Hi folk. Sorry to bring it up (excuse the pun) but I am confused about this subject. I have read/heard countless times that if one's mucus/phlegm coughed up is the colour yellow, greenish, green, or blood-streaked, then you get straight to the GP as this is the sign of a chest infection. I have bronchiectasis and when I do bring anything up it looks the same colour all the time - greenish. However, having had quite a few sputum tests done over the past few years, they have always come back with the report 'no pathogens'. That is before or after I have been treated for the signs of an infection with antibiotics. It is confusing. It isn't a nice clear colour at all. (I am referring to the stuff that comes up from deeper down, not higher up the chest). One GP told me that everyone's normal sputum colour is different & that is just what my own particular mucus is like! Does this mean I am a martian? Any thoughts on this?
stillmovin1
Written by
stillmovin
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Stillmovin,I have a very similar situation. Nowadays my bronchiectasis seems to have changed. I. Don't cough up huge amounts of sputum any more but every sample they take shows nothing. I don't get temperatures with exacerbations either now so it's driving my doctors crazy. So no symptoms of infection but the only thing that relieves it is antibiotics, oral or IV. When this happens my breathing is terrible and I have a lot of pain, sometimes very severe.
Hope you get some answers as to why Thoracic. I've always assumed that pulmonary and thoracic meant the same thing but obviously there's some difference. Good Luck !
Sorry, I'm an idiot I thought you were the person wondering why they got an appointment for a Thoracic consultant - but the sputum situation seems to be much the same for both of us.
HAHA! Don't worry Argana - I get muddled sometimes too! Yes, that is confusing about the consultant being called a 'thoracic' one, now that you mention it...
Thanks about the sputum info. I do find too that things are changing. I seem to be getting symptoms of exacerbations/infections and the doc gives me antibiotics (I have just had two lots in three weeks) but the sputum tests show no pathogens on the report! Yet, I have felt awful all through this winter period and have chest pains, poor breathing, can't get mucus up, etc. This bronchiectasis is a stubborn thing isn't it? I went to see the nurse at my GP surgery a couple of weeks ago to see if she could give me some regular help with 'respiratory' matters and she said they don't deal with bronchiectasis, just COPD. That confused me too. I have COPD too so I guess I should get help from a nurse, but it would be exactly the same assistance as that given to bronchiectasis sufferers too, wouldn't it?!
Thanks flibberti - not pleasant subject but I have to ask it anyway!
Looks like I get the signs of an infection without an infection.... I still don't understand it fully. My last CT scan showed that I was actually having an infection in November and I didn't know it!
I don't feel as if I have any control at all over this illness and it is frustrating.
Thanks again. Stillmovin
You have had some very good replies but thought that I would put in my four pennorth. I have had bronchiectasis for 63 years. I cough up loads of coloured sputum but like you, most tests come back negative. This has a lot to do with the standard labs which cannot pin down the funny bugs we get and do not let it grow long enough. The only lab that did this was the research lab at QE Birmingham but now they cannot help us owing to a supposed contamination risk to research projects for another lung disease ( I leave you to guess which one). The medics have long been in denial that there are a lot of us who can produce sputum like this without being particularly unwell. Probably because we have to work very hard and clear it every day. I have found that the best judgement is how I feel and how It tastes. Your GP should give you an emergency pack of cipro to keep at home and take. I hope that helps. You aren't alone, there are quite a few of us out there battling with bronchiectasis confusion and ignorance in the medical profession.
Thanks Stillstanding. That is indeed very worrying information for bronchiectasis folk. I may mention it the next time I bring in a sputum sample. I doubt if I will get a clear response to my query, however. I have a big problem getting up sputum (tablets don't work) and use a flutter, do breathing exercises, exercises, walk...This winter it has been particularly bad. Last year was not like this at all. stillmovin
you seem to be doing the right things. The consistency of the sputum can very much depend on what bug is in there. If you are having trouble there may be a bug making it sticky. Pseudomonas is the usual suspect. I have just bought myself an aerosure medic, which is like a flutter but is supposed to work against you better because it is powered by batteries. I haven't tried it yet because I have some mystery problem myself which is giving me a lot of pain but not not the usual bronchiectasis exacerbation symptoms. The GP thinks I have an empyea which I have never had and is quite nasty whilst the consultant won't see me until they repeat the blood tests and she gets the result of an xray. I amhoping that I damaged my ribs and muscles lifting a suitcase and in consequence have a chest infection because it has been too painful to give it enough wellie when I cough. So whilst they prevaricate I am living on painkillers and taking cipro. I think you are right, they will never admit that the labs can't find the bugs so you just have to listen to your own body.
