Sputum Test submissions and outcome results

Posted by blm1007blm1007 @blm1007blm1007, Feb 4 2:40pm

August 2022 diagnosed with BE via C Scan...no sputum test suggested or understood that I should have it tested.
Oct. 2023 self-referred and diagnosed with MAI while at NJH. Sputum tests at NJH indicated low load of MAI. I was told to do watchful waiting by NJH pulmonologist.
Began and doing Nebulizing and all Air Way Clearance methods since Oct. 2023.
I am still on and continue with watchful waiting.
Once, recently, in 2025 and now in 2026 Sputum Test results have come back twice indicating negative for bacteria growth and all other came back positive for MAI. I just received today...no bacteria growth.
I wonder if it is there in the lungs, the MAI, but in such a small amount or down deep in the lungs, hiding and will sometimes pop its 'head' up and other times so little that does not come up and therefore does not show in the testing ???? I have been sending the sputum for testing nearly every month to stay on top of what is or might be there or if to see there is anything new.
So without antibiotics due to original low load MAI I thankfully have felt fine all along and weight is stable.
Do many of you, others, have sputum test results come back positive, negative, positive, negative results?
Have any of you had this experience and has a doctor given their thoughts to you about why this can/does happen?
Barbara

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tglatthorn | @tglatthorn | Feb 26 7:09pm

To go back to the original post, I too have had a change in sputum results. I had been watchful waiting for a few years, then was told it was time to treat. I have BE and mycobacteria abcessus. I took 3 strong antibiotics (not the big 3 for various reasons) for 5 months. I kept testing positive all that time. I’m 72 yo and by the end of 5 months, I felt like I was dying from the treatment and getting nowhere, so stopped treatment. That was 12/23. My health improved but I continued to have positive sputum results - until my last two monthly tests, which came back negative! Doctor doesn’t know why and wonders if they were good samples, but one was collected in the clinic and the other was at home with ABUNDANT mucus. So idk what that means, . . . But yes, I have now had inconsistent results.