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Phage Therapy ( alternative of antibiotics) for MAC lung infection

Posted by helen1000 @helen1000, Nov 25, 2023

Does anyone try Phage therapy for MAC lung infection?

Currently only a few country like Belgium, Georgia and Poland are applying this for infectious disease like UTI and lung infection.

Phage therapy is a promising afresh therapy, which uses viruses to lyse bacteria responsible for the infection. Bacteriophages have been recently administered under compassionate use to a 15-year-old patient infected with M. abscessus in combination with antibiotics with excellent results.Jan 18, 2021.

I will upload more info for people interested in it. As it has no side effects, it may be a promising way to help MAC patients.

Anyone is welcomed to add any comments or input. Thank you.

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

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yayoek | @yayoek | Nov 24, 2025
In reply to @irene5 "@yayoek Goodness. When I was on it I had Medicare and United Healthcare which I still..." + (show)
Profile picture for irene5 Irene Estes @irene5

@yayoek Goodness. When I was on it I had Medicare and United Healthcare which I still have. It was covered with those and what they didn’t pay the Arikayce Assistance Fund paid. I’ll still send you the number later today after I hopefully warm up enough to look in the basement MAC bin. It’s 22 here today. Too cold for my bones. :)Irene5

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@irene5 . Hope my next CAT scan shows something positive. If I could take the 2 other meds that made me sick I’d be so happy but my body refuses to cooperate. Thanks for your concern. Only time will tell.

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blm1007blm1007 | @blm1007blm1007 | Nov 25, 2025
In reply to @irene5 "@blm1007blm1007 Hmm I have the supplemental plan not the advantage. As far as I know though..." + (show)
Profile picture for irene5 Irene Estes @irene5

@blm1007blm1007 Hmm I have the supplemental plan not the advantage. As far as I know though I have Medicare A and B, but now that you have brought it to my attention I will check with a teacher friend who is good at all that and see if I am missing something. I have always been of the school of thought that well if they’re paying my bills, I’m just good with that since we really don’t have a lot of choice if you stick with the retired teacher’s program in the state of Connecticut. I’ve always been happy with it, but I do know we paid the extra every month to have more choice and the senior supplement and not the advantage plan because we have so many health issues. Now that my dear husband is gone I will definitely check into that. I will say though that his hospital bills were astronomical as in hundreds of thousands of dollars and all I’ve had to pay is $100 and then another hundred dollars for the Life Star helicopter. I had asked the helicopter people how long it would take to get him to the hospital, and they told me 15 minutes - no traffic. Ha ha.
Thanks. Irene

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@irene5 That must have been a very difficult period for you. So glad you had the Supplemental Plan at that time with your husbands needs. That which you experienced with the Supplemental Plan is a very good example of why the Supplemental Plan is truly helpful.
I recently compared our OK State Program to an outside Supplement Plan and learned the outside Supplemental Plan would be more expensive. Yes I am pleased, so far, with all that I have had to use the Plan for. When it comes to the drug part I have not been on any long term drugs so I can't truly speak for how good the drug program is but I guess they follow the Medicare rules...that part I am not sure of.
Barbara

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blm1007blm1007 | @blm1007blm1007 | Nov 25, 2025
In reply to @yayoek "@irene5 Sorry to report I was not eligible for Arikayce at this time. I spoke to..." + (show)
Profile picture for yayoek @yayoek

@irene5 Sorry to report I was not eligible for Arikayce at this time. I spoke to the rep who said I did not meet their criteria since I have not been on the big 3 meds long enough. I have another CAT scan in early December and will see what it shows. I continue to feel well with no obvious breathing problems….just weight loss that I’m working on by eating more calories during the day.

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@yayoek Weight loss......I have learned it is hard to put the weight back on with eating healthy. I changed many of my foods and eating choices after being diagnosed with BE. I found that in order to put the weight on, in my recent experience, I have to eat some of the things that taste good and are supposedly comfort foods in order to gain some weight. That is the only time after having lost the 35lbs that I can put on weight. Don't like doing it because I believe it saps me of energy, pulls me down vs. eating healthy that I believe keeps my energy level up.
I have not been on the antibiotics, low load of MAI so far, and I do feel well overall.
I am so disappointed that many times we have to start with one medication or one test before they will allow us to have the best medication or the best test.... and by then we've spent a lot of time and energy doing all they require and that in itself doesn't help us....When a person is not well one needs to conserve one's energy and time ......both are so limited when one deals with BE or any major illness.
Barbara

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blm1007blm1007 | @blm1007blm1007 | Nov 25, 2025
In reply to @irene5 "@blm1007blm1007 Hmm I have the supplemental plan not the advantage. As far as I know though..." + (show)
Profile picture for irene5 Irene Estes @irene5

@blm1007blm1007 Hmm I have the supplemental plan not the advantage. As far as I know though I have Medicare A and B, but now that you have brought it to my attention I will check with a teacher friend who is good at all that and see if I am missing something. I have always been of the school of thought that well if they’re paying my bills, I’m just good with that since we really don’t have a lot of choice if you stick with the retired teacher’s program in the state of Connecticut. I’ve always been happy with it, but I do know we paid the extra every month to have more choice and the senior supplement and not the advantage plan because we have so many health issues. Now that my dear husband is gone I will definitely check into that. I will say though that his hospital bills were astronomical as in hundreds of thousands of dollars and all I’ve had to pay is $100 and then another hundred dollars for the Life Star helicopter. I had asked the helicopter people how long it would take to get him to the hospital, and they told me 15 minutes - no traffic. Ha ha.
Thanks. Irene

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@irene5 Oh by the way. the helicopter.....That leaves me with questions. Where did it land on arrival to take you both to the medical facility or from one medical facility to another medical facility? Good information overall and no traffic so important.
Barbara

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akron3 | @akron3 | Dec 8, 2025
In reply to @heidemarie1 "Hello Sue: I am new to this community and so glad I found this group. I..." + (show)
Profile picture for heidemarie1 @heidemarie1

Hello Sue: I am new to this community and so glad I found this group. I been searching for several years to find phage therapy. I . have MAC and bronchiectasis. Since my diagnosis in 2020 I have not found any clinic or doctor in Tucson Arizona that would treat or at least refer me to a place for treatment. The I found the Mayo clinic. I am not giving up to find a cure from MAC and stabilize my bronchiectasis.
Heidemarie

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@heidemarie1
I have similar to you, and am also in Tucson. email me I'd like to discuss a few things.
gayle

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Dec 8, 2025
In reply to @akron3 "@heidemarie1 I have similar to you, and am also in Tucson. email me I'd like to..." + (show)
Profile picture for akron3 @akron3

@heidemarie1
I have similar to you, and am also in Tucson. email me I'd like to discuss a few things.
gayle

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@akron3, please note as per the Community Guidelines (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/about-connect/tab/community-guidelines/) it is recommended not to post personal contact information on the public forum. You can use private messaging.

I'd like to point out that by sharing in the forum many people can learn from each other and, in turn, help other people searching for answers and support. 🙂

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