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Have MAC and coughing up blood
MAC & Bronchiectasis | Last Active: Jan 26, 2023 | Replies (33)Comment receiving replies
Thank you for these replies. Truly comforting to know so many suffer with this. I’d never heard of MAC or bronchiectasis prior to my sister’s diagnosis. Let me add that I am 60 years old. I’ve run 6 marathons & countless half marathons. My last one was March 2020. Not sure if those are in my future but for now I run 6 days a week. Not always distance but something to get my lungs working. I’ve zero symptoms apart from almost daily coughing episodes and I keep working at it till my lungs crackle no longer. Blood sometimes. The last large bright red episode was last August but several not so frightening episodes since then. My first pulmonary function test was normal and my excellent lung dr says if second one also normal by comparison we can hold off on meds. I truly feel fine, no fatigue or needing extra sleep, very energetic. I was taking clear lungs but switched to mullein, NAC, echinacea & vit d. Was taking more but now just these. My big questions are - can it go away on its own? Or if not. Can I keep it from getting worse & live a good life into ripe old age unless something else gets me? Thank you!
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Good to hear that you are staying healthy. My Mom lived with Bronchiectasis for many years, and died in her mid-80s of something else entirely, so I figure this is something we live with, much like any other ailment.
In answer to your question, Bronchiectasis cannot go away, it is a permanent dysfunction of the lung, with airways that no longer react properly. By avoiding infections, we can often limit the progression.
MAC infections and other opportunists like Pseudomonas that attack our lungs can go away, sometimes without antibiotics, but because we are always at risk, we are not actually considered to be cured.
As far as everyone testing positive being treated with antibiotics, that is not generally the case. Usually it is positive culture plus evidence of lung damage like nodules and cavities, or symptoms. Here is the current guidance: https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/nontuberculous-mycobacteria/diagnosing-and-treating-ntm
Are you doing daily airway clearance to help keep mucus out of your lungs?
Sue