Chronic mucus for past decade
Posted , 11 users are following.
I'm almost 27, and have had chronic mucus production, leading to throat clearing and coughing, for about the past 10 years. This has been occurring year round, and I think it seems to be location-independent. In the past 10 years, I've lived in California, Colorado, Michigan, Texas, and spent extensive time in the UK, Italy, and China, and have not noticed any difference.
I've seen the following specialist doctors:
(1) Pulmonologist
(2) ENTs
(3) Nerve Doctor
(4) Allergist
I was told that the issues can be due to 3 things: (1) Rhinitis (allergic & non-allergic) (2) Acid reflux (3) Asthma.
(3) was thrown out because I took asthma medication, which didn't help, and I didn't have any other symptoms of asthma. I also took a breathing testing in a controlled lab, which ended up being normal.
I am thinking it could be a combination of allergic & non-allergic rhinitis, along with acid reflux (maybe GERD or LPR). My excessive mucus, while always there, are typically worse after eating. Pretty much after eating anything, I would feel excess mucus production. But I have tried many acid reflux medication such as omeprazole, pantoprazole, and some OTC medication that I don't recall the name. They didn't help at all. I don't have any other symptoms typical of GERD/LPR such as wheezing and heartburn.
I do have seasonal allergies in the fall. The symptoms associated with my seasonal allergies are different and result in my sneezing a lot, very runny nose, watery and itchy eyes, etc...
I have been tested for allergies, and I tested positive to:
weed pollen, dust mites, mold, grass, dogs, cats.
But allergy medication and steroids such as flonase, nasacort, ipratropium bromide, astelin, montelukast, zyrtec, claritin have not helped at all.
Even though the above allergy medication didn't work, which might suggest the mucus isn't due to allergic-rhinitis, my allergist said it could be that I just don't respond to those medication, but may respond better to immunotherapy, which I decided to start this coming September.
I had an endoscopy done by an ENT, and they could definitely see that the mucus is from post-nasal drip. But post-nasal drip can be caused by allergic & non-allergic rhinitis and acid reflux. They also noted that my sinuses&throat were quite inflamed and that I'm congested -- I've been this way for years.
Has anyone had similar issues and found success?
It's been bothering me for almost half of my life, and nothing to date has helped... It affects my voice, among other things. If immunotherapy doesn't work, I really have no idea what else to try...
Oh also, I use a netipot, and while it does flush out the mucus, I just end up generating more immediately.
0 likes, 17 replies
BC7 orioncygnus
Posted
Hey, I am 23 years old and I have been dealing with the same thing for about 4 years. My mucous is disgusting, green, and chunky and I always feel like I need to clear my throat. I've been to the same doctors and had pretty much the same experiences. Tried allergy medicine, nasal rinses, antibiotics, and got an adenoidectomy. Nothing worked...
I finally went to a gastroenterologist. They performed an EGD and told me that all of my issues are occurring due to GERD. I changed my diet and slowly started to feel better. My post nasal drip is going away and my mucous is not as thick. I read this book The Acid Watcher Diet and it is incredible. It is a 28 day guide to getting your stomach back in check and fixing your issues. All of my symptoms (and yours) were listed in this book as effects of acid reflux. You need to read this book and give the diet a try. It's difficult but if you have been dealing with this for 10 years, I'm sure you're willing to do anything to fix it. I haven't started the diet yet but I will be soon. The book is informative and breaks down the disease. I urge you to read it and see a gastro.
Good luck! It will get better. Just have to make some simple lifestyle changes.
-Bernard
BC7
Posted
Forgot to mention that it's really common to have acid reflux without having symptoms like heartburn/wheezing.
PPI's are not enough. You NEED to change your diet and get your gut back in good shape.
I have literally tried every thing you have (nasal sprays/washes, allergy medicine, etc.)
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE READ THE BOOK. YOU WON'T REGRET IT!
orioncygnus
Posted
Hi Bernard,
Thanks for the detailed response!
I can’t actually remember if any of those doctors mentioned GERD to me. I know they definitely mentioned LPR. I think I read about GERD online.
Do you have any other symptoms besides the post-nasal drip, leading to throat clearing and coughing?
Have you ever gotten allergy testing and if so, did you test positive for anything?
My mucus is actually just white. It’s only yellow when I have a cold or sometimes in the morning.
