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← Return to Phlegm in my throat and post nasal drip after Covid
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Phlegm in my throat and post nasal drip after Covid
Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 | Last Active: 1 day ago | Replies (856)Comment receiving replies
I appreciate all the comments. It is a dilemma as to what to do. I hope this issue can be resolved in 2025.
It seems the congestion starts in my nasal area. Some days it’s not as bad and my throat feels clear…voice sounds normal. So, I am capable of it being normal. And of course there’s the constant bitter taste. Started right after covid. Side issue I suppose, but that’s why I originally saw ENT. And, was diagnosed with Post covid.
Replies to "I appreciate all the comments. It is a dilemma as to what to do. I hope..."
I too saw ENT early on when my symptoms started but I didn’t get any help from her. Pulmonary diagnosed Covid induced asthma and rx’d albuterol and symbicort. Symbicort was too much. I use albuterol infrequently but it does help especially in cold weather and seasonally. Allergy/immunology was a huge help discovering allergies that I’d never had before and since I already knew I had bad reflux that ppi’s made worse (ended up being allergic to them too), she RX’s cromolyn sodium (CS) and said that covid can trigger an immune response that activates mast cells. Mast cells in the stomach trigger acid production. CS is used for MCAS MCAD and it has helped a lot.
I ended up going back to s different ENT after almost 2 years. They did a CT of the sinuses and found multiple problems.
My symptoms:
-thick phlegm in throat initially that was impossible to clear.
-chest pain
-cough
- hoarseness
- anxiety
Over time once my stomach issue started calming down (over two years in) I was left with extreme dryness, thick phlegm that did not drain into my throat but was caught up in between sinuses and throat that required snorting and hacking to try to get rid of it.
New ENT ended up rx’ing azithromycin. He said it was based on a study out of Australia. It’s a low-dose long-term treatment. I take 250 mg. 3x/wk, MWF for 3 months then see him for a FU. I’m in wk.3 snd I do think it’s working. I’m not suffering from hoarseness as much. I’m still dry but not as bad. And I’m hopeful which after 2 1/2 years is a good thing.
The issue he said stems from overactive mast cells (again!) from a continued effort to battle the virus. It has destroyed the cilia in the nasal passages (maybe sinus too.?, not certain). Anyway he said it’s created a sort of dermatitis and that patients have responded really well to the long term azithromycin treatment.
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I made an appointment to see a different ENT next week to see what he thinks. Starting fresh with a new set of eyes. Doubtful that he’ll be the “miracle worker” that I apparently need. Really losing hope here that I’ll ever feel better.