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

Discussion
Comment receiving replies
@extracare808

I was diagnosed by a community pulmonologist in AZ a couple of months ago, but decided to get a second opinion at Mayo. There's been an interesting turn of events regarding my diagnosis because my AZ Mayo pulmo consulted with a pathologist colleague at Mayo Rochester who reviewed my culture slides and did not see any MAC, but did see fungi, so now they think the infection and cavity is due to fungal growth. Not sure why the fungi weren't seen the first time around by the AZ state pathologists. He believes there could have been MAC in the culture, but that it was secondary to the fungal infection and that there may have been culture contamination. If there was contamination, still don't understand why the Mayo pathologist isn't seeing MAC on the slides though. Anyway, still need to get more testing to find out if I have a gene that puts me on the 'mild' CF spectrum (also being sent to Rochester). Apparently, 3 to 4 percent of the population have a CF gene, but are asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms. All this to emphasize the importance of seeking second opinions from experts in the field.

Jump to this post


Replies to "I was diagnosed by a community pulmonologist in AZ a couple of months ago, but decided..."

Since a bronchoscopy on Tuesday, I have been told that the cultures are clear, but the fungi check which takes many weeks is for the MAC/MCI. However, bronchiectasis with chronic infection (MCI) was noted by 3 different physicians on an abdominal CT scan, an abdominal MRI and a HRCT lung scan, so I figure it is going to be there on the path report. Never knew I had a problem until a couple weeks ago when it was noted on a routine abdominal scan following my breast cancer. So, added another doctor (pulmonologist) to my list and looks like an ID doc in my future. My breast cancer was an ATM gene mutation, so who knows if the bronch was a gene-thing also?

@extracare808, Hi. Did they test you for Valley Fever also? (coccidioides immitis- fungus) I had that when I lived in Az. It ate a hole in my lung. I was quite ill from it for two months. Many people get this when they go to Az.