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National Jewish Health Appt
BE since 2012. Positive for MAC December 2025 from sputum culture. Referred to NJH, and appointments are currently scheduled for May 2026. A local pulmonary specialist performed a bronchoscopy in January 2026. The bronchoscopy culture was NEG for MAC, but I was positive for Pseudomonas.
NJH said that I can continue with my appointment if I want to. My local doctor said they felt confident to manage the BE.
I am a thin, 59-year-old female (more susceptible to MAC) and run a horse farm, where I cut 14 acres of grass, clean horse stalls, etc.
I can't decide whether to keep my appointment at NJH. I would really like to educate myself on how to keep myself healthy, etc.
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Thanks. No I have not researched more about the pseudo. All the concern was over MAC and I unfortunately assumed that the antibiotic the doctor gave me would take care of it. My local doctor did not indicate that pseudo was a difficult issue to combat like MAC. I am not learning through this portal that this is also very serious. I appreciate your time.
@mtinderscott2626
A couple of things that might help with being new to this Mayo Connect.
When answering a particular persons post, if you want to respond to them in particular, first click on the blue oval with the words reply.
Write your response and then when finished typing hit the oval in black under the box that says reply.
Also to research a particular topic(s) go back to the top of this page and click on the blue letters on the left indicating MAC and Bronchiectasis. You will come to the page where you write in what you want to find subject wise. Where it indicates Search discussions.
Hope all this helps.
Barbara
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1 Reaction@mtinderscott2626 with only one sputum, you cannot be “officially” diagnosed with MAC - you need three. I am surprised you were referred to NJH with only one positive sputum sample. I am assuming your local doctor was assuming that the bronchoscopy was going to be positive (again need only one positive on bronchoscopy) and then when it wasn’t, that threw a wrench in things as you explain in your original post. Yes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is considered one of the nastier bugs for bronchiectasis (“BE”) patients and I would definitely want multiple opinions on treatment for pseudomonas aeruginosa as even the best minds in this area disagree on approach. BUT your lab report specifically states “Pseudomonas species, NOT aeruginosa”. It doesn’t say what strain of pseudomonas it IS but not all pseudomonas is created equal, and pseudomonas that is NOT aeruginosa may not always be treated. So, back to your original question, should you keep your appointment with NJH, it seems to me you don’t have a good understanding of your circumstances, and for that reason alone I think the trip may be worth it to you. In the meantime, if I were you I would ask your doctor to order a repeat respiratory sputum test to see if the pseudomonas cleared. If you have 6 weeks, and it sounds like you may not, I would also do AFB sputum tests, on three separate days, to check in on MAC. Don’t worry if you don’t have time, NJH will do the sputum testing, but for me, I would want that info going into the NJH appointment if I could get it.
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2 Reactions@blm1007blm1007 I am 67 and I’ve been dealing with bronchiectasis for about 20 years. This past year has been the worst. I too am being tested for MAC and I’m scheduled to go to NJH in August. I will be there for almost 10 days and have not seen my schedule yet. I’m sorry I didn’t catch if you spent time there. Does anyone have any recommendations for hotels and what the visit looks like?
@deanna14
So, I thought it would be fun to ask a AI chatbot to summarize comments in this forum on the topic of visiting NJH, which has been written about a lot. Keep in mind it will not be 100% accurate (opinions are often included) but I suspect it might give you a general idea of what to expect. You can always call ahead and find out your schedule in advance. I made it into a PDF as it reads quite comprehensively. Good luck with your visit.
NJH visit via AI (NJH-visit-via-AI.pdf)
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4 Reactions@scoop What a researcher you are Scoop!!!!! Good find.
I was there is 2023 and so glad I went.
Barbara
@deanna14 I stayed at the Marriot Residence Inn, Oct. of 2023, while at NJH.
I know there is another hotel there. I believe it is the Hilton. They are in the Cherry Creek Area of Denver and approximately 10 minutes away from NJH. Whole Foods and Sprouts are close by if you have a car for the trip. Many of the places give a discount when in Denver to be a patient at NJH. Marriot did.
Others on the Mayo Connect having posted and answered did an Air B and B. Hope they might see your post and question to give their input.
I liked the Residence Inn in Cherry Creek due the area, lovely.
Barbara
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1 Reaction@scoop thank you very much! I am waiting for my schedule to arrive so I will know a little bit more in a few weeks
@deanna14
I was at NJH from 4/29 - 5/7 and stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites Denver Cherry Creek. I enjoyed my stay and even wrote a review. Quiet hotel with great daily housekeeping.
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1 ReactionWe stayed in an ABNB which was the cheapest option. While we were there for my MAC they gave us a hospital room where we stayed during the day while we did the MANY tests. I hope you go, as you are very young and the information that you will obtain about MAC will be useful over the years.
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