Is there anything you lovely members can suggest to help reduce the amount of mucous I am producing? I have just done 7 days of Doxycycline (7 days more to take) and 5 days of steroids and the mucous just wont stop. I can feel it gurgling when I breathe in. I am able to cough it up easily enough but there`s no let up.
I am seeing the consultant on the 5th October .
Any suggestions greatly appreciated. X
I wish I could help. I have a mucus problem in my throat and getting worse, despite taking Phenoxymethylpenicillin 2 four times a day. f Doxycycline no good to me.
I can feel it constantly but cough very little up. I wonder if the change from desert weather to polar weather is not helping.
Hope you get sorted soon
Sorry to hear about your problems. It’s horrible. At the moment I have a multiple of choices whether helpful I do not know.
I sip hot water with slices of fresh lemon frequently. I suck bitter lemon sweets or strepsils. Another trick I was given was to use a steam inhalation to try to help my breathing.Olbas oil is another inhalant.
These are my tricks but have also taken Steroids,Amoxicillin and Carbocisteine tablets. I am allergic to Doxycycline.
Do hope you soon get some help . Keep safe
Thank you. I hate this condition as am sure you do too. X
Thank you for taking the time to reply. X
Welcome, wish i could have been more help. x
Have you tried using a ‘device’ to help get rid of the mucous? I have an Aerobika which helps bring up the mucous from deep down. There is a similar device, a flutter, Saline nebulising helps too. It’s awful when mucous production goes into overdrive. Also any cough meds that contain Guaifenesin I find quite helpful. Hope you feel better very soon.
Do u use lung clearance techniques to get mucous up&out? If Yr on carbocysteine,it may be worth reducing the dose while Yr drowning xx
It's coming away freely by just coughing or doing the ACB breathing techniques. As fast as I think it's finished it just bubbles back up! I take the effervescent tablets to thin it out but haven't needed to take them for a few days. Just feels like the production has gone into overdrive!
Yes,I know exactly what u mean.i usually get this following/during exacerbations.it does settle eventually whn inflamation infection settles.it feels like Yr drowning. hope it lessens soon for you.do u sleep propped up?xxx
Antibiotics generally destroys your microbiome, restoring it will reduce mucus production. After you finish the course of doxycycline, try to eat food which replenishes your microbiome curd yogurt, fresh vegetables and fresh juices.
Have you been checked for post nasal drip. I was given a nasal spray (Avemys) because I could actually feel the mucus draining into by throat. It has helped and I have an appointment to see ENT in November.
Carbosisteine 2 x 3 times daily . Really works. Good luck. On prescription xx💕⚘Sheila
Carbocisteine works for me 1 tablet 2 x’s a day Dr said 3 x’s a day (constipated) but 2 x’s a day works for me, it was the breath team at the hospital who recommended it for me. I also take 2 puffs of Trimbow 2 X’s a day. This seems to work for me and lots of hot drinks. I do hope you can find a treatment that works for you. x
You could try NAC 600s (you can get them next day delivery from Amazon) also a flutter device
Hello, I use an 'Acapella' breathing device to help to move mucous. I was advised to drink lots of water as this can help to 'thin it out' and make it easier to bring up.
Perhaps when you see your consultant you could ask for some dietary advice? For example I think dairy products can cause more mucous to be produced.
Best wishes x
Your ever growing mucus us a sign that the antibiotic which you are taking is the wrong one and is not tackling the bug in there. Or that oral antibiotics are not doing the job and a course of IV is needed to clear it out before going on to nebulised antibiotic to stop the bug numbers growing again. It is possible that you have a bug in there called pseudomonas and doxycyclin is not very efficient against it. Ciproxen is the only oral antibiotic that tackles pseudomonas and even that runs out of steam. Unfortunately many treat bronch as copd but it is entirely different. You have had a lot of kind advice as to loosening mucus but that is not what you need. The bacteria producing the mucus are what need tackling.You really need a good specialist bronch expert. GPs know nothing about bronch and general respiratory consultants very little more although they tend to claim that they do. They simply do not have enough training or experience in it. Look at your nearest teaching hospital find a bronch specialist and insist on a referral
Meanwhile keep getting that mucus out, no matter how much there is of it. It is crucial to rob the bacteria of the warm wet envuronment that they love to breed in.You are not getting the right care or management and I'm afraid that we have to be viciferous in our own interests. I have had bronch all of my life by the way (73 yrs) and in a recent hospital stay, resp doctors and students beat a steady path to my bed for my experience.
I was waiting for your reply Littlepom as I know you know your stuff. When the mucous increases is it always a sign of a bug in there? I have seen 2 respiratory consultants who haven't really helped me. I have an appointment next week at seacroft hospital where there is a bronch specialist so am hoping to get a proper treatment plan. Should I just muddle on til then or go back to gp. Many thanks for replying. X
Not long until you see someone who hopefully is a bronch specialist. Finish the doxy and keep getting the mucus out. Sometimes thinning it too much can be a problem for us because it creates far too much of it and it gets stuck in the lungs.. Sometimes letting it be a bit thicker helps to get more of it out at once. If my sptum increases ( although I have a lot anyway) it us a sign that the pseudo is having a party. People with copd tend to need more help thinning their mucus than we do.
