2 years of throat clearing, thick mucus and post nasal drip sensation (allergy/reflux/nerve?)
Posted , 216 users are following.
Hello,
Suffering for 2 years with sensation of thick mucus stuck at the back of the nose, which I'm often able to hock up out of my mouth (clear but very "snotty" and like thick glue when it's in a tissue).
Sometimes it gets in my throat and I often clear my throat all day long too. I guess this is post-nasal drip, but not watery or thin (like you apparently get from an allergy), it's very thick and feels awful like a lump or glob that won't move, until I hock it up, but within minutes it's back again...
Tried all reflux and allergy medications (double-dose PPIs, steroid sprays, allergy RAST tests, antihistamines, singulair, antihistamine sprays, nasal irrigation, gastrocopy, multiple nasal/throat endoscopes, sinus CT scans), and they can't identify the problem... All of my symptoms disappear completely, when I eat or lay down with my head to either side (which I find very odd! Equally, if I take pseudoephridrine (oral decongestant), my symptoms go too (but I know that's not a long term option).
Anyone ever dealt with anything similar or know what to suggest next?I've been thinking of self-treating with amitriptyline (10mg at night) and gabapentin (100mg 3x per day), to see if this is a hypersensitivity/nerve issue. I have absolutely no other symptoms and can't live much longer like this, it's completely ruined my life and things are just getting worse 
Thanks for any help at all.
15 likes, 758 replies
Lincombe derekjp
Posted
I have the same problem, have tried EVERYTHING and just found this interesting article. You will be amazed at how the treatments are making the condition worse. http://www.acupunctureintegrated.com/articles/sinusitis-rhinitis-and-post-nasal-drip. I am losing faith in western medicine and I am going to try acupuncture.
njacksonl Lincombe
Posted
Well after suffering PND for nearly 30 years now and its at a stage where its affecting my quality of life and I'm becoming aggraphobic because I don't know when I'm going to vomit because of the constant irritation in my throat which causes me to gag - I've decided to take things into my own hands and ignore all the so called experts. Firstly, I've stopped using the steroid nasal spray and antihistamines as I've discovered they are making the symptoms worse. I am now using a Grapefruit Seed nasal spray and Saline Nasal Wash with better results than any steroid nasal spray. Secondly, I've embarked on accupuncture sessions in order to balance my body and improve my immune system and up to now, this along with the Grapefruit Seed Nasal Spray and Saline Nasal Wash is producing better results than anything the medical profession have tried out on me over the last 30 years! Coincidentally, the route I'm following is similar to the one outlined in the message from Lincombe. If anyone else has any "alternative remedies" I'd be pleased to hear about them.
mimi46125 derekjp
Posted
gregz derekjp
Posted
Hi Derek,
I have exactly the same thing wrong with me for the last two years.
I was affected by icocyanates at work and it almost killed me. It is a real problem for me as my bronchial tubes can become restricted as well. Had you at all come into contact with icocyanates? They are the two part epoxy's in fillers and paints. That is, where they remove an atom from one and add it to the other so as to make a heat reaction when they meet again. This is what some believe are embedded in the mucus membranes of my lungs and I suspect throat because of this which you have accurately described.
Yes it's terrible to life with. I wanted to make an appointment with somebody to get it checked out again. The gastro guy throat specialist saw nothing wrong. That was even though at that time I had a severely sore throat which he argued to my face that I did not have, insisting that if so he would know it. That's so frustrating. I have had to psychologically forget my sore throat and can feel it now again that I remind myself. I know that the etiology of my problem might be different to yours, but I am glad I have read your note, Have you been in contact with chemicals that you may have become sensitized to Derek?
derekjp gregz
Posted
Sorry to hear of your suffering with this issue. I've seen a professor-grade Allergist and he said according to my 2 comprehensive allergy blood works, I don't have an allergy of any kind. He did say that possibly my nose/body has become sensitive/hyper-sensitive to something in the air (chemical -related) perhaps, but with all available treatments for that, I'm still in the same boat.
gregz derekjp
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organa derekjp
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has anyone had any luck curing this yet? ive been dealing with this same thing for about 2 years now and this thread is the only thing I can find about it. I haven't found any info whatsoever through Google searches. I also don't have insurance and can't just go to the doctor whenever I feel like it; I did have insurance when this started and saw a doctor after a few months of it, and she was completely condescending and rude about it. I did my best to explain it but she just stared at me like I was stupid for even worrying about such a thing lol. then she shoved a popsicle stick down my throat, looked for a maximum of 2 seconds and said "your tonsils are too big." and that was it. I already knew my tonsils were too big, but I really don't think that's the issue considering they have always been too big yet I've only had this issue for 2 years. also I can often see the mucus spread all over the back of my throat if I shine a flashlight in my mouth. I have broken my nose once and I never got it looked at or anything, I'm wondering if my issue is a deviated septum because I've seen a lot of people mention that in these replies and I often feel stuffy and like it's hard to breathe at night time, is this a problem any else has had? I feel nauseous a lot, especially after a Hocking and spitting spree. and I get this gross, sweet, warm sensation in the back of my throat sometimes, usually before hocking up a really thick glob. it's the most frustrating "illness" I've ever experienced, it's really getting in the way of everyday life and I just want it to go away. I remember the first day it started, too- for the longest time I could've sworn it was because I walked through a swarm of gnats, because it started literally right after that. But I couldn't find any connections so i gave up that theory. The most annoying thing is that I can't find any information on it at all, and yet it seems a lot of us are suffering from it so it'd be nice to know what the hell is going on here lol.. Anyways, sorry for the long post but I'd really appreciate a reply on this, especially if anyone's had any luck getting rid of it.
