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help please. anyone seen mucus like this before?

Posted , 10 users are following.

ian08298
ian08298

Long time smoker 18 yrs of pack and half and bud smoker. For 3 years I've coughed up this strange mucus but i figured it was normal. Now I'm not so sure. Recently quit but still coughing up dirty mucus a month later. Anyone ever seen mucus like this?

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • jude65855
    jude65855 ian08298

    Posted

    Maybe your lungs are working more efficiently now you've stopped smoking?  Congratulations by the way, it aint an easy addiction to kick, but worth it.  The reason lots of people say they get "colds" when they give up is because the lungs haven't been able to work properly before and now they are.   Nicotine is a cough suppressant, believe it or not - drs used to recommend it to TB patients to stop the coughing which could lead to bleeding.  That's why smokers cough so much in the mornngs before the first fag, remember that?

    Can't comment on the quality of the mucus without seeing it and I don't particularly want to but if it's greenish or yellow maybe you should get it checked out, but maybe give it another month or so unless you're really worried.

    I really think it's just your lungs clearning the backlog, assuming you have no other symptoms such as fever or chest pain, in which case get yourself checked out pronto.

    Good luck and again, congratulations!   You cd substitute bikkies for one of those former past-times, actually clears bronchial tubes

  • hanb
    hanb ian08298

    Posted

    Hello Ian, sorry to read about your concern.

    May I ask what sort of colour it is? A brown tar colour, green, yellow, or other.

    Take care, and if you're ever in doubt, get checked out.

    Kind regards and * hugs *

    hanb

    • jude65855
      jude65855 hanb

      Posted

      Good reply hanb;  I forgot to mention the brown mucus issue which is probably potentially the most dangerous, so goodonya for including it
    • ian08298
      ian08298 hanb

      Posted

      Hi the mucus is clear with a ton of dark speckles in it I tried attaching a link to a pic of my sputum but no luck
    • jude65855
      jude65855 ian08298

      Posted

      Clear is normal, not so sure about the dark speckles.  Anyone else had this experience after giving up smoking?  I didn't but then if it's the remnants of nicotine maybe my lungs are too stuffed to get it up.

      I'd get that checked out if I were you - pls let us know what happens.

  • hypercat
    hypercat ian08298

    Posted

    Yes it is normal.  It is your lungs clearing themselves of the nicotine and this is a good sign but can take a while to complete.   Congrats for  giving up smoking.  x

     

  • Nanny1086
    Nanny1086 ian08298

    Posted

    Hi, if the mucus you cough up is greenish in colour or brownish, then it could

    be ( sounds like to me ) a chest infection, get a sterilised pill bottle or something ,and take a sputum sample into your GPs to be sent away to test ,to see which antibiotic is best suited to treat the infection, well done for stopping smoking ,

  • steven42439
    steven42439 ian08298

    Posted

    Had this for a while. It's speckled and sticky like glue. Will cclear when the gunk is gone. Normal for a smoker. Thanks
  • christine10269
    christine10269 ian08298

    Posted

    Oh Ian , im having the same problem. I gave up smoking in September and since then im breathless and coughing up mucous. The doctor has given me an inhaler which does help. Keep it up , its worth it x
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