Yes I hope too that you get over this current problem stillstanding and can get back to starting off with using the aerosure medic. I did have sharp pains in my left lung a few weeks ago and hoped it was muscular but antibiotics took it away, so it must have been related to a bug. Best wishes with your results. stillmovin xx
Worth a look but if you are not feeling ill and it is no greater than normal. It can be confusing I had a cough and was bringing up loads of yellow/green with streaks of blood but this was coming from my throat which was strained by the coughing. I very often get solid rubber like balls in various colours.
Thanks Offcut. Well I have read the link you sent and I seem to be permanently infected. I have never seen clear mucus coming up from deep down in my lungs. I did have a big globule of thick yellow/greenish stuff came up the other night so I know there is a lot more down there. I wonder why all the antibiotics (amoxicillan and then dioxycilan) didn't change the colour if they removed the infection? Surely, something strange is going on!
I assume it can be that colour without infection and not just in Bronciectasis. I have 'mild' COPD, & am usually clear/white, but if I get a cold I have yellow/green mucous, and every time it's been tested as 'no infection'.
Yes indeed, soulsaver, it is bewildering. I have read the website that Offcut kindly sent in his response and it clearly states that yellow or greenish/green is 'infection'. And stillstanding63 gave me quite shattering info on the inefficiency of the lab tests! This is not good news. However, what can be done?
Stillmovin, Im a bit late posting this but no-one should feel embarrassed or apologetic talking about mucous - its what the forum is for, (as well as all the other stuff). I don't have bronch but have read it all with interest and understand a bit more about it. Thanks for posting.
Disconcerting maybe - but that's why we are here isn't it? So we can help each other and ask the things its harder to ask others who don't have lung disease. Hope the above replies have been helpful. It seems bronch has a whole set of problems of its own and in some ways is harder to work out than copd
I seem to spend quite a lot of my day looking at tissues which I have just coughed into and like some of you my symptoms seem to have start changing or it could be that I am having two kinds of mucus one due to the bronc side of things and the other due to COPD as one batch could be dark green/grey (usual Bronc) and the other white/pale yellow. have been put on maintenance antibiotics now and I don't seem to have major flare ups but never seem to be completely clear. We all seem to have different symptoms, sure makes life confusing!!!
Hey ho, what a merry life we lead. Hope you enjoy the rest of Sunday.
Hello Sue, I seem to have typed a response and lost it - now I can't remember what I had put! Anyway, yes, I seem to be looking at tissues a lot too, or down the bathroom sink plughole, to see the colour and consistency. It is about to become a very bizarre obsession! I have GERD, so as soon as I eat a 'trigger food', up comes clear phlegm. That is easy to differentiate. However, the stuff lying down in the bronchiectasis 'puddles' is quite a different thing. I can only guess that if it isn't infected then this is the colour that my own mucus is after lying in its puddle in the airways for some time. It most certainly does not look healthy. In the winter, I am producing a lot more sputum and more and more of it is not shifting from its puddles and it is a battle trying to get it up now. I have a short dry cough when I talk and when I try to breathe deeply. Forced breathing exercises seem to do little and I even got very sharp left lung pains a few weeks ago after doing them. I know two other people in my life (not related) who have bronchiectasis and do not have many problems at all! I think the doctors here don't know enough about this COPD condition. They just say 'it is rare'. IT IS NOT!!!!!
No you're not a martian and yes your doc is right - we are all different and for many bronchiectatics, including me, dark yellow/pale green is my norm. I usually know when I have an infection when my temp is up, gunk is dark green, the taste. Sometimes it is more difficult but even though the colour is norm for me, it has a subtle sheen and i just know it's infected.
There are a number of reasons for a false negative (I, along with many other bronchs have had them). The sample may have been taken from an are of the lung which is not infected. It may not have reached the lab quickly enough - some folks take them direct but if you take it to your GP it is best to find out what time the van leaves for the lab and get it down shortly before (if you don't fill in your own MC&S forms leave time for the nurse to fill in the mc&s form. Often the lab will not culture the sample long enough to pick up some of the bugs often grown by bronchiectatics unless requested to culture 'cf protocol' by doc or con.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
I thought you were the person wondering why they got an appointment for a Thoracic consultant -
but the sputum situation seems to be much the same for both of us.
Help Sputum result very confusing
a horrible title to my post ,,,, mucus 
Greetings from Ossiepaul
Frothy mucus
Lots and Lots of phlegm