barry12128 organa
Posted
Like my previous post stated I been suffering from this for approximately 4 years. I too been trying to narrow down when the symptoms started but it is hard because when it first started I didn’t really think anything of it and it was not that frequent. But as the years went by it became worst and worst. Several weeks went by and I became desperate because it affecting my everyday life as well as my sleep. I tried a product called “Black Seed”. And it seemed to work for awhile but not effective enough. Now, I am trying taking something for “Anxiety”. Please read my early post on the product. I have reduced the phlegm by 90 percent. I also, try to watch what I eat cause certain food triggers the symptoms. Drink a lot of fluids throughout the day especially when I feel the symptoms coming on. I just drink a glass or two of water and it seems to help thin the mucus. I also take a small cup juice of vitamins from the health product store. It could be the anxiety pill by itself that drying the phlegm or a combination of all the things I am taking. As I am writing my left side of my nose is open to breathe and the right side feels semi close and dry but at least it is not draining fluid. Read my early posts several posts back....I hope this information help at least make the symptoms livable. This forum has brought me some relief due to I agree there is nothing on the subject other than this forum. I thought I was suffering alone but when I read others suffering from the same symptoms I knew I was not going crazy. My guess we are the first people to suffer from this and doctors are just guessing in trying to find a solution by sending you to different specialists which is a waste of time and money. Because they don’t have an ideal on what is causing it and no way of curing the symptoms. You know your body better than anyone, only people who have the same symptoms can relate to the stress and the anxiety of coughing and spitting thick phlegm all day long. I hope this help...my solution is not a cure but it will bring some reliefs for now.
Lincombe organa
Posted
Hi Organa,
I really empathize with you and all the other sufferers on this forum. I've had my deviated septum repaired years ago but I still suffer. My doctor once said "How many people do you know who died from a post-nasal drip?" as if I should just stop thinking about it because it won't kill me. He gave me anti-anxiety pills to help me fall sleep because some nights I would just lie there and try to clear my throat for 2 hours or more. Sometimes raising my head up helps a little. One stupid ENT told me "clearing your throat is probably just a nervous habit, so just drink more water." Discouraging. The only thing that actually gives me some relief is irrigating my sinuses with saline several times a day. I added some extra salt per my doctor to get a better result. He also said if it starts to sting, add a pinch of bicarbonate of soda to the solution. Good luck!
nita28209 barry12128
Posted
I have had it two years now, started with a 4 month long cold. Recently, for a week at a time, it completely goes away, the cough. I think it's gone for good, but then it comes back. This last time, it came back after high winds, so I think it is nasal related. The cough isn't 6 times a half hour anymore. Thank God for that.
nita28209
Posted
Oh, and someone in Orange County, Ca. is running a medical experiment on persistent cough.
derekjp
Posted
Hi All,
It's been 6 months since I last posted and wanted to give everyone an update, #1 so I can winge and not feel alone with this again, and #2 because I wanted to share 2 break-throughs I had which I really hope will help others.
Essentially the problems are persistent, and it's just past the 4 year mark now of suffering with this, every, single, day:
- thick mucus stuck at the back of my nose, never discolored, just thick and glue-like (white a lot of the time).
- if I'm lucky to hock it out, I can (never from the nose) but out of my mouth. It's truly disgusting, both the sound of me doing it and what it looks and smells like.... [eek]
- I often feel it in my throat too, and this results in me clearing my throat every 2-3 minutes throughout the day. It still baffles me to this day as to why I never have a blocked nose and can never really blow anything out of it? Is this true post-nasal drip coming from the sinuses or elsewhere in the nasal region?
?- difficulty swallowing because the “lump” thick mucus sensation, it’s absolutely awful.
- practically 90% relief when I’m lying down on both sides, and 100% relief when I’m eating (it's like a dream!!!)
It's worth noting that when I come down with something or get sick, mainly with a cold, my nose swells up like crazy and I literally can't breathe through it for days. I am currently recovering from a cold and it takes me a long time now since this bigger problem started happening. I guess this would prompt me to think the bigger issue is related to my nose, but who the f* knows!!
