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@skylarkny

@windwalker Hi Terri, thank you so much for writing back so fast. It really helps to not feel alone in this. What is hard for me is I am not immunocompromised, and i don't understand why I have this. i have been a very healthy and active 56 year old normally runs 5-6 miles a week and takes ballet, hikes, dances, etc. I don't smoke, (quit 30 years ago) but I sound like I have emphysema right now... I realize that I have been very lucky with my health until now and am still lucky but it's hard to have something out of the blue that doesn't seem to have a cure. Anyway, I'm glad I found this resource and thank you for the tea recommendation. I will definitely go get some tomorrow!

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Replies to "@windwalker Hi Terri, thank you so much for writing back so fast. It really helps to..."

@skylarkny Just to make you feel even less alone, I have bronchiectasis and MAC. But, just like you, I'm not immunocompromised and have been very active as well, playing tennis all year round several times a week. I've never smoked and rarely drink. But I coughed up huge amount of blood completely out of the blue one day (after having played tennis for 1.5 hours no less). I spent a night in the ER and continued to cough up blood until the small hours of next day. The words "TB" and "lung cancer" were throwing around all night long and everybody immediately gowned up and put on face masks. I was terrified and feeling completely alone although my husband was right there by my side. When my diagnosis came, I was caught off guard as I had never heard of MAC. The only difference that you and I now have is that, after the blood bath night, I went back to lead a normal life and I still am, with no treatment of antibiotics and no symptoms that others have complained of having, such as fatigue. However, I do still cough and have thick mucus. I don't expect that to go away any time soon, or maybe ever, due to my bronchiectasis. And I'm learning to cope with it the best I know how and not to let it hinder the way I would like to live my life. Hope you eventually find a treatment that suits your situation and gets you back on track to being active again. I'm sure it will happen. We just have to keep a positive outlook and never give up.