Why do I cough up mucus at the end of every meal?

Hi Harry-
If I am correct you started the antibiotics around February 2024. What antibiotics did they suggest for you? What type of bacteria did they say you were treating with the meds?
How did it go, what is the result so far.
Have you been consistent, hard to do sometimes, with nebulizing and airway clearance.
Do you do any type of exercise also?
Overall it is somewhat difficult to compare how one person does with the meds to another because we may not all do the same things in trying to avoid harmful situations ...as an example of things: hot water tank bacteria, shower head bacteria.....or do all we are told and suggested to do.
I myself have adjusted the tank temperature and drained it once so far and also make sure the shower head and hose have dried out before I take my shower. I also eat healthy 95% of the time and do take supplements. I wear a N95 mask 90% of the time I am out and around people.. that 10% is when I get brave enough to eat out in a restaurant.
I have often said that in order for the doctors to truly understand all regarding us in order to diagnose and decide on a course of action....they would need to follow us around for a couple of days and nearly the same for us to be able to compare ourselves with each other and how we are doing. Good luck to that.
Hope you have good news for yourself to tell me.
Barbara

Hi Barbara,
The medicines were the standard "Big Three": Azithromycin, Rifampin, and Ethambutol.
I am on them seven days a week. They said I had MAC, but didn't say any subspecies.
I give them three sputum samples every two months. My last round from October said
two out of three were negative, so that's an improvement.
I nebulize twice a day, at 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. 15 minutes of Albuterol, rest 15 minutes,
and then 30 minutes of 3% saline. I was doing 7% for six months and started coughing up
blood for a week, so the doctor switched me to 3%. Maybe twice a day I do the
Aerobica for five minutes.
Try to get to the gym 3-6 days a week. Leg press, Triceps press and treadmill; 10 minutes at
1 mph.
My son drains my water tank every three months and we keep the temperature at 140 F.
Soak the shower heads in 100% vinegar every three months for 5-10 minutes.
Hardly ever wear a mask. Lots of trouble breathing with one.
My O2 sat runs about 94-95 until I walk from one room to anther and then it can
go down to 86-88.
Hope this helps.
As Sue says, "we are all different".
Harry

Good to hear from you Harry.
Glad to hear you have improvement and to hear all that you are doing...congrats on that Harry.

My prescription for meds is the Azithromycin and Ethambutol M/W/F. I still haven't started them. I am so torn and mostly because (1) of my past experience on antibiotics (24/7 liquid antibiotics), (2) hardly ever being on med's after that first time of a weeks long period of being on the liquid antibiotics and then (3) , as well, wanting and trying to clear it out without the meds. My gut feeling has been I need to give the meds a try to see if I experience good results...by clearing of the infection. I will be working on my feelings, thoughts and attitude about the meds.
My tests come back with Mycobacterium avium intracellulare (MAI) and have the type of infection has not changed since 10/2023. If I am correct in my reading of the results, the load has lessened. The last CScan showed two areas of improvement but one new lower lobe area with plugging. I am working harder with all to reach and clear the lower lobe along with working on clearing all with each session. I hope it is working.

I had trouble in 2020/2021 breathing with the surgical masks. Now with wearing masks I don't have any of those problems. It could be I cleared enough mucus to help with that after I understood air way clearance. Who knows.
How very nice and special that your son is able to help and drain the tank.

I had not been told to use Albuterol by doctor at NJH or Tyler. I guess it is because of my PFT, Pulmonary Function Test being off the scale in the right direction. I probably need to ask about that. I did the walking test at NJH and all was good then and now. I don't experience any problems to my understanding and knowledge with walking from room to room however I had at one time experienced shortness of breath under certain circumstances but do not have that any longer.

To Clarify: You submit three sputum tests viles same month every two months?
I have wondered why I haven't been asked to submit sputum vials at any time on consecutive days rather than just one a month. My submissions of sputum viles have been one a month. I have read that others do consecutive day submissions. I need to inquire about this difference.

Per your routine I better step it up...however I do feel I have helped myself so far to improve. With your showing me your routine it is helping me to talk to myself and say..."There is more you could be doing."

Yes....all different. So glad we can help each other in all ways, that we do to encourage each other and see/hear what others are doing that can help in different ways in our journey.
I will enjoy hearing about your journey from time to time.
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK and it is WORK!
Barbara

Barbara.
All medicines have side effects. Other than weight loss and a slight drop in high
frequencies in my left ear, I don't have any. Go ahead and try the medicines. If you
have some serious side effects, you can stop taking them.
Ideally, I should get a sputum sample on three consecutive days, every two months.