Anyway, I did find 2 non-prescription medications that are safe to take long-term that did really seem to help for a bit:
- GeloMyrtol 300mg capsules. Please look them up with reviews in case you're not aware of this drug already. Basically it's an essential oils-based mucolytic, and thins out the mucus as well as promoting clear airways for bronchitis, rhinitis and sinusitis. I used to take 1 in the morning before eating with 2 full cups of warm water. It really helped but for whatever reason the effect seem to run out. Maybe because the weather, maybe because of other illnesses or maybe because of diet. But again WHO THE F* KNOWS. All I recommend is for those with this thick mucus sensation to try along with saline rinses. Take 1 in the evening aswell if you need. The daily limit is 3 per day. Unfortunately they're not too cheap...
- N-Acetyl Cysteine / N-Acetylcysteine / "NAC" for short 600mg capsules. Again, if you've not come across this before, please do some research. This drug is an antioxidant that people take for a lot of different reasons; depression, liver issues, paracetemol overdose, and thick mucus. It's considered a supplement of sorts and available at most health stores. Long story short, I was just casually taking it (just like a vitamin C tablet or something), one 600mg capsule every morning for about 2 months, no other drugs, just saline nasal irrigation. I can honestly say that about 70-80% of my symptoms were gone. It was absolutely amazing and I was feeling really good about myself. It occured to me that I might just be able to live like this!
However, I randomly started getting pain urinating, pain in my lower abdomen and back, as well as constant pain in my penis region. It was very, very strange... I ended up seeing 2 Urologists and had a bunch of blood work + MRIs and other scans. Absolutely no abnormalities everywhere. Diagnosed with nothing really and told that it was all in my head...
It was really getting me down and so I started "doing the old Google research", and found that NAC can cause kidney stones, cysteine stones of sorts which kind of sounded similar to what I was having from a symptoms perspective. So, I stopped taking the NAC, my nose and throat problems came back, but then all of a sudden the pains I've just described all went away! Crazy!!!!
I've read a lot about taking NAC with vitamin C and Zinc to help this sort of thing, but it's still a very very rare side effect and you won't see too many people complaining about it online.
Regardless, I've seen/read that NAC works for a lot of people, some take up to 1800mg (split in different doses) per day, others a lot less. I would urge anyone that has the same mucus symptoms as me to simply give it a go for 2-3 weeks and see how you get on. If it wasn't for the low abdominal pains I was getting with it, then I would 200% still be taking it with no intention of stopping. I'd also recommend mentioning it to your doctor as well to be on the safe side.
So at this day I'm back on Montelukast/Singulair to help remove the off-chance that my "cold" is persisting. I'm taking decongestants every now and then, and sometimes throwing in NAC every other day or less just to help too. I haven't seen a doctor in a while (in my view at least!), but have an ENT follow-up next week which I plan to attend.
I'd love to hear more about silent reflux, and anyone who's had some luck with treatment from a Gastroenterologist. I've seen a few posts hear saying they were onto something with LPR etc., but no results -- what happened???
I consulted with 2 GIs last year, had the EGD, opinions etc. They didn't really know and thought it could be a hypersensitive larynx. Tried a drug called Lyrica (pregabalin), but no change unfortunately. LPR would make sense but honestly there doesn't seem to be any meaningful treatment for that all. I've done the high-dose PPIs, Gaviscon Advance, dieting for 2 months at one time, and nothing at all changed for me...
I will also point out that I've not eaten or drunk any dairy products in 3 months. This is just to experiment with diet a bit more, and although I generally feel less bloated, it hasn't changed my symptoms in any way.
jo8888 derekjp
Posted
The thing with LPR is that if you do have it, it has damaged the tissue in your sinuses and throat. You can't just start changing life habits/diet and expect a change right away. Many people it takes months and months to reduce their symptoms because it takes time to heal.
dimitrios88 derekjp
Posted
I have exactly the problem for 1 and a half year now.Mine is getting stuck on the right side of the back of my nose.I have deviated septum and probably chronic sinusitis,but i think that neither of these is the real problem.The problem might be orthopedic.I tried to find what was changed in my body the last years and bingo.The position of my neck.Due to my job i had to stay bowed for hours and hours and slowly slowly the position of my body changed.Therefore,the air does not pass properly from my back of my nose and throat,having as a result mucus stuck back there.i am not really sure about all these but i think that i found the cause of this major problem which is destroying my life and maybe is the cause for some of you as well.
Good luck with yours and i will keep you updated in case that i am right.
kioko58739 derekjp
Posted
Just to share what has worked for me.
1. Drinking copious amounts of hot water. usually 3-6 litres a day - has the best results for me. Done properly this alone relieves all symptoms. Only thing is I realised it was not safe to drink so much water especially within a short period. I belive this thins out the mucus.
2. Sleeping face up, takes a week or two to get relief- but boy oh boy - when the relief comes - feels amazing.
3. Using mucus thinners guafinisen. Only the drowsy mucinex works for me. Even then has to be taken with hot water to be effective.
4. Pseudophedrine- nasal decongestant. This offers some relief - but know it cannot be safe for long term use.
Currently trying black seed oil. WIl let you know how thatgoes.