Cavitary MAC Resolved Completely on CT Scan?

Posted by bellsina71 @bellsina71, Sep 26, 2023

Hello everyone! I haven't been posting for a while because I've been so busy since I had my surgery in March. Everything's been going really great though. I think I told everyone they got all the cancer of the intestine, so I was just working on getting rid of the MAC!

I had a CT scan done about a week ago and the results came back and what it says is: complete resolution of right sided pulmonary cavitary lesion and also says that there are no nodules and no consolidation. There was quite a bit of consolidation when they started and tons of nodules. And I had a large cavity..3.5". I only started treatment in March for this. It seems crazy that this would resolve so quickly. I had been taking the Airikayce for the past couple months and prior to that was only on two of the three antibiotics because of a interaction with another medication. I was on the ethambutol and azithromycin. So I guess I'm one of those cases where I didn't need all three of those big antibiotics. My question is that I was told by my ID doctor that cavities don't go away. They can collapse, is that with this means? If it's completely resolved? I'm a little confused. I don't see my infectious disease doctor until November. I'm going to have to put a call into him. I guess. I did see my cancer doctor last week. He did look at the scan and he thought that it looked like my lung grew back. I told him that lungs don't grow back-obviously it's not his specialty! He did say it look like there was lung tissue there now where are the cavity had been. Who's He didn't have the right computer software to look at the CT scan like the radiologist can, but said that it looked a lot better than it did 3 months ago. Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone could give me some interpretation of what that could possibly mean? Does it sound like the cavity actually collapsed if it says complete resolution? Previous CT scans it would say that it was an abscess or it would say it was a cavity, I think it was a combination of both depending if it was infected or not...

Anyway, any advice anyone can give would be great. I hope everyone's doing really well on here! There's a couple people I've kept in contact with on here. In my lowest of low times this was the best site that I've ever been on for people to really be helpful and uplifting!! Thank you all!!!! Love and healing!!!!!!

Angela

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the MAC & Bronchiectasis Support Group.

Thank you for such quick responses

REPLY

Volusia county, Florida

I was thinking that I might need to go to Mayo/ Jacksonville but that's a hike if someone is closer.

REPLY
@judi55

I've been going to a pulmonologist for three years now who requests 2 CT scans every six months and has a wait and see attitude. I'm getting to where I don't want repeated scans because that doesn't sound healthy, but I don't want to take a heavy course of antibiotics either. I eat well and exercise so this condition doesn't affect my life at this point but my concern is waiting until it does when something might have been done to prevent a worsened condition. Thoughts?

Jump to this post

Do anything to prevent a cavity to form

REPLY
@judi55

Volusia County and thank you

Jump to this post

Judi55. I am in Volusia county as well and after reading your posts, they sound very familiar

REPLY
@shar1120

Judi55. I am in Volusia county as well and after reading your posts, they sound very familiar

Jump to this post

Familiar? As in how the doctor is treating my condition?

REPLY
@judi55

The doctor diagnosed both MAC and a question of asbestos exposure to my CT scans. I do agree that I need to find someone else. I feel in the dark about this condition.

Jump to this post

Yes please go see a different doctor because I don't think you're being treated right at all. I'm wondering what he thought asbestos would have to do with anything?! Run!

REPLY

Hi Angela. That is great news. I wasn’t going to post my good news because I had so many negative responses to my treatment of just Azithromycin and supplements but I went to my ID doctor last week and I had read the CT scan correctly. I have no more infection. I do still have cavities but no symptoms at all except a pain in my right side now and then. She said it was inflammation between my lung and lining and to try Celebrex or similar which my regular doctor did prescribe and it is working fine. The ID doctor wasn’t sure why my infection went away with my just taking Azithromycin and my concoction of vitamins and supplements but it is gone and that is what counts. She said a CT every 3to 6 months to be sure we catch it if it comes back. I don’t see her again for 1 year unless it comes back. I still have to see a pulmonologist and keep up the CT scans and I am sure he will be surprised that there is no more infection too.
Naturally I was thrilled with what she said because I was prepared to tell her I wasn’t going to take any antibiotics besides Azithromycin.
I knew I could beat this by willpower and building my immune system.
I am so happy to hear that someone else has had wonderful news about their lung issues.
Renee

REPLY
@rchildress

Hi Angela. That is great news. I wasn’t going to post my good news because I had so many negative responses to my treatment of just Azithromycin and supplements but I went to my ID doctor last week and I had read the CT scan correctly. I have no more infection. I do still have cavities but no symptoms at all except a pain in my right side now and then. She said it was inflammation between my lung and lining and to try Celebrex or similar which my regular doctor did prescribe and it is working fine. The ID doctor wasn’t sure why my infection went away with my just taking Azithromycin and my concoction of vitamins and supplements but it is gone and that is what counts. She said a CT every 3to 6 months to be sure we catch it if it comes back. I don’t see her again for 1 year unless it comes back. I still have to see a pulmonologist and keep up the CT scans and I am sure he will be surprised that there is no more infection too.
Naturally I was thrilled with what she said because I was prepared to tell her I wasn’t going to take any antibiotics besides Azithromycin.
I knew I could beat this by willpower and building my immune system.
I am so happy to hear that someone else has had wonderful news about their lung issues.
Renee

Jump to this post

What supplements did you take along with the antibiotic?

REPLY
@rchildress

Hi Angela. That is great news. I wasn’t going to post my good news because I had so many negative responses to my treatment of just Azithromycin and supplements but I went to my ID doctor last week and I had read the CT scan correctly. I have no more infection. I do still have cavities but no symptoms at all except a pain in my right side now and then. She said it was inflammation between my lung and lining and to try Celebrex or similar which my regular doctor did prescribe and it is working fine. The ID doctor wasn’t sure why my infection went away with my just taking Azithromycin and my concoction of vitamins and supplements but it is gone and that is what counts. She said a CT every 3to 6 months to be sure we catch it if it comes back. I don’t see her again for 1 year unless it comes back. I still have to see a pulmonologist and keep up the CT scans and I am sure he will be surprised that there is no more infection too.
Naturally I was thrilled with what she said because I was prepared to tell her I wasn’t going to take any antibiotics besides Azithromycin.
I knew I could beat this by willpower and building my immune system.
I am so happy to hear that someone else has had wonderful news about their lung issues.
Renee

Jump to this post

Renee, that's fabulous news! I'm really happy to hear that! It doesn't appear that I have anything anymore either, my doctor wants me to continue on the antibiotics until we hit a year! I think it's just precautionary to make sure. My cavity actually is gone! I mean there's scar tissue there he said, but it either closed up or caved in and I'm a little bit surprised because it hasn't been that long since I started the treatment.. I don't know if they ever figured out how you got this, but I went to an immunologist and they did every test they could run and still can't figure out how I ever got this darn thing. Keep me updated if you hear anything else or if it comes back because I'd be really interested. I'm hoping it stays away for good though. It sounds like you're on a good path! 👍
Angela

REPLY

I would like to know what supplements Angela and Renee took to get such good results with their MAC and cavities.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.