coughing up chewing gum like phlegm

[zagemeel]

Hi , sorry for gory details but I have been dealing with a bad cold over Christmas with a incredible sore throat. I believed to get all better but became very unwell yesterday with flu like symptoms. Today I have been having a really sore cough and every now and then a big lump of very sticky lumpy phlegm comes flying out. Should I need meds? I am feeling a little better then yesterday . Just that cough is very very sore around the pleura area.

[O2Trees]

I have that kind of sticky mucus and in my case it's connected to reflux. Check with your GP. Reflux can also cause a bad cough when the acid gets into the windpipe and causes irritation. May not be that of course but worth checking.

[zagemeel in reply to O2Trees]

Hi O2Trees that sounds interesting as I also have had two episodes of cramp in ousophagus which lasted hours and was very very painful .

Have an appointment for Monday with my GP but he is never really interested in sputum samples.

Would you know what I can do to make it better?

[O2Trees in reply to zagemeel]

Your GP needs to decide that with you zagemeel. Just mention the possibility of reflux to him. It's good you're drinking loads but Ive found that doesnt make much different to the sticky mucus.

If it is reflux, there are lots of medications which deal with that. People with 'silent reflux' don't get the usual symptoms of acid reflux e.g. heartburn, so often don't realise what they are experiencing is a reflux issue.

But as I said, it could be something entirely different, so it's good you're seeing your GP tomorrow. Is it a single GP practice or are there other GPs you could see? Often one GP in the surgery will have a special interest in respiratory matters. Your practice manager should be able to advise you on that. Let us know how it turns out.

[Bkin]

I agree definitely contact your doctor to listen to the lungs, perhaps get a sputum sample pot from your surgery to give a sample, meantime drink plenty of water and if you have Vicks vapo rub, use that on your chest and back it may help to ease the pain when coughing.

Take good care

[zagemeel in reply to Bkin]

Thank you Bkin for your advise. I do drink a lot of water as my windpipe feels like it is on fire. Really really sore. I will see my GP on Monday so hopefully he will be helpful. ( most of the time he tells me "it is nothing".

[Bkin in reply to zagemeel]

Hope you had a good visit with your GP yesterday and you have something now that will give you some relief.

Best wishes

[zagemeel in reply to Bkin]

I did see GP and he told me that my lungs where clear. After I came home I became really unwell with flulike symptoms and been asleep almost all the time up till now. Slowly coming around a bit but am incredibly tired.

Maybe a nasty cold turned into flu?

He gave me nitro glycerine for the cramp in osuphagus