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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
Chronic Throat Clearing
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This forum is for questions and support regarding lung and respiratory issues such as: Allergies, Asthma, Bronchitis, Colds - Flu, Chronic Cough, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis, Emphysema, Fibrosis, Lung Abscess, Nasal Polyps, Pleurisy, Pneumonia, Sarcoidosis, Sinusitis, Tuberculosis
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Chronic Throat Clearing
by Run4Fun, Dec 01, 2005 12:00AM
15 months ago I had a moderate fever and wheezing - prior no health problems at all. It took three weeks for the wheezing to stop. Thick clear mucous, dry cough, and a sick, raw sound when I clear my throat still continue. I think that it has improved but not much. I have recently tightness in the chest and sometimes I cough up foul-smelling, pasty yellow matter shaped something like a small peice of pensil lead. Throughout the process I've tried Advair, expectorants, PIP, and bronchialators but they don't seem to have any effect even after several months. I've had two lung funtion tests Feb 05/Sept 05: VC: 6330 / 6120 cc; %VC 146/142; FEV1 4730/4710 cc; FEV1% 81.9 / 79.5. I've also seen an ENT specialist (exam and nasal CT = not causing my cough) and Gastroenterologist (endoscopy w/ negative biopsy of polyps = mild GERD but "probably" not causing my cough). Sputum culture showed mild inflamation but nothing else. Chest CT and film are normal. Arterial blood gas = 96.7%. I can exercise vigorously without losing my breath and it provides me rare relief from the chest tightness. What's got me concerned is how terrible my chest feels, how much mucous I cough up, and how little progress I've made after 15 months. I'm 42, have smoked in the past, and lived in bad-air areas most of my life. Is there anything else I can try?
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, Dec 12, 2005 12:00AM
, Dec 12, 2005 12:00AM
Based on the lung function test results provided your lung function is pretty good. The details given suggest you have some type of chronic lung problem, despite your normal chest CT scan. You’ll need to be evaluated further to know what is causing your lung problem. If your current doctors are unable to provide a diagnosis, you’ll need to get a second opinion.
I'll tell you what I've tried so far. I developed this horrible post nasal drip / throat clearing in Irvine this summer. I'm 27 and have never had this problem or allergies. I originally went to an ENT who took one look in my nose and throat and said "allergies". He gave me Bromafed, an older antihistamine/decongestant which made me very drowsy throughout the day even though I took it before going to bed. I went to another doctor upon returning to Chicago. He gave me Allegra and Flonase, then Zyrtec and Flonase, and I would soon add Mucinex. But while the symptoms did get slightly better, it was still a terrible distraction and kept me awake at night.
I went to another ENT who had me try antiboitics. After that failed I had a CT scan which showed that my sinuses were fine. That's where I'm at now. I've also tried doing nasal irrigation (which doesn't produce much). I constantly am sucking on cough drops and I drink gallons of water.
The ENT took some blood and I am waiting to hear back on the allergy tests. I've also started taking one 40 mg capsule of Nexium every day. I believe the doctor suspects LPRD. I do have the PND, throat clearing, etc. I'm also overweight (though losing weight and almost back to normal) and do have a lot of stress within the last 6 months (this developed in April). However, when the doctor scoped my nose and throat, my larynx / vocal chord area, while covered with some phlegm, did not look irritated. I also have the PND phlegm which is a clear ariated mucuos.
I've read that a lot of Dr's will prescribe 80mg of Nexium per day and that LPRD may still take up to 6 months to heal, but this Dr. seems to underperscribe than overperscribe. I guess that's a good thing. In my research of LPRD I've found that Zantac and Antacids like Tums can help, so I'm also taking a 75mg Zantac before breakfast and a 150 before dinner (I take the Nexium before lunch). I follow each meal with some Tums.
We'll see if this helps. Not sure your cause is the same or not, but I'm hopeful for both of us.
I also have problems breathing at times. It seems to be random times that this occurs, but i have noticed that many times it co-incides with my high amounts of phlem.
I was told i had allergy induced asthma 5 years ago and nothing i was prescirbed made any significant differece.
I tried Claratin, Singulair, Flovent, Albuterol, etc. (Waste of money!)
However, my breathing problems became worse around June this year. I went back to the allergist (same one, my mistake) and he prescribed me advair which just made me jittery and Nasonex. No help with these either. I finally tried another Allergist and he ruled out asthma. Now I am taking Protonix (similar to Nexium) for GERD. Apparently GERD can and does cause asthma. I found several articles on it. http://www.webmd.com/content/article/26/1728_59778.htm
I have only been taking it for a few days and i will see if this helps in a month or two i am told by the doctor. I was told to cut out Coffe, Alcohol, Tea, onions, garlic, and tomaotes. i'll fill you in when i see how the GERD treatment goes. Thanks!
clear, sometimes in the morning might be a little brown and dry.
i feel like the mucus is coming from my sinuses, because i am always having to suck from my nose and spit from my mouth, i also have a dry non productive cough and clearing my throat for about 11 months now. ( all symptons for 11 months ) . i also have some occasional wheezing when i take a deep breath in (not all the time but maybe 5 or 6 times a day ). and also, sometimes when i breathe in real deep or cough it causes pain in my upper right back ( that sympton only for about 4 to 5 weeks maybe, and may also be related to something else , i pulled a muscle in my lower back, and about that same week my upper back had pain when breathing and coughing). in feb. 05 went to dr. he dx'd me with bronchitis, gave me augmentin, steroids ( prednisone ), got somewhat better, but still coughing and clearing throat and drainage, went back to dr. in may 05, same symptons, gave me
clyndimycin, nasal steroid, and saline nasal spray, i took all and still no progress. in october 05 saw an ENT specialist, he looked at my nasal and sinuses and throat