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Traveling with Bronchiectasis/NTM

Posted by Sue, Volunteer Mentor @sueinmn, Nov 6, 2025

Can you travel with Bronchiectasis/MAC/NTM? The experts say YES.

For a long time, Connect members have asked this question, and gotten all sorts of answers, mostly based on our collective personal opinions. This is what the experts say on the subject. These are questions individuals in the European Bronchiectasis Registry asked, which were formulated into a questionnaire and presented to a group of lung experts around the world (including Mayo Clinic):
https://publications.ersnet.org/content/erjor/5/4/00113-2019
The experts' responses say "YES" and outline precautions to take, even to some things I thought impossible like scuba diving. And even if on antibiotics or oxygen. These are the same things my docs stressed, and what I follow when traveling, including a recent 3 week camping trip through the US and Canada, followed by a 3 week air and land trip in Europe. I manages to stay healthy throughout both, as did my traveling companion who also has bronchiectasis. Our new Pari Rapid eFlow nebulizer got a real workout, and we had a ready supply of masks.

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

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amap2025 | @amap2025 | Dec 31, 2025
In reply to @sueinmn "@wandafanda Just remember not to dilute the vinegar! The tests showed that NTM were killed by..." + (show)
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@wandafanda Just remember not to dilute the vinegar! The tests showed that NTM were killed by 5% vinegar used full strength, after soaking for 30 minutes. (Use distilled white vinegar, not "salad vinegar" which is often diluted or has added ingredients.)

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@sueinmn what is the current info on vinegar. I just listened to a conference with vinegar studies that said it did not kill NTM.

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Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Dec 31, 2025
In reply to @amap2025 "@sueinmn what is the current info on vinegar. I just listened to a conference with vinegar..." + (show)
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@sueinmn what is the current info on vinegar. I just listened to a conference with vinegar studies that said it did not kill NTM.

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@amap2025 Can you tell me what conference that was?

Here is what Dr Jennifer Honda had to say in her NJH You Tube presentation. Begins at about 23:30 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch
5% white vinegar kills both M Avium and M Abscessus species in 30 minutes.

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blm1007blm1007 | @blm1007blm1007 | Dec 31, 2025
In reply to @scoop "@cayenne yes, the GROWNSY is my travel BBS (US). I set it on max which includes..." + (show)
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@cayenne yes, the GROWNSY is my travel BBS (US). I set it on max which includes the drying cycle. I almost exclusively use distilled water in it. There have been times where I’ve been without distilled water and use previously boiled tapwater. It leaves behind some mineral residue, which is easy to clean up no issues. The erapid has held up well with this type of cleaning and drying. I use a Bololo at home and run it every night.

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@scoop I'm curious. How long have you had the Bololo ? I'm wondering how long all these things have lasted for people. The GROWNSY??? The eRapid??
I have keep four XL Eclipse nebulizing cups circulating for use with the OMBRA. I clean each every use and do two at a time sterilizing them. I place them in between cotton dish towels to dry. Therefore I always have two ready for use.
All these mechanical things drive me crazy due to things not lasting as long as they could if they built them to last and then,,,,, it's the space they take up.
I have traveled for no more than a couple of days without a kitchen facility and always traveled since the BE diagnosis in the U.S., so far.
I just thought: 'I wonder how long one could keep the cups in a container, after cleaning them, before sterilizing them for usage again and it not be a problem.????
Barbara

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amap2025 | @amap2025 | Jan 1 8:13am
In reply to @sueinmn "@amap2025 Can you tell me what conference that was? Here is what Dr Jennifer Honda had..." + (show)
Profile picture for Sue, Volunteer Mentor @sueinmn

@amap2025 Can you tell me what conference that was?

Here is what Dr Jennifer Honda had to say in her NJH You Tube presentation. Begins at about 23:30 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch
5% white vinegar kills both M Avium and M Abscessus species in 30 minutes.

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@sueinmn thank you, Sue. The important point here is to know what we are infected with and to know what irradicates it? Happy New Year

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Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Jan 1 12:09pm
In reply to @amap2025 "@sueinmn thank you, Sue. The important point here is to know what we are infected with..." + (show)
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@sueinmn thank you, Sue. The important point here is to know what we are infected with and to know what irradicates it? Happy New Year

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@amap2025 Exactly. If no sensitivity testing is done, the doc is only using their "usual" protocol, which may not be effective.
That said, if you have a severe level of infection with either MAC/NTM or Pseudomonas, doctors will often start the typical medicines right away, hoping they will help (they do in most cases) and change when the test results come back if they need to.

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scoop | @scoop | Jan 1 12:40pm
In reply to @blm1007blm1007 "@scoop I'm curious. How long have you had the Bololo ? I'm wondering how long all..." + (show)
Profile picture for blm1007blm1007 @blm1007blm1007

@scoop I'm curious. How long have you had the Bololo ? I'm wondering how long all these things have lasted for people. The GROWNSY??? The eRapid??
I have keep four XL Eclipse nebulizing cups circulating for use with the OMBRA. I clean each every use and do two at a time sterilizing them. I place them in between cotton dish towels to dry. Therefore I always have two ready for use.
All these mechanical things drive me crazy due to things not lasting as long as they could if they built them to last and then,,,,, it's the space they take up.
I have traveled for no more than a couple of days without a kitchen facility and always traveled since the BE diagnosis in the U.S., so far.
I just thought: 'I wonder how long one could keep the cups in a container, after cleaning them, before sterilizing them for usage again and it not be a problem.????
Barbara

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@blm1007blm1007 I've used the Bololo sterilizer for over 2 years now.

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