Do I Need to Isolate with Pseudomonas

Likely, the reason you acquired pseudomonas is due to bronchiectasis. Those without bronchiectasis fight off pseudomonas as they do not have a structural lung disorder. They are not "compromised". Thus, I do not believe pseudomonas is contagious to "healthy" people. They might breathe pseudomonas in, and out it goes. If you or I breathe in pseudomonas, repeatedly day after day, week after week etc [maybe an exposure from garden, shower etc] pseudomonas finds a weakness and takes hold. This is why twice a day airway clearance is the mainstay of treatment for bronchiectasis. It helps remove invaders, and the 7% saline makes our lungs inhospitable to pseudomonas and more.

I'm tagging @irenea8 who will no doubt have more insight.

@scoop Right on!!!

You are not contagious per say. There is no reason your friends should not visit you. I have had Pseudomonas for a long time and a very bad case of it and my husband has not gotten it! For my own sake if anyone visits we sit outside and at a safe distance. But I do that for my own sake so I do not pick up anything from them! As long as you do not cough in someone's face and practice good hygiene with surfaces and hand washing, a healthy person is very unlikely to get it. If you had a friend with Bronchiectasis like you, you might be more careful but Pseudo is everywhere in our environment. This from NIH study:

At present, the evidence for the risk of cross-infection in the outpatient setting is very limited. There is evidence of likely cross-infection with P. aeruginosa, although these episodes seem to be rare. With potentially growing cohorts, and the promotion of bronchiectasis-specific clinics and pulmonary rehabilitation programmes, further high-quality research is required to investigate cross-infection risk by P. aeruginosa and other pathogens. With our current knowledge base, adherence to sensible basic infection control measures should be standard practice, without the imposition of stricter segregation policies

Thanks, folks, for your responses. They are very much appreciated. My diagnoses of mild bronchiectasis, high bacterial load psuedomonas aeruginosa, and a positive culture of mycobacterium intracellular (grown in 2.5 weeks) is all new to me from less than a month ago. My first CT scan where a radiologist said my multiple waxing and waning pulmonary nodules with "tree in bud" patterns were suggestive of endobronchial infection was 3 years and two months ago. My first symptoms showed up a couple months ago and were very mild.
That continues today. I mostly just have some occasional heaviness and very minor soreness in my chest. If my November 10th CT scan shows worsening of my lung situation, the pulmonologist said he wants to start me on the antibiotic cocktail. I don't know whether I will comply or not. My symptoms are so mild, and the adverse side effects from the antibiotics--from what I have read at least--can be serious and permanent. At this point, I am undecided as to what I will do. Best Wishes to you all!

I'm just wondering if you are doing airway clearance. It is a basic therapy for bronchiectasis.

@mark1952
If your Pseudomonas is fairly recent I would try treating it asap. Early on it is at least possible to eradicate it. If you wait and do not treat it will become impossible to get rid of it. You do NOT want that to happen. Outcomes with Pseudomonas are the worse. The MAC treatment can wait but consider treating the Pseudo if your Dr agrees. And it might have to be fairly aggressive.

@pacathy
Yes, pacathy, I have watched the airway clearance techniques videos and I do that twice a day. If I bring up any sputum, it is just a clear or white slippery fluid. When the PA at the Pulmonologist's office listens to my lungs, she says they sound free and clear. Oximeter reading is usually 99% SpO2. The spirometer reading usually goes up to the top (4000 ml) if I exhale a bit before inhaling for the test. I know these things are only a part of the picture. Perhaps I may be in denial a bit about the seriousness of my situation. 🙄

@irenea8
Thanks, irenea8! I should have mentioned that I completed two weeks of Ciprofloxacin for the pseudomonas a little over a week ago. I was taking a 500mg tab twice daily. Not sure if that would be considered aggressive or not.

@mark1952
Did they retest afterwards to see if the pseudo is there? Usually Cipro alone is not enough. Follow up with Tobramycin often recommended to get the rest. Or even IV and hit it hard.