Mycobacterium fortuitum Complex

[shirley29485]

I have a question, I have been on treatment for MAC for over a year now. My sputum tests have been coming out negative until this month. Mycobacterium fortuitum Complex is the new bug that has moved in a taken refuge in my lungs. I had Mycrobacterium Avium Complex but now positive for the new one. If I have already been on the drugs and contracted this new Mycro..what can they do now? Is there anything thing left? I am worried that medicine is not working anymore. Kind of scary can anyone shed any light on this for me? Thanks you ahead...

[Hidden]

Hi Shirley, I'm just shooting in the dark here but wonder would Amitryptyline help you. I have very severe bronchiectasis but grow none of the known bugs. My cons says be doesn't have the budget to do the kind of tests he would need to do so meantime fights the bugs with all the strong abs and hopes one of them will hit it. He has just started me on a small dose of Ampitryptyline and 7 days now off IVs, Zi haven't re-infected. It's really helping with pain as well. Just a thought but maybe worth mentioning to your doctor.

[shirley29485 in reply to Hidden]

I have not been on IV's just yet but hope they do take that route..I'm tired of feeling sick all the time..constant battle with infections..it's crazy..and then between stage 3 cirrhosis and right lung i thought it was liver pain but must be lung pain..vicious cycle...thank you Argana for your quick response.

[helingmic]

Shirley, I had MAC too and I had another one, But they are all mycobacteria. Speak to your consultant as soo as possible, because he/she will know what to do. Do it hopefully before Christmas. I took two drugs (Clarithromycin and Rifampicin ) for 2 and a half years to get rid of it. Hope you can get an appointment quickly. they do have the apporpriate drugs to fight this.

[shirley29485 in reply to helingmic]

I'm in america..the point is I got o b e while on the meds for the other one so I wonder if it will be resistant?

[helingmic in reply to shirley29485]

I don't think so. I had tow: mycobacterium Avium Intracellulare (TB) and mycobacterium Gordoni. They were both dealt with Rifampicin and Clarithomycin ( I hope they are the same drugs and in teh US - or perhaps another name; justnot aware of the American drugs names). So I don't think it will be resistant. it just takes a long time to get rid of.

Still you can check this with your doctor as he knows best. I don't know if doctors use Mims to check teh drugs, but in that publication they would have the name of the drugs that treat both conditions.

Here is what I found on Radio pedia:

"Pathology

Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare are now considered together, and referred to as Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) or Mycobaverium avium-intracellulare. They cannot be distinguished on the grounds of human pathologic manifestation or imaging features, and are treated similarly, although M. avium has a predilection for chickens where as M. intracellulare prefers rabbits 2-3."

Here's the reference so you can read teh whole lot.:

radiopaedia.org/articles/pu...

Hope this calms your fears.

[shirley29485 in reply to helingmic]

I'm in america..the point is I got o b e while on the meds for the other one so I wonder if it will be resistant?