What does "Ground Glass" in a MAC CT Scan mean?

Posted by healthybon @healthybon, Jul 21, 2023

Dr. Swenson said he saw ground glass...and it was concerning. I'm very scared........I'm scared to take the meds and I'm scared not to. What does ground glass mean?
I could get C Diff back from taking Azithromycin, (then I would have to take Vancomycin on top of the other two I'm taking). I could get oral thrush from these antibiotics, I could get severe nausea as I do with antibiotics, and if I don't take the medicine , he said eventually I could get cavities, or cough up blood (that is not happening now). then if that happens, it wouldn't be enough to just take azithromycin and ethambutol; which is all he wants me to take right now.
I need help, I feel like I'm going out of my mind with fear, indecision, and depression. I'm damned if I do, and damned if I don't.
I'm desperate for help.......I just want to curl up in my bed and stay there...FOREVER....it's too much to bear. He said if it makes you sick you'll stop...so then what...I'll get cavities and not be able to breathe?
Bon

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@irene5

I researched quite a bit and only found two studies that discuss taking only the two meds. One was from Stamford Medicine and the other from US National library of medicine. I know I have one printed out somewhere that talks about it as well. I do know my ID doctor (who is excellent) told me that as well. Sorry I didn’t get back to you last night. My “researching” took me longer than I expected. ( irene5)

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Good morning - I believe I read a similar article, but failed to bookmark it (drat.) I think a number of docs are following that protocol, but I don't know if NJH, Mayo, etc have adopted it yet. There is also an ongoing study using the 2 antibiotics, without rifampin but with inhaled Amikacin.

My ID doc said that of the 3 drugs, rifampin has the fewest side effects so he includes it unless there is a specific reason not to do so. However, he did say that rifampin is no longer used on TB, but Ethambutol is still the drug of choice, along with a macrolide. (My daughter got TB working as a jail nurse, and had to take the combo for either 6 or 9 months.)

Things change all the time.
Sue

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@sueinmn

Good morning - I believe I read a similar article, but failed to bookmark it (drat.) I think a number of docs are following that protocol, but I don't know if NJH, Mayo, etc have adopted it yet. There is also an ongoing study using the 2 antibiotics, without rifampin but with inhaled Amikacin.

My ID doc said that of the 3 drugs, rifampin has the fewest side effects so he includes it unless there is a specific reason not to do so. However, he did say that rifampin is no longer used on TB, but Ethambutol is still the drug of choice, along with a macrolide. (My daughter got TB working as a jail nurse, and had to take the combo for either 6 or 9 months.)

Things change all the time.
Sue

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Hi Sue
I took my first dose of the
Ethambutol on an empty stomach last night. Feeling very sick in my stomach they kept me up all night. The instructions say take three tablets one hour before meals or two hours after meals because they want you to take it on an empty stomach. I’m not 100% sure whether it’s the dinner I had or whether it’s the pills. After I took them last night I didn’t have anything in my stomach after that so I’m going to try to take them an hour before meals so that there will be food in my stomach an hour later.

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@healthybon

Hi Sue
I took my first dose of the
Ethambutol on an empty stomach last night. Feeling very sick in my stomach they kept me up all night. The instructions say take three tablets one hour before meals or two hours after meals because they want you to take it on an empty stomach. I’m not 100% sure whether it’s the dinner I had or whether it’s the pills. After I took them last night I didn’t have anything in my stomach after that so I’m going to try to take them an hour before meals so that there will be food in my stomach an hour later.

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My pharmacist instructions are to take Ethambutol with a meal or snack if stomach upset occurs. I always took mine with breakfast.

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👍👍👍👍👍👍👍😻

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@rstel7272

My pharmacist instructions are to take Ethambutol with a meal or snack if stomach upset occurs. I always took mine with breakfast.

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Yes, I asked my pharmacist and also saw online you can have a little food. I think I will take it on empty stomach and then an hour later it's okay to eat a little somethiing. I guess I'm going to have to play with it until I can take it without suffering.
Did you take Azithromycin and Ethambatol? Did they help your Mac? Are you still taking them? I'm going to get my eyes checked once a month. I hate Mac.

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