My wife has been having a big problem lately with a build up of phlegm in her throat(airways). It is the worst in the morning and she often spends 30-60 minutes trying to clear her throat so she can take her medication. The phlegm is a big problem because she has trouble breathing as her throat feels partially closed up.. Often she has swallowed the Sinimet before clearing her throat and she will spit up some phlegm later on that is the same yellow colour as the medication . She feels that the phlegm is catching her medication before it reaches her stomach. We have a lot going on and trying to figure out what is happening is very difficult. The phlegm and breathing issue is always worse near the end of dose so it will often trigger anxiety. We are using some CBT tecniques to keep the anxiety from escalating, but the odd panic attack is unavoidable.
Does anyone else have issues with phlegm and if so how do you deal with it.
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I truly feel terrible about your predicament. For better or for worse, the answer (in my opinion based on my experience) is likely to be all in the management of anxiety. Anxiety is the underlying condition that has plagued me the most by tremendously exacerbating even the simplest of symptoms / problems.
I also have tried and I do try CBT approaches along with breathing exercises such as BOX breathing. I found that I still have trouble controlling panic attacks.
I have experienced tremendous relief using the supplement called Ashwagandha which is considered a magic herb for providing calmness and quiet relief. It's an Ayurvedic remedy. I bought this from Amazon
Futurebiotics Ashwagandha Capsules Extra Strength 3000mg - Stress Relief Formula, Natural Mood Support, Stress, Focus, and Energy Support Supplement, 120 Capsules a.co/d/cKx709X
"Excess phlegm is an example of a non-motor symptom of PD. Dysphagia is the main cause of phlegm in PD since it causes saliva and mucus to accumulate in the back of the throat. In PD, dysphagia can occur due to impairments in the nerves and muscles in the mouth and throat."
I have had this exact problem since January of 2022 but not as severe. I saw my GP, an ENT, and an allergist. They all agreed that it was non-allergic/vasomotor rhinitis. I had no idea that it was part of my PD symptoms until recently.I've literally coughed whole supplement capsules and pills back up with phlegm over 30 minutes after I swallowed them and attempted to wash them down multiple times with water.
It's only bad in the morning, and the choking only happens once every couple of weeks. I have no swallowing or breathing issues aside from the problems due to the extreme amounts of very thick phlegm.
About 6 weeks ago I started taking quercetin and butterbur supplements. That has decreased the amount of phlegm by about 50%, and I have had no choking episodes since starting.
Good morning. This may sound silly, but have you not tried an OTC product such as Mucinex, Bisolven or whatever is available in your country. I am very bad in the morning and have to lie at a 45 degree angle first thing. I take it at night. Hot tea first thing loosens things up too.
Here is one article I found - but always read the labels on the boxes of over-the-counter meds.
"Cold and allergy medications
Some types of cold and allergy medications, such as cough suppressants and decongestants or stimulants, interact with PD medications.
Specifically, these medications can interact with the MAO-B inhibitors selegiline, rasagiline, and safinamide. This can prevent these medications from working properly and may also boost your risk of side effects.
Medication type Drug name Brand name
Cough suppressant dextromethorphan certain Mucinex, Robitussin, Sudafed and Theraflu products (and many others)
Decongestant/stimulant ephedrine and pseudoephedrine certain Sudafed products and various allergy relief products (and many others)
phenylephrine certain Sudafed, Theraflu, and Vicks products (and many others)
If you’re shopping for cold or allergy medications, the key is to carefully read the labels and avoid products that contain any of the above active ingredients."
you might want to try chewing gum frequently for at least 10 minutes. My voice therapist showed me a study that says PWP who chew gum are far less likely to die from choking. I use asparstame-free gum called PUR available on Amazon. It stops my dry cough and stops choking fits cause by saliva. Might help with phlegm?
That is interesting. I started chewing gum after taking my meds because it seemed to help them go down but it was just something I thought sounded relaxing. Good to know it has beneficial effects.
That is interesting. I started chewing gum after taking my meds because it seemed to help them go down but it was just something I thought sounded relaxing. Good to know it has beneficial effects.
Is she a mouth breather and does she have sleep apnea?
She may have silent reflux irritating her throat and creating mucus. It's really important to finish reading and drinking any alcohol 3-4 hours before bed.
I am in de Nile about my sleep apnea, but my morning mucus is much better when I can sleep with my mouth shut. For me, this is encouraged by suctioning my tongue to the roof of my mouth (I am tongue tied so may have a different experience here) to help it stay shut, and sleeping with something slightly over my mouth (I'm a back sleeper): my sheet and blankets, or even a folded shawl. A thin diagonal piece of mouth tape also works.
The tricky thing is that throat clearing is actually a trauma to the vocal chords, which then create more protective mucus. You can read up on this and on alternative methods, but essentially a cough creates less local trauma than throat clearing.
This is a helpful article even if she doesn't have sleep apnea -
I have a lot of phlegm build up overnight so every morning I am coughing it up, it seems to happen more after eating and drinking, hence I’ve lost a lot of weight! I don’t take sinemet any more which seems to have helped cut it back but I still get it. I’ve had post nasal drip for years before I was diagnosed so I wonder if that was an early indication. It got got to the point where I was retching every time I swallowed tablets and amongst other reasons I decided to stop my sinemet which greatly improved everything! I did it over 2 months reducing from 7 a day to none. Not that I suggest this to your wife but it is worth looking at. It is so much better even though I still have it!
I choke a lot too, but I just get on with it As nothing seems to help. It sounds dreadful when I start coughing but it is over quite quickly. Drinking water seems to help me. With both coughing and the phlegm.
Read about Papaya juice thinning the phlegm in the throat. It does work. Drink a couple of ounces several times a day, especially in the morning. Usually found at health food stores..
Lakewood Organic Papaya has been the best brand for us. It is thick also.
like another user said, check for any symptoms of silent reflux. It’s very difficult to diagnose but it produces swallowing and breathing issues, but little to no chest burn. Omeprazole is sold over the counter and would provide relief in about two to three weeks. If is too severe full recovery takes much longer.
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