I’ll take your advice and see a Gastro and get a stomach endoscopy done. The pulmonologist I saw 6 years ago tried to get me to make lifestyle changes, but the diet thing was too difficult for me and I eventually gave up. I’m a foodie. But at this point in my life, I think I’d rather just sacrifice food for no more mucus.
I was under the impression that PPIs were a substitute for lifestyle changes? Is that not the case? I recall mentioning to my recent ENT that The PPIs weren’t working and I recall him saying that my issues are probably not due to acid reflux if the PPIs don’t work.
I grew up eating Chinese food and I still eat chinese food. There’s a lot of acidic stuff in chinese food.
Do you by any chance use whey protein? I started lifting weights and taking whey protein about 10 years ago, so at one point I thought maybe that caused this. But I don’t think so because I cut out whey protein out of my diet for about a month and noticed no difference.
BC7 orioncygnus
Posted
The only other symptoms I have are congestion occasionally and I get stomach aches as well.
Even if your mucus is white, it is most likely from GERD. Your body produces more mucus to protect your esophagus from acid damage.
I have gotten tested for allergies and tested negative for all. I still don't think your issue is allergies if you haven't responded to any allergy medication (I'm not a doctor, but I went through the same thing and never saw any relief).
Trust me, if there's anyone who is a foodie it is me. It is a difficult change but the point is that it is temporary until you get your stomach back in check and then you can start slowly bringing things back in moderation. You HAVE to follow this diet exactly or you will relapse and be back at square one. It is only 6 weeks. If you have been dealing with it for 10 years you should be willing to make a lifestyle change for a couple months to improve your quality of life.
Having this condition drastically increases your risk of esophageal cancer, especially if you continue to damage the tissue in your esophagus. PPI's are not enough, especially if you have been dealing with it for as long as you have. It cannot reverse the damage that has been done. Only your diet/lifestyle can heal what has already been done.
If you read the book it will change your life for the better I promise! I know it sounds sucky but you will read the first chapter and all of your symptoms will be listed and you'll be like "holy crap this is me"!
I have not taken Whey in a while since I found out I'm lactose intolerant.
-Bernard
orioncygnus BC7
Posted
So strangely, I don't actually really know what congestion feels like? I didn't even know I was congested until the ENT told me he could see that I'm congested. I don't feel pressure on my face, but maybe I've been congested for so long that it just feels normal to me? (that sounds really depressing..)
I already read a preview of the book on Amazon, and it already sounds like me: the hoarseness, post-nasal drip, cough, throat-clearing, etc... everything except I have no burning sensations.
Does it feel like your voice changes constantly and sometimes you have a hard time projecting your voice? Sadly, I don't even know what my real voice should be. I feel like it changes constantly, the tone, the resonance, clarity, etc...
I assume your symptoms become worse after eating?
I tried to get a referral to the gastro, but it seems my PCP wants me to see her first before issuing the referral.
BC7 orioncygnus
Posted
Yeah I never really had any burning sensation either! That does sound depressing and all the more reason to try and fix the problems lol! Even if it isn't GERD.
My voice absolutely changes. Some days its more nasally, some days more raspy, etc. My symptoms only get worse after eating if I am not sticking to a GERD friendly diet. I have been cheating a but lately (consuming alcohol, fatty foods, processed junk) in moderation and I see a huge difference in how I feel. That's why I am going to give this diet a shot and see how it does for me. I will be starting it at a time when I know I won't stray for the whole time (I know I don't have any social events or things that will cause me to change the diet in September).
orioncygnus BC7
Posted
I honestly don't want it to be GERD because I love food... But the fact that it's always worse after eating really makes it seem like acid reflux is a contributing factor.
My dad and my sister have somewhat similar issues, so maybe there's some genetic thing involved. My dad is a biologist and works around plants a lot. I think he first started having these issues about 4-5 years ago when he was around a lot of pollen, so I think his are more related to allergies. He seems to respond to those nasal steroids. My sister started having this issue last year, but hers doesn't seem to get worse after eating.
orioncygnus BC7
Posted
By the way, when the EGD testing was performed, could the doc literally see where your post-nasal drip mucus was generated? I keep asking doctors if there was some way where they can just put me in a lab setting for X amount of time, and monitor my body using CT scans or X-rays and just definitely see how the mucus is generated. We know it's from post-nasal drip, but I want to see physically what's generating the post-nasal drip.
