As one of the many C.O.P.D. Patients here, does anyone know of a medication that will reduce the sheer quantity of Mucus I produce daily. I take the usual "Mucodyn" 375mg Capsules , four a day to help loosen this stuff, but its the AMOUNT I produce that rather worries me. Out of curiosity I keep an average size MUG - me( "Mucus Mug ) ! and spewed up this stuff for a week into it - by Friday I had practically FILLED IT ! - surely this can't be right ? and, what does it profit the Lungs to make such huge quantities ?, -,, the first half hour in the morning is taken up with caughing and spluttering with clearing the lungs that have accumilated all this gunge overnight, and of course when I have an infection, according to the "Bronko Test" it goes yellow, I take "Ciprofloxacin " and "Prednisolne" to get rid of it, fine, But , I NEVER had these problems when I smoked, (moderate smoker ), OR had breathing problems come to think of it, they only started WHEN I GAVE UP !!! - and when trying tell my smoking pals to do the same for the good of their health, they take one look at me and say "- Look at the state your in , you must be joking ", !, I'me not a good advert for cessation It seems - Oh dear ! , lots of endless thanks folks.
Can any good folks and Experts out th... - Lung Conditions C...
Can any good folks and Experts out there answer this one for me please -
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hi it can take up to nine months to clear lungs, for people with healthy lungs,drinking lots of water will thin sputem down,
Hi Rayfindlow, many thanks for reply, will continue to , as you suggest, carry on with the water intake - see my reply to Gordon 57, - loo visits are getting interesting !! - Vittorio...
Get a bigger mug or empty it more often that has to be an infection risk breeding for a week
Many thanks amster - as you see from my other replies, it was just an experiment to see how much my lungs could actually throw up in a week, , as the English say - "Cor blimey" !! - did't expect that quantity, any way - washed out the mug after the experiment was over and told me Doc - he raised his eyebrows somewhat ! and suggested I did a "Sputum test" to see what this " Tidal wave " , as he put it, actually "Consisted of " , so we wait and see. Thanks again and good wishes - Vittorio.
I don't know about the mucus bit but on the subject of giving up smoking, I only developed breathing problems about 3 months after I stopped and was then diagnosed with COPD.
My GP explained this by saying that while you smoke, the airways are kept open so you don't notice the symptoms, that only happens when you stop. The damage is still being done though so your mates need to think about that as you have a good chance of not getting worse, they don't.
Having said that, my husband also gave up and he is fine. It's the luck of the draw really.
Lynne x
Thanks Lynn, good wisdom in your answer !! , my Doc call the lungs "Little sods" - unlike the liver which can apparently repair itself if the damage isn't too severe, our lungs don't appear to have that ability , oh well, will persevere, and give your wise answer to my pals and see what happens ... thanks again -Vittorio
I was the same as you. I gave up smoking then 3 months down the line shortness of breath and diagnosed with COPD. Rather annoying to say the least.
Yep, have to agree that you may not be doing yourself any favours by keeping the stuff for a week, although I guess you don't normally do that. As with anything coughed up, by all means check the colour and whatever you need to, then get rid.
My gran had a similar issue, she coughed up loads of the stuff and had a little squat plastic bottle, a Marmite jar size and shape, with a Boots logo on the side from what I recall, that she carried in her apron pocket and 'got rid' of a mouthful into that when she had to. She made sure it was tipped down the loo regularly, and the bottle washed out. She was told to drink plenty to dilute whatever it was in her body that produced the gunk, but she had issues with her waterworks too, so she was a bit stuck with which was the worst of two evils really.
Thanks Gordon 57, for your reply, As I've said in another reply, I chucked the lot away at the end of the week, it was only an exercise to see how much I could actually produce in a week !, and was somewhat horrified ! and like your Gran, I too drink a fair bit to try and dilute the gunge as best as I can, so a visit to the loo - never quite sure which "End" is going to do its stuff first !!! thanks again and good health to you pal - Vittorio - just been told , if I write my questions and replies in Italian, I don't think many would understand what I was on about - least of all my Doc !!! - and he's Pakistani !!
Mai sottovalutare la conoscenza del proprio medico, o tuoi amici su qui 
My Aunt is Italian, she taught us some basic phrases many years ago, most of which I've forgotten. I used to be on 'CB' radio years ago, always talking to Italians so had to do my call-sign in Italian for them to pick me up. I was soon dropping in bits like 'mi chiamo Gordon' Now I rely on Google Translate 
Going back to your Doctor, did you know that the two main official languages in Pakistan are Urdu and English, but only 8% speak Urdu as their main language.
Oh ! did reply to you Queen Bee - hope you got it ok - seems to have disappeared,temporarily, hope it comes back,,,, many thanks - Vittorio - Alias "Vittospittorio - nice one !!! - sounds like a mad Roman Emporer !!.
HI, can i ask do u have bronchiectasis? if so these amounts of mucus can be normal. Its a good thing you are coughing it all up because if kept down there it will only start up an infection. I dont know about anyone else but i try and cut down dairy products especially milk as for me this produces alot of mucus. Docs say there is no evidence that dairy products do this, but i have spoken to fair number of people that it does happen to.
I was going to ask the same thing. I have bronchietasis and produce copious amounts of sputum!
My hubby has same issue, loads of phlem, that just wasn't moving,
2 years on, a locum prescribed Carbocisteine sp? / Mucodyn. He finds this is FANTASTIC.
With satge 3 COPD his ability to cough was reduced, this made all the difference. It took out the 'stickiness' of the phlem, making it much easier to bring up. Previous to this medication he was on 2 large bottles a week of Benylin, now he doesn't need any Benylin.
I don't know wether this is same issue as yours? but good luck in finding something that works.
Linda
Like Shell and Mocarey I was wondering too if you had bronchiectasis, as this amount of gunk would be pretty normal if that were the case. Have you been diagnosed by your GP or have you seen a respiratory consultant?
Better out than in Vittorio
XXX
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