coughing /copious mucus

[bikergrove]

Should i be coughing so much and producing lots of mucus,mornings are really bad which after being in bed i can understand but it is happening a lot during the day too. I thought my inhalers would help more, but i feel as if my condition has gone worse ,and it is putting me off going out. Can this get better or is all this part of COPD, I am on Spiriva and ventolin, but am having episodes of wheezing too. I am so confused should i go and see my GP ,but i don't want to waste his time.

[knitter]

Hi biker grove, you will not be wasting your gps time at all, I would make an appointment soon before the Christmas break disruption.

You could have your medications assessed, some inhalers may suit you better than others. There is also Mucodyne which is used to thin the mucus.

The BLF helpline is open during the working week and they can give you advice

[Hidden]

Go to your gp - there are lots of options, you may have an infection, you may need different inhalers. Don't wait go as soon as you can. My husband isn't great in this cold weather but I have learned to go back to the doctors, don't hang around. Lots of Luck and let us know how you get on. Lots of love TAD xxx

[Hidden]

Please go back to your doctor sooner rather than later. There are lots of different meds available, you may even have an infection. Please go! Take good care TAD xxx

[Hidden]

Well sorry to send you two posts I thought the first had disappeared!!! Xx

[bikergrove]

Thank you will take your advice and see doctor, will let you all know how i get on xx

[longlungs]

Hi Bikergrove as knitter and Tadaw say its time to hot foot it down to the docs,you just never know best safe than potentially getting any worse.Hopefully this will clear up without so much mucous.But maybe some help with it would make it easier to bring up,drink plenty of fluids.Goodluck blessings Janexxx

[Hidden]

Hi I agree with the others. If you think anything could be wrong it is always best to go to the doctors. One said to me that they would rather I go even if it is nothing than not go. Don't take any chances with those dodgy lungs of yours! x

[O2Trees]

Agree - get yourself to the doc And good idea to phone the blf helpline.

You don't say if the mucus is coming from your lungs or your throat. If the latter, it may be acid reflux. A large proportion of peeps with copd also have reflux, sometimes as a result of the copd. It can make a huge amount of sticky mucus in the throat and cause asthma-like symptoms.

The symptoms are often worse in the morning after being flat all night but the mucus is produced all day and needs coughing up otherwise the throat gets clogged up. I live with this and its taken a long time to understand it.

Anyway, just another thing to run by the doc. Hope you get some relief.

NB mucudine works brilliantly for some, and not for others who find thin mucus difficult to cough up. Definitely worth a try though.

[sassy59]

I hope you manage to get an appointment with your GP today and do let us know how it goes. My husband Pete has sarcoidosis and copd and yesterday was choking a lot and bringing up a lot of mucus too. Today he seems a bit better but we never know whether he is going down with something or it is just how he is. Good luck to you. xxxxx

[CornishBrian]

Keep an eye on your fluid intake. I've been advised that during flare ups and infections I should be drinking up to 4 litres of fluid a day. It helps keep the mucus thin. Also, during the winter, revert back to wearing a scarf over your mouth and nose. It helps to thin out airborne bugs and takes the rasp out of cold air. Also remember to breath in through your nose and out through your mouth.

[hallentine47]

This is one of my major challenges with my advanced COPD. Diagnosed 10 years ago and have been on two Pulmonary Rehab courses in 5 years. I use salmeterol inhaler, spiriva respimat inhaler, seretide inhaler, Carbocisteine (mucadyne) and last week acquired a Flutter Mucus clearance Devise. I have my head over a bowl of hot steaming water plus Olbas Oil. I practice arm exercises to open the lungs and Autogenic Drainage breathing. AND STILL I suffer dreadful nights of trying to clear the mucus just so I can get some sleep. It really is wearing me out. Most nights I am up and down becaue as soon as I relax in bed to sleep the cough starts and the cough is very damaging and scaring in itself. If I clear the mucus I can get some sleep.

Definitely go back to your GP just to make sure you do not have a virus. Get referred to Pulmonary Consultant at the Local major Hospital as GP's know so little about COPD.

Let me know if you hear of anything more than I do that can be done.

Best of luck.

[helingmic]

bikergrove, like others, I recommend you talk to your GP, and also ask for your sputum to be tested to be sure it's not an infection.

Do you do Active Cycle of Breathing Technique in the morning and in the evening. Here's the video

youtube.com/watch?v=7hw0BUn...(Not working as expected?)

Ask your GP to refer you to pulmonary nurse team. They will have the time to explain things for you, they can refer you to a physiotherapist to help you with the breathing technique and other breathing exercises.

Here are some I found useful to do every morning and cough up

youtube.com/watch?v=iIrAUL_...(Not working as expected?)

I hope you get a solution and get berret very soon.

[victoriablue]

Morning biker grove think its time you went the doctors i was the same last week the rubbish was getting really bad all day and night so went the doctors Monday and had antibiotics and steroids getting loads better so don't waste any more time suffering.

Hope you are sorted soon,

[paultay23]

Hi

This is a repeat post i posted in another area of the site (Fibromyalgia Action UK) ...might be more useful here

Hi, New on here

I found the site searching for prednisone side effects and alternatives... I have had Aggressive Nasal Polyps for 15 years along with late onset asthma and aspirin allergy. I Have had 4 polypectomy operations and a front sinus obliteration. Short term relief and then the b***ds come back with vengeance. My life should be so good but it is crap. I am 65 and have been diagnosed with osteoporosis in my upper left femur. I have used betnesole nose drops for years and had numerous antibiotic and prednisone courses to keep the polyps at bay.

This has been reasonable successful but i have weeks and weeks with blocked nose and the need to blow hard to release the damm stuff. I am now suffering Chest congestion which stems from inflammation in the bronchial tubes, until i get up the long stringy mucus i struggle to breath and cough constantly (much to the annoyance of my partner)

prednisone temporarily opens up my airways and i get a little relief for a few week,,,and then it starts again.... My Doctor has now stopped me taking prednisone because of the osteoporosis

Help

Any ideas that i might be able to try

Cheers

Paul