← Return to New to MAC and considering treatments options: What did you do?

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@sue102

If your doctor does not mention airway clearance, it is time to change doctors. The guidelines for treating NTM are online. Anyone can look them up and any doctor can write a prescription. It takes a trained NTM specialist to know the rest. Please, find an institution with NTM department where pulmonologists, ID specialists work as a team along with respiratory physical therapists, pulmonary function lab and NTM microbiology lab. There you will get your respiratory functions tested to decide if you have any deficiencies, then you sit with a PT to teach you how to do airway clearance with special devices and medical grade saline solution. It has to be done correctly to benefit. The equipment must be cleaned and sterilized properly to prevent reinfection. They will teach you how to do it. You may be one of the lucky ones who clear up the infection without ever having to take the harsh antibiotics. Obviously, your infection is caught in its infancy, so you stand a very good chance. If going to NJH is a possibility for you, I recommend you start there. They know what to do like we know how to eat and drink. They have been doing it for ever and will schedule you to stay for a few days as outpatient. It is worth the time and cost. You will know you called the right place as soon as you speak to them. Beyond their testing and recommendations there is nothing for anyone else to add. I know that from experience. I wasted valuable time with local doctors who were not NTM specialists and my condition worsened until I discovered NJH and made the trip to them.
Best of luck.

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Replies to "If your doctor does not mention airway clearance, it is time to change doctors. The guidelines..."

Wow! Well, could you please tell me
1. how to find an NTM specialty department/institution (hopefully) nearest to me
2. the link for those guidelines that list the airway clearance as part of treatment

I appreciate your info and being direct to the point!

Is NJH National Jewish Hospital? Not familiar with the initials since I am new to this blog and all of this