw my pulmonologist last month because I was having more frequent dry coughs plus occasional productive coughs. He ordered sputum culture and AFB. Sputum culture was positive for staph aures. My pulmonologist was on vacation when the results came out so the covering physician ordered Levaquin for 7 days. After Levaquin, I’m back to baseline. Saw my pulmonologist last Friday and he said I have mild MAC. He ordered CT scan because the chest xray done last month looks worse than my chest X-ray 3 years ago. He’ll decide on what to do next when he gets the result of CT scan. For now, I feel a lot better, just occasional dry coughs. He told me to continue with nebulizer twice a day and the flutter valve (acapella -green) daily.

My pulmo who specializes in MAC keeps it simple...no symptoms? No need to treat...