eating makes me have excessive mucus

[Poodles59]

I have a hiatus hernia and taking Famotidine. However that is not my main problem. More and more over the past few years I’ve noticed that when I eat, within a few minutes afterwards, I get terrible mucus in my sinuses that pours down my throat and makes me cough and choke. Plus I’m constantly coughing which is very antisocial. Does anyone have a clue what is wrong. I’ve had a camera up my nose last year but nothing unusual was seen. I’m absolutely desperate ☹️

[Catspaws100]

Sounds like post nasal drip. I have a hiatus hernia too and take famotidine also. I recently had a camera up my nose and the consultant saw quite thick mucas in my throat, which of course makes one cough and choke and do lots of throat clearing. He told me to drink plenty of water every day to thin out the mucas.

[Musicl]

Could be Silent Reflux. I was diagnosed with this about three years ago. I also have post nasal drip, which is very similar.

[Poodles59 in reply to Musicl]

Thanks. I’m currently running out of things to help. Seeing an ENT specialist but he’s not coming up with any suggestions ☹️

[Musicl in reply to Poodles59]

Hope you get some answers soon. ENT need to sort it out for you. Good luck 🤗

[Beanlover]

I have what the doctor keeps telling me is a large hiatus hernia. I take Pantoprazole in the morning and take Gaviscon at night. ENT doctor said that Gaviscon is better for reflux in the throat. I am not sure whether your mucous is reflux. I do quite a lot of coughing and choking around eating. Have you tried Gaviscon after food.?

[Poodles59 in reply to Beanlover]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I have just started having more Gaviscon throughout the day and also trying gargling with warm salt water a few times. I think when I eat it’s as if my throat is not working properly as I feel like something has gone into my lungs afterwards and I start coughing. Sometimes little blobs of gunge come up and because of this you’d think I may have a chest infection but every time I see the doctor and they listen to my chest they said nothing is wrong? Do you know if correcting a hiatus hernia it would stop LPR (silent reflux) as I’m considering trying to find a surgeon just to repair the diaphragm and reposition the stomach.

[Beanlover in reply to Poodles59]

I have had swallowing problems and had a lot of help from a speech and language therapist. I had a barium swallow, and an appt with an ENT doctor. They identified some physical problems. I do get coughing and choking and have had some things going down the wrong way, and sometimes cough mucous. The therapist gave me swallowing exercises which helpedMy reflux feels under control at present with taking a PPI and gaviscon, and because I know what is causing the problems I am less worried. My GP's description of the operation to deal with a hiatus hernia sounded a bit scary, and I have other issues at the moment, so I don't really know, though I know others on this forum have had the op, and would know better. I hope you can find something that helps you.

[Poodles59 in reply to Beanlover]

Thanks, I certainly won’t be having the Nissen Fundoplication operation, it’s horrific!! I do think I have something wrong in my throat so that’s something to considers 👍

[Beanlover in reply to Poodles59]

I'm not sure why the ENT doctor suggested a barium swallow, but it was a useful process. The speech and language therapist added another test to it. It was mainly eating different thicknesses of food mixed with barium with about 4 people looking at how I swallowed on a screen. Your mucus problem sounds a bit different. I hope they can find out some reason for your problem.

[Poodles59 in reply to Beanlover]

just wondering if you can describe the swallowing exercises- I could give them a go while I wait for my next ENT appointment. Thanks

[Beanlover in reply to Poodles59]

If you google 'swallowing exercises NHS,'there are a number of different exercises.I think the initial one I did was putting the tip of your tongue between your front teeth. Then swallowing three times. Not as easy as it sounds. If you look at ones recommended by NHS organisations,

[Poodles59 in reply to Beanlover]

Oh good, thanks a lot. I’ll have a look. 👍😀

[Badger2024]

A simple solution would be to take a proton pump inhibitor once a day (for two weeks only). This is instead of your famotidine!! I was on Nexium 20mg. It completely gets rid of the cough if due to silent reflux and enables you to eat anything with no discomfort at all!! You can buy this without prescription but it is only advised for two weeks if self-prescribing so if it works you’ll need to consult your doctor for advice about whether to continue it or not

[Poodles59 in reply to Badger2024]

Thanks I’ll try 👍

[Badger2024 in reply to Poodles59]

Best taken first thing in the morning half an hour before any food

[Poodles59 in reply to Badger2024]

Thanks 👍