MAC infection in knee?

From what I was told, I got the impression that having MAC in the lungs is a bit better than having it anywhere else in the body where it may spread faster. So, I guess, in some weird way, we should count our lucky stars (?!). My mantra that helps me get through the rough days: "Things could always be worse."

Well, the bad news is NTM (non-tubercular mycobacteria) is everywhere - in the air, water and soil. Further bad news - there are hundreds of known strains.
The good news is, most strains don't cause infection in humans. And more good news is, even those which do generally only infect a miniscule percent of the population. For something that is everywhere - only one person in 1000 (.1%) develops an NTM infection needing treatment in any year.
Usually, NTM infects people with already unhealthy lungs - those who have Bronchiectasis or Cystic Fibrosis, or people with severely compromised immune systems. And it is treatable. NTM infections like the one mentioned from the guy with the imbedded cactus spine are so rare as to practically be medical oddities.

I'm afraid if I worried about being exposed to NTM, I would need to live in a sterile bubble. Instead, I just use airway clearance and a healthy lifestyle with reasonable precautions to keep MAC and Pseudomonas from settling into my lungs again. It has been working for 3 1/2 years now with no drugs!
Sue

Well, I finally saw a pulmonologist yesterday for my MAC and he said I need to take the 3 antibiotics or do the nebulizer. Because of side effects I chose to stay on only azithromycin and B Complex and B12 shots plus all my other immune boosting things. He was nice. Told me azithromycin would not kill the bug (as he called it) and I could possibly turn it into a superbug that could not be stopped but if I am feeling good with just what I am doing he agreed to that and said we would do a CT in 4 months and see if it has progressed then make choices. I feel like the body is capable of many things so onward I will go with a positive attitude that I can suppress this with what I am doing. I am to active to let these drugs get me down. Life is to short as it is. Oh, he also told me that it is not what is wrong with my knee. He actually said it doesn’t go to the knees. Anyway, all is good 😊

Well, I finally saw a pulmonologist yesterday for my MAC and he said I need to take the 3 antibiotics or do the nebulizer. Because of side effects I chose to stay on only azithromycin and B Complex and B12 shots plus all my other immune boosting things. He was nice. Told me azithromycin would not kill the bug (as he called it) and I could possibly turn it into a superbug that could not be stopped but if I am feeling good with just what I am doing he agreed to that and said we would do a CT in 4 months and see if it has progressed then make choices. I feel like the body is capable of many things so onward I will go with a positive attitude that I can suppress this with what I am doing. I am to active to let these drugs get me down. Life is to short as it is. Oh, he also told me that it is not what is wrong with my knee. He actually said it doesn’t go to the knees. Anyway, all is good 😊

Boy, I would really heed his warning about the Azithromycin but that is just me!

Are you using 7% saline nebs and airway clearance to help knock out the MAC? If so, I might be comfortable with this approach, otherwise yeah - my PCP believes overuse of Z-Paks (azithromycin) has contributed to the increase in superbugs. Azithromycin is a "big gun" in the antibiotic arsenal, and we need to ne very careful it doesn't become useless as a weapon.
Sue

I am not using a nebulizer at all. My airways are not a problem and I breathe fine. Wouldn’t know I was even sick if not for the test results. Once I started the azithromycin I started feeling so much better.
I have a nurse practitioner looking into ways to really boost my immune system to fight this then I will quit taking the azithromycin and see how I feel. It apparently has been doing some good because I did start feeling good pretty quickly after starting it. I am just not willing to sacrifice possibly loosing my eyesight and I already have non-alcohol fatty liver and watched my dad recently die with cardiac cirrhosis of the liver and sure don’t want that either. Guess I am trying yo find lessor of all evils.

I am not using a nebulizer at all. My airways are not a problem and I breathe fine. Wouldn’t know I was even sick if not for the test results. Once I started the azithromycin I started feeling so much better.
I have a nurse practitioner looking into ways to really boost my immune system to fight this then I will quit taking the azithromycin and see how I feel. It apparently has been doing some good because I did start feeling good pretty quickly after starting it. I am just not willing to sacrifice possibly loosing my eyesight and I already have non-alcohol fatty liver and watched my dad recently die with cardiac cirrhosis of the liver and sure don’t want that either. Guess I am trying yo find lessor of all evils.