MAC Infection Treatment

I believe that is what Mac is . I was on 3 antibiotics for 3 months. It took years before I found out what I have. I use a saline solution at 9% and inhale that and I also go into my steam room almost every night. You likley can cut back on the drugs. They make u feel worse than the mac. I have been really good but got run down and have a bad chest cold right now. Need to keep moving out that fluid and the salt will help. You will get better soon. Mac is not a death sentence. I have had it for 30 years gm

I am really sorry for you. I was also diagnosed with mac, I just found out and I also got a diagnosis with the bronchoscopy of Klebsiella pneumonia. They put me on antibiotics for the pneumonia, but I just found out tonight about the mac. I am really scared! I also found out during all of this with the routine EDG that I have a aggressive form of cancer in my intestine, and I have to have surgery on that. It's scheduled for March 4th and I'm hoping they don't cancel the surgery because of the mac. I'm not really having any symptoms. I have been on antibiotics because of the pneumonia, but in the last couple days I have had a little bit of feeling like I can't take a good deep breath sometimes, it's not all the time though. I'm just so worried about everything. And scared. I had a CT done on Friday and even though the results aren't back from that yet, the doctor put in the notes after he talked to me tonight that the preliminary CT scan results were showing a cavity in my lung. I don't think I've ever been so freaked out. I'm 52, female, and haven't smoked in 3 years... I'm not sure how long I've had this.

Hi Belsina and to ANY ONE ELSE who MIGHT HAVE ANY TIPS RE THE CHRONIC MAC COUGH.
I understand your fear having been through something similar. I came down with Breast Cancer early last year and was all set to have surgery, when my pre op chest xray showed a huge mass in the upper quadrant of my left lung. Surgery was canceled until a other tests could be performed. I was very frightened but advocated for a new therapist, joined CALM and began to utilize guided meditations and my anxiety and fearfulness have now subsided.
I was eventually diagnosed with MAC which I still don't know enough about. I'm on the Big 3 since June of last year however my biggest complaint are the coughing fits that started in August and have been going on and off until today with one 3 week break when I was prescribed a short 8 day dose of prednisone. The horrific coughing now continues. Worked on using a nebulizer with albuterol only but stopped because it made my cough even more violent. ANY THOUGHTS WOULD BE APPRECIATED Have an appointment with my Pulmonary Doctor 4 weeks from now....THANK YOU, FLO

Thank you for your message! Your case sounds similar to mine except I am not on any antibiotics yet. I just found out. Did you have any symptoms at all leading up to the coughing after being on the antibiotics? Because I don't have any symptoms at all yet, I'm a little short on breath but I also have had some pneumonia up there. Although I think that's pretty much gone now I've been on antibiotics for a week and a half. I also had a huge mass on my right lung, which they thought was cancer, and they went and poked around in there and you know it was coming back as an infection. I'm not sure if that Mass is where the Mac is? Is that where it is? Because I also had Klebsiella pneumonia at the same time. This is all very confusing to me. I'm really scared. How did the antibiotics make you feel? Are you tired all the time like a lot of people on here or are you feeling okay? I ask because I take care of my 5-year-old granddaughter. I can't be tired all the time.
I feel so bad for you that you're coughing all the time. There's got to be something they can give you? Why can't they give you the presidone again and keep you on it indefinitely? I would talk to your doctor and tell them how bad this coughing is and that you have to get something else that's going to work because what they've given you isn't working. There has to be different things they can try. But if you could let me know if you had any other symptoms leading up to this for the Mac, but your case is so similar to mine because I had a huge mass on my lung too. I was about 5.7 cm...
Thank you for all your information and I hope that they can give you something and help you with that cough and I hope some more people respond to you with some good advice that have been going through this a little longer.
Angela