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Severe Neck Pain and Stiffness from MAC treatment
My wife Jackie is just diagnosed with her second round of MAC. The first time she had the usual 3 antibiotics treatment for 18 months and she tolerated the drugs very well. After 2 years the MAC is back. She has been on the same antibiotics for about 3 weeks now. She woke up about 12 days ago with a severe stiff neck and pain. We tried the ussaul hot/cold and no help. Went to an Urgent Care and the dr there said no reaction to drugs, just a stiff neck. She saw her Infrectious Disease specialist a few days later and he concurred. Now she has beentaking muscle relaxers and pain meds in addition to the MAC treatment. Her neck is progressively worse. She is in constant pain and soreness.Nothing seems to help. She has also tried a professinal massage. Today she is at a chiropractor. Anyone else hade or ever heard of this severe neck pain and stiffness as a side effect of the MAC antibiotics? To me it seems the likely culprit.
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Hi Mike in Florida,
Welcome to Connect. I'm so sorry to hear about the prolonged neck pain and stiffness that your wife is experiencing. I'm tagging some of the other members of our group to see if they may have experienced this as a side effect of MAC or its treatment. @cila @Paula_MAC2007 @heathert @kwilbur @kaystrand @josephene @pamelasc1 @laneyk @windwalker @mac47 do any of you have any thoughts about neck pain as a side effect?
Mike you might also be interested in this discussion about MAC antibiotics and side effects http://mayocl.in/2lOXMCy
If the doctors say that this isn't a side effect of the drug, did they give you any ideas as to the source of the neck pain? Is your wife moving less due to toll of taking the drugs? Might this be a contributor?
no sorry I havnt had this problem so am no help.
I am not on the three drug regimen that most are on. So, I cannot answer
that. I get stiff neck from being on the computer too long. Exercise is key!
Keep moving around.
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1 Reaction@pappy7926, I have been on the 3 drugs and they didn't cause neck pain. And don't think there's anything like that in the drug literature.
You write "...She woke up about 12 days ago with a severe stiff neck and pain." That almost seems like a skeletal or spinal response to something ... like from sleeping on a mattress, or working on computer, or bad posture, etc. I've recently learned at the NTM conference that there is some connection between NTM (MAC is only one of 150+ types) and mild scoliosis in patients. If the pain continues, I'd recommend your wife see a spine doc -- they usually have physical therapists and perhaps a chiropractor on staff with them -- they could rule out spinal/skeletal issues and if appropriate refer her to a PT who would work with her on exercises to alleviate the pain and strengthen her neck & back. I've just gone thru this, over the past year, and it's amazing what can be done without medication.
Best wishes, let us know how she is going.
Paula
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1 ReactionI'm on 3 meds. for a year now and I don't think is side effect of the meds. Maybe from sleeping on wrong position. Hopefully the chiropractor can help and a PT. I hope she get the exercise that she needs for her neck. Pray for her healing. Cila.
That was good advice, Paula.
Thanks to all for the advice. Jackie has recently went to a chirppractor who also feels the severe stiff neck is not related to the antibiotics. After 3 adjustments and a couple of massages now she is probably 80% functional again and the pain is reduced to just overall stiffness. So we are almost convinced the neck issues are unrelated to her treatments. Jackie is an avid exerciser and has never had this issue before. She has an appointment at the mayo Clinic in less than 2 weeks.
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