Thank you. I think I will get a sample off to the GP . I do hope its not pseudomonas as I know that's difficult to get rid of. My lovely spinone boy had it in his folds of skin round his mouth and it was a nightmare. Again....thank you. X
Hi Littlepom, lately I've been feeling like my lungs are drowning and so breathless (my specialist blames it on me being thin). After reading your reply about thinning mucus too much I thought I'd try not taking my mucus thinners for a while see what happens. Well I'm not counting my chickens but after stopping them for one day I actually managed to walk for about 20 minutes yesterday. Haven't been able to do more than about 5mins recently. Amazing! Not saying that would work for everyone but seems to be doing the trick for me. Can't tell you how different that makes me feel and how grateful I am. Thank you. This is not the first suggestion of yours that's worked for me. I'd like a book of 'Littlepoms hints &tips'. Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge and experience. Take care. 🥰xxx
Oh that's lovely. Sometimes the simplest things surprise us and can improve things. Your consultant needs to stop blaming the patient for their inability to manage your condition. I am 6st 1 and always being nagged about my weight! We are all different but if it works for you that's brilliant.
Can't add to the tips given but everyone is so kind and supportive on this site. I hope you find some that help you. 🙂 Take care xxx
When I see posts like yours on excessive mucus I always think of my friend who's son aged 8 had a chronic chest infection and was hospitalised. A litre of pus was removed from his little lungs, poor kid, his mum didn't believe in antibiotics or vaccinations 🙄. As an adult although he still has the scars to remind him he smokes! Anyway my point is, the lungs can hold a lot of infected material (I never understood why GPs think that 5 days of abs could kill off a whole load of endless infected mucus like yours.
If you Google stomach acid you will see that it can effect the esophagus creating more mucus. I have asthma, lupus, etc. My critical care, asthma, lung, allergy specialist stated the problem with most doctors they do not treat the elderly correctly with meds. I truly was just about dead after 3 medical facilities, x-rays of lungs, antibiodics, steriods, x-rays of throat and nasal cavities at ENT doctor. So when I went to my specialist he put me on Doxcycline 100mg 2 times a day for 2 weeks, then 1 a day for 3 MONTHS!! He stated the elderly needs extended meds for a few months to completely heal and get them better. He also increased my omeprazole to 40 mg 2 times a day, which took care of the stomach acid. I was like a new person. He keeps me with a script I can fall back on when I start getting sick. I also take Mucinex 2 times a day or up to 4 with plenty of water to thin the mucus. I hope this helps you. God bless.
Wow.....I think your reply demonstrates the need for a specialist. Hopefully I will get some help next week. Is anybody else on this forum a patient at the bronch clinic at seacroft hospital? XThank you so.much for replying. X
I agree. I'm 73 with many health problems and all my doctors are specialist! These other doctors, like family phycians have not been trained "in depth" of a specific ailment. So therefore you dont get the depth of healing you need.
Your doctor can order a nebulizer machine which is very simple to work. Doc will prescribe a liquid med to pour in machine. You inhale the liquid steriods that has been turned into a mist and is absorbed in your lungs, calming inflammation in your mucous membrane allowing your body to heal. The treatments drastically reduce coughing, sputum production and chest tightness allowing you to breathe easier. Hope this helps!
Thank you so much for replying and to everybody else who shared their experiences of coping and treating this awful condition. Roll on the 5th I do hope I get some help. X
Hope Yr appointment goes well + mucous decreases with steroids and antibiotics x
Most welcome! Be blessed
Hi, until recently i suffered so badly with constant mucous then i started using Lungwort (Stay Safe) and it's made a massive difference, also respiratory team tried me on Azithromycin and i'm like a new woman, don't cough at all now and breathing is great....so much so i've booked a long trip to India in Nov which i thought i'd never be able to do again!!
Are you talking the tablet form or lungwort tea?… I’ve started drinking the lungwort tea..(Amazon) just one cup per day and my mucus production seems to have reduced …not sure if it’s just a coincidence but happy to continue with it. Have you noticed Any other benefits?
Hi, i'm taking the capsule form one a day, i tried some cheaper brands over the past few month but went back to Stay Safe as that gave me the best results. I have had the most awful problem with mucus production for years, i actually put it down to genetics! Since i had covid it was a dreadful daily persistent problem. Now i have nothing at all, so much so i don't even think about it anymore! But being able to breath again is the best. Yesterday i was out all day and over 60 miles from home, it wasn't until i got home last night i realized i hadn't even put an inhaler in my bag....for years i've carried an inhaler 'just in case' but now i only use it once in the morning and bedtime, now i wonder why i'm doing that? I wish you the very best of success with the Lungwort.
Thank you…Think I’ll get the Stay Safe as well …I’m hoping this is going to last! 🤞🤞. There’s not a lot of mention about lungwort on this forum which surprises me…keep me posted.. plus if you hear anything more..
regards. Pat
Yes it's worth a try isn't it. I suppose it all depends what ailments we have and the other meds we take. I'm surprised too there is little mention of Lungwort on here...i don't know how i heard of it really but it was only recently. I think also when we are unwell we trust the Dr to prescribe us the remedy and forget or don't trust the alternative. I did a lot of research in the safety/drug interaction and it always came up as zero, and i spoke to my respiratory team. They were very skeptical about it's use but agreed there was no harm. I've also been taking Carbosistein for years and now i'm gradually dropping that too. Earlier this year 'they' wanted me to have oxygen in the house i was so bad....and now i've bought my flight to go solo back to India for the winter...i cannot believe the turn around myself! I hope you get a similar result, please let me know either way and we can shout about it and broadcast the result.
It will b interesting to see Yr results Phill 1 x
I’ve just bought my second pack of Health Embassy Lungwort herbs off Amazon which I make into 1 mug of tea per day
Tastes ok and believe it has me producing less & stopped my night mucus. Unless it’s just the summer months that are better for us lungies ??????
I’m sticking with it for now..
Plus have ordered the Stay Safe capsules.. Maybe use them as back up if I get a chest infection ..
Regards Pat
has it made you pee more too?
Not at all.
steroid withdrawal again!
Ordered my nebuliser today😊
Bronchiectasis and weight loss
Head congestion and copd
Pulmonary rehabilitation course 
