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← Return to 7% and excessive phlegm
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I was having this excessive mucus before my Dr. suggested I try sinus rinses but yes I agree with you I may have irritated my nasal passages so now I have not rinsed for 3 days but still using vest and 3 or 7% saline for my lungs. I never had these issues prior to starting airway clearance. Now upon waking and drinking water it starts back up and meals make it worse. Dinner creates the highest amount. I have no food allergies and 3 ENT’s say my sinus’s look normal.
Replies to "I was having this excessive mucus before my Dr. suggested I try sinus rinses but yes..."
I feel your frustration.
I have read other posts of other patients stating constant need to clear out sputum. Meaning whatever the fluid is that keeps coming up. For me the constant need to clear out what comes up looks like a mixture of moisture (bubbly and foamy) maybe some white mucus (gel like substance/clear) maybe some saliva with "legs" ..etc. etc. Then there are other times that I have mucus plugs come up with it and then at other times I have the light colored/pale yellow small mucus "pieces" come up and I can tell the difference of what it is because of how it feels coming up.
I understand that a hiatal hernia can cause mucus and I do have a hiatal hernia. So overall it is hard to know why some of us have this need to clear out the sputum most all day long.
Mornings are worse for me and yes after eating and drinking water also causes it to happen.
How I wish I knew for sure what is causing the constant sputum and my need to clear it.
For me I am learning how to live with it and keep saying to myself, 'most important is that I feel well overall, no fatigue and no pain.
Barbara
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I suggest eliminating potential irritants one at a time, and waiting for several days for things to calm.
Since the purpose of the saline is to enhance mucus production to improve clearance, maybe you don't need it at all. And maybe it is doing the same to your lungs as the rinses to your sinuses - irritating and causing more mucus?
The vest is not a requirement for airway clearance. If you are able to produce and expel mucus without it, maybe it too is irritating your body?
Finally, when you are doing your clearance, are you coughing (another irritant) or just active breathing cycles and "huff coughing"?
I looked at your statement "I never had these issues prior to starting airway clearance..." and started thinking maybe you need a complete "do over" after a rest, trying to reset yourself to baseline. Do you thinks that is something the doctor would be willing to let you try? Or something you are willing to try on your own?
By the way, have you been diagnosed with MAC, and are you taking antibiotics for it?