matt86994 orioncygnus
Posted
Hi,
I have just come across your post and I can't believe how much this sounds like me. I showed my wife and she said wow you could have written that yourself. I have a real mucus issue. Maybe 3 or 4 mornings a week I wake up and feel really odd in the tummy, after about an hour of pottering around or when I get in the shower I feel the need to cough up to clear the feeling of a lump in my throat. I then cough up all this white bubbly frothy like mucus/sputum and I can be coughing so much that I'm gagging on it almost like I'm being sick but I'm not actually sick, it's just clear mucus. Then once the episode has passed I actually feel quite fine for the rest of the day before the next attack. Is yours similar to this and has it got better yet?
matt86994 orioncygnus
Posted
Hi,
I have just come across your post and I can't believe how much this sounds like me. I showed my wife and she said wow you could have written that yourself. I have a real mucus issue. Maybe 3 or 4 mornings a week I wake up and feel really odd in the tummy, after about an hour of pottering around or when I get in the shower I feel the need to cough up to clear the feeling of a lump in my throat. I then cough up all this white bubbly frothy like mucus/sputum and I can be coughing so much that I'm gagging on it almost like I'm being sick but I'm not actually sick, it's just clear mucus. Then once the episode has passed I actually feel quite fine for the rest of the day before the next attack. Is yours similar to this and has it got better yet?
tadmaz orioncygnus
Posted
Especially if it gets worse after eating, try eliminating things out of your diet. Dairy and eggs would be the first things to eliminate. Then try gluten, grain, and so on. If you want to try eliminating "everything" all at once try the AIP diet.
marl1941 orioncygnus
Posted
i am 79 yrs old and i have been suffering with mucus in the throat constant coughing to clear it for 35 yrs
Nothing i have been given or bought has ever helped .
its got worse over the yrs.. the mucus is not nasty , it is white and sticky but is the bane of my life
i find chewing gum helps but it is there every day and make me so fed up
martin1066 marl1941
Edited
hows it going
ive been coughing now for years,most days, in fact every day i think, you have probably been suffering like me
been the doctors cam up nose, down my neck, chest exrays (all clear)
talked to doctors on the phone, my local doctor called it something, cant remember, says its just something have to live with . so i read on a forum someone said stop drinking milk well that night instead of the horrable mucus crackling breathing it pretty much stopped i was very suprised.and had the first piecful nights sleep for ages. i havnt drank milk for over two years now.
i personaly think.( maybe different for everyone else) that different foods effect my cough, heres a list of stuff that effect me, its probably not the same for everyone.
curry take away..,,,spices seem to genorate more mucus for me
salad cream, mayonase, daddies brown sauce, cheese,and many more.
im not advising it but with food, i experiment, ill eat something just to see how it effects me, sad i know but sort of in controll and i get to know what i can eat quite easily
i also find that if i eat something that i know makes me cough, to me makes it a little more bareable, like it was my choice.
one last thing before i go when i go to sleep, i have to lie n my right side, lying on my left makes me cough
please dont feel you have to try any of this, its just my experiance,i take no blame for anything i really hope this has helped a little,
a09080 orioncygnus
Posted
Hi there, so sorry that you're feeling this way. I thought Id share my experience with you. I had a turbinate coblation done a week ago (cauterisation of the inferior turbinate). I have suffered for years with post nasal drip and swollen turbinates and even though I am still healing and nose is a bit stuffy I can tell that the surgery has been a success as I can definitely breathe better and my post nasal drip has dried up so much. My post nasal drip was so bad after eating that i would have to excuse myself from the table to go and cough! it was horrendous. I could never plan work calls for early morning either as i would be so hoarse. I tried everything to cure it: antihistamines, cough syrups, saline plus machine, saline spray and neti pots.. all at a lot of expense! plus numerous trips to the dr to be handed more and more sprays... when i went to see the consultant he told me these are addictive and i shouldnt be using anything..
I was so fed up and actually quite down because of it. It had a massive impact on my life. To try and cure it i did a septoplasty and had high hopes but it had no impact on the post nasal drip (much to my disappointment).
For me the coblation surgery has so far been lifechanging as my voice was constantly hoarse due to post nasal drip and i was always coughing. I would definitely recommend it and the recovery afterwards hasnt been too bad in all honesty. Hope you feel better soon!
orioncygnus a09080
Posted
hey thanks for sharing. Did your ENT ever tell you that your post nasal drip was abnormal? The last time I checked, the ENT said it didn't look abnormal and maybe I'm just hypersensitive to it