@aoise welcome! No GP...find a Pulmo or Infectious disease doc well versed w/MAC...only way to go for best treatment

@aoise welcome to the group, we are a wonderful caring group, with alot of knowledge. At first the meds can cause side effects , however it gets alot better, I have been on them over 4 years now . At first MAC can be confusing so please dont hesitate to ask us any questions. Heather

@aoise I'm writing to encourage you to consider the treatment if it's being recommended for you. I was adamantly opposed to taking the treatment because my former pulmonologist had frightened me, told me "the treatment is worse than the disease." But then my condition worsened and I developed cavities in my lungs. Now I'm sorry I didn't begin the treatment sooner because it could possibly have reduced the amount of damage caused by the NTM infection. I've been on the treatment (azithromycin, ethambutol, and rifampin) for two months. It's not fun but it's doable and I can see that it's reducing signs of infection. I would encourage you to try to think beyond your current circumstances and make every effort to limit further damage. Best wishes! Olivia in California

@aoise Hi, so sorry you’ve joined the club. I will probably have to start treatment soon, too, and like you I dread it. To the positive, I did make it 2 years without having to do the big 3. Prayers for us all.

@aoise welcome to this site with all these wonderful women. I'm not on here very much but I read everything. I got diagnosed over two years and was totally asymptomatic and the bronchiectasis was found accidentally when I had a breast MRI (I have breast cancer in my family) by a very good radiologist. Some docs probably might not have treated me because I wasn't sick but when I followed up with CT scan my local pulmonologist said my lungs looked bad and started me on the big 3. Two years later I'm glad I went ahead and did it only because my lungs would have probably even gotten worse. I had no problems with the big three. I did get tinnitus in my ears near the end but that was it. And I have my own business and still work six days a week still because I have to and decided not to let this disease get the best of me. I do get tired but I was tired before so I never know if it's the disease or not. I did get the bad flu this past February with a horrible cough and the cough has "set" in...I've been coughing for nine months now and sound like a sick donkey when I cough. So now I actually feel like I have lung disease with the coughing and phlegm. But I'm going to a new doctor who specializes in bronchiectasis at the Medical University in Charleston, SC so I'm feeling good about that. My last sputum test showed no MAC but that bug can pop back up at anytime. @windwalker is our fearless leader and mentor of the group but there are so many others that have so much good advice...@boomerexpert @tdrell @heathert @ling (i'm not sure if I've written ling's name right) and more. I have learned so much from all of them and others.. Hang in there. Nan in SC