mycobacteria

I am a 67 year old woman who was diagnosed almost a year ago with MAC through a bronchoscopy. I started not feeling well in 2014 and decided to retire from teaching after having taught since 1971. This was a difficult decision and when I started losing weight my doctor thought maybe I was depressed about retiring. My body aches and flu like symptoms were attributed to fibromyalgia even though I don't think I have the trigger points. I also was losing all my teeth and had to have implants. I am not normally a depressed person. Thankfully my son in law who is a Gyno sent me for a CT scan which showed the MAC, and consequent bronchoscopy confirmed it. I have been to infectious disease doctors at UMASS and here in Tennessee where we recently moved. I started on the treatment which just about killed me, so I stopped. I have no quality of life. I weigh barely 80 pounds as I have no appetite. I have ten children and eleven grand babies, and all I want is to feel better so I can "live." I don't know where or how I got this. One of my children swears it was the dentist office. A friend wonders about all the trips to China and having two children who were treated for TB because of Bcg. I guess it really doesn't matter. I am sick everyday, but am also grateful I have gotten this far. My mom and aunt died of lung cancer. None of us smoked. Personally, I think it's all genetically linked. Thank you for giving me a place to vent. My husband of almost 50 years has sarcoidosis! Irene

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