How Can I Prevent Mac

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Articles

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

You Can Prevent MAC (Disseminated Mycobacterium Avium Complex Disease)

What is Mycobacterium avium complex disease? Can children get MAC disease? What are the symptoms of MAC disease? How is MAC disease diagnosed? How do people get MAC disease? How can I avoid MAC disease? When should I get treatment to... Read more »

Mycobacterium Avium Complex (MAC)

What Is MAC? How Do I Know if I Have MAC? How Is MAC Treated? Can MAC Be Prevented? Drug Interaction Problems The Bottom Line What Is MAC? Mycobacterium Avium Complex (MAC) is a serious illness caused by common bacteria. MAC is also... Read more »

Mycobacterium Avium Complex (MAC)

Table of Contents Introduction Cause Symptoms Diagnosis Treatments Side Effects Drug Interactions Cytokines Prevention Stopping Preventive Therapy Maintenance Therapy Children Pregnancy The Bottom Line 1999 Public Health Service... Read more »

Ask the Experts

mac prophylaxis

my recent cd4 was 2 in dec 1996. after starting 3 drug therapy my countincreased to 150. My doctor deciced to discontinueZmax for MAC prophylaxis. I have had many negative MAC cultures. Wasthis the right decision or should I continue onMac...

Response from Cal Cohen, M.D., M.S.

Harvard Medical School

The "party line" on this controversial question is that you should baseprophylaxis decisions on the lowest CD4 count you've have ever had. That means that if you've ever been below 50, you should take MACprophylaxis regardless of... Read more »

Doubting Thomas?? (MAC)

Hey there Dr. Bob!!Ciao bello, Tom here. I just wanted to say hello and see if you had time to respond to me. I have recently been dealing with fears of HIV. I tested via Home Access, and the result was negative. Woo-hoo-able, right? Not so fast. My...

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.

The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation

Hello Doubting Thomas,Your negative Home Access test, assuming it was done after the window period, is definitive and conclusive. HIV is not your problem. No way. No how.Have you skipped over the HIV diagnosis and progressed to AIDS with MAC?... Read more »

mac meds, when do you get off of them

my partner has been on mac meds for almost 2 years his cd4 was 9 when we started this. After going into "iris" mac appeared in the lung and spleen. his cd4s are creaping along and we are now at 99, our doctor thinks the sheer amount of...

Response from Benjamin Young, M.D., Ph.D.

Rocky Mountain CARES

Hello and thanks for posting.With HIV medications, people who are diagnosed with advanced disease and complications, like MAC and expect their immune health to improve (and risks of recurrence decrease). MAC treatments can be given for a very long... Read more »

MAC MAI prognosis

Let me start by saying, I know I am asking a question that may not be good for others to see an answer to and if you want please respond to my email if you don't want to respond in the public forum.My daughter has been HIV positive for 12 years...

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.

The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation

Hello,I'm sorry to hear about your daughter's situation. The likely outcome if she is not willing to take medicines is that she will succumb to AIDS-related opportunistic infections. MAC (mycobacterium avian complex) is a very serious... Read more »

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Connect With Others

MAC IV Therapy

Posted by Anonymous, 1 Reply

I'm thinking of stopping IV therapy for MAC....can anyone tell me if they've done that...and if so.....did you feel better or worse without the meds? My CD4+ cell count is still below 50.....the meds make me feel so awful I have to wonder if the MAC... Read more »

MAC. & low cd-4

Posted by danni, 3 Replies

i am terrified, i just learned that i have mac. my viral load is 87,000, my cd-4; only 14. my doc. did start meds for me, but i can't get past the fear that it's too late. with my blood counts, is mac, a sure death sentence? i appreciate any... Read more »

Mycobacterium Avium Complex (MAC)

Posted by Anonymous

Good day! I just found out that I have some bacteria in my blood. I'm low with t4cell at 1 so my doctor says that I have MAC. I wanted to know if anyone has experience this and has anyone gotten better. This could explain my many symptoms... Read more »

MAC Therapy and Thank you's

Posted by EMDD

Thank you all for your kind words and encouragment....I made the leap and stopped MAC therapy....3 days and counting....I feel so much more like my old self....I was beginning to think I never would again.....life is good....my best advice is to do... Read more »

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