Sometime during Xtandi and Zytiga use I noticed a large amount if phlegm buildup in my windpipe. It has progressed to the point of coughing a lot to loosen and spit it out. Sleep has been affected. This has progressed over a two year period.
Has anyone had a similar problem?
Thank you, I’m hoping to find a cause and find some solution to eliminate this distraction to my PC challenge.
Written by
docbulldog
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Have you been using opiates and cut back or quit them ? Excess phlegm can result and offen unbearable loads of it when you do. When I get those giant phlegm attacks, I find that the common OTC antihistamine “ chlorpheniramine “ ( chlortabs ) works miracles . Might help you as well.
Standard disclaimer: this is just what works for me , I’m not a doctor. Always check with your doctor to see if this OTC medication is contradicted by any of your other meds.
Thank you for the reply, no I have not been using opiates. I was on Dexamethasone with Zytiga, actually because of a pharmacy mistake I was taking 4 mg for a month before it was caught, then went to one milligram. I will continue to try to use an antihistamine especially before bedtime. Also use a nasal spray three times a day, which I am trying to be consistent on.
Roger that brother. Using antihistamines to cure phlegm attacks ( and I get severe ones ) works ( for me ) but the Devil is in the details. Depending upon those too much causes their own phlegm hell, with withdrawal from those. I try to avoid the sprays except for very infrequent use and the pill forms only when I have no other choices. I used them both, long term, to the point of dependency . Opiates are a high power antihistamine and when you quit them , the histamine rebound can be dramatic. Drowning in phlegm. I hate opiate side effects and I just have to quit and clean up every now and then. Then I made the obvious jump to the OTC antihistamines to fix that yayahahahaya.
Kicking antihistamine dependency can be really awful and for several weeks. Plus you can’t sleep at night choking on snot.
The sprays just naturally cause their own demise because my body will build up resistance to them quickly , I’ll use more an more often … then eventually they don’t work at all , leavening you in a full bore phlegm explosion. The pills seem to work longer before they quit but both eventually leave me with buckets of phlegm. Last time I had to go back on opiates to get off the little yellow pills yayahahahaya. It’s hell I can tell you.
In my case , I just accepted the fact I’ll never not be able to do without the opiates…. and I’ve finally kicked the yellow pills and my three kinds of nasal inhalers . I consider the opiates to be less of a phlegm mess than kicking the inhalers and yellow pills can be. No easy solutions, in some cases.
I use a Netty Pot w warm water and saline solution. Takes a few minutes over bathroom sink and breath easy w no mucus buildup. Cheap at any drugstore. Only need about 1x every 2 months now. Immediate results.
trying to dry up phlegm can be counterproductive -- thinning it be staying hydrated, keeping the sir humidified, using saline solution,guaifenesin etc. is the way to go;don't know you're situation, but many guys with incontinence problems restrict liquid intake, esp. at night, and that in itself can make phlegm worse; been there, done that
Per my husband's pulmonologist, he is using 1200 mg of guaifenesin extended release tablets, twice a day. We have a liquid also as he is having swallowing difficulties and the tablets are large, about the size of abiraterone.
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