Look at:

Have you ever been told or heard, the possiblity of, that nebulizing sodium chloride might affect Acid Reflux? I am trying to find out if this is a possiblity. It seems, it appears, it has gotten worse since nebulizing the saline.
I am wondering if the solution does because the mucus (foamy, white, frothy, bubbly) is so much worse during the nebulizing of the saline solution, without any other medications just the saline solution.
I need to clear out the "stuff" every other second I nebulize. I have to hurry and get back onto the nebulizer in hopes of being able to inhale/exhale with it before I have to clear out the mucus build up described above. As many things can be, especially with our Bronchiectasis, this is so frustrating..... the constant having to clear the "stuff" out of my throat, system.

Your issues mimic my issues exactly, however I do not have a hernia. I do have some acid reflux but must be silent as I have no issues with that and don’t take anything for it. Have you tried stopping the saline for a period of time to see if the constant mucus in throat disappears? How you explain what is coming up is exactly what I get up. I think mine could be coming from my sinus’s and it drips down all day then when I nebulize with 7% and use a vest or don’t use the vest I have to clear out this mucus every second as well and it feels like coming from esophagus but could be the drip from all day coming up. I rarely get anything out of my lungs, just get the “stuff” you described perfectly.

Yes, I did stop the 7% nebulizing but nothing changed, meaning all I had described happening continued without nebulizing. This problem of sputum rising into my throat started approximately in 2021. I did not know I had BE or a Hiatal Hernia at that time, no test or diagnosis for both until August of 2022. In 2021 it was mild and gradually became worse to what it is today, constant and much need to clear my throat.

I do, and am able to, bring up what appears to be colored sputum/mucus mostly in the mornings that does sometimes begin to come up as clear. I bring up mucus plugs and also a light yellow colored gel like spec/mucus at different times during the day and mostly late afternoon. Much to my surprise I can feel the difference when a mucus plug or yellow colored gel like spec/mucus is coming up to clear out.

I truly believe, for me, the warm moisture, steam, has helped me as well as my doing my own clapping percussion on my front/lungs and my back/lungs along with doing postural drainage, I use the wedge pillow and place my hips on the higher end of the wedge pillow and therefore have the lungs in the reverse of the sleeping position on the wedge. I also found a way to use the arm of my sofa with my hip area laying across the sofa arm and again I am positioning my lungs, so to speak, upside down. As I am doing both postural drainage positions I am also doing the clapping percussion on myself. After doing all this I do Active Cycle Breathing and the Huff Cough. Prior to all this I have done a short 15 minute walk and minor exercises.

During the day I will often do the clapping percussion as I go about my day.
During the day I wear the N95 when I go out into public and have found that I also can bring up colored mucus when I take it off. I think the reason for that is breathing in my own warm moist air. Don't know for sure but that is my thought about it.
I often will wear the mask in the house during the day for short period of time to help since I think it helps me get mucus up. I keep my house temperature low in winter to try and keep the house air from being too dry which I feel can affect the lungs and skin. In summer I reverse this because the air conditioner takes out moisture/humidity.
I also do take a variety of vitamins alternating them and in particular a multiple vitamin and especially, D, C and Zinc. I was feeling a little tired during the day a couple of weeks ago and then reviewed my recent blood test which showed a concern with iron, low. So I made sure I was taking the multiple vitamin with some iron in it at least two times a day as prescribed on the bottle. I wasn't taking it every day as I alternate my vitamin supplements. Don't think it's my imagination, but I feel that it has eliminated that tired feeling and given me more energy.
This is what I feel has helped me, so far, along with the genes passed onto me and given me by those who came before me. I am hoping I continue to feel well without taking the antibiotics for the MAI that keeps showing up as a 1+, so far. I had an improved area on the C Scan but also a new area in the lower left lobe. I am working harder with the clapping percussion on my back/lung area in hopes of doing better in the lower lung lobe area. Hope my next C Scan shows more improvement.
I have not had, as yet, an uncontrollable coughing spell, fatigue, fever, night sweats. chills etc. etc. I am have been extremely fortunate...so far!

I so hope, and wishing, you begin to have the success you want in clearing the airways/lungs. Much about it all can be so frustrating. I think I have passed through the period of frustration and have begun a new period....a period of accepting this new normal and how to live with it. Hope it holds!
Barbara

Thank you Barbara for all that information. Interesting to know this occurred for you prior to saline, that was where I was headed in my thoughts about my situation. For you that is not the case. I did take the Big 3 twice, in 2017 and again in 2021. I am NTM free and have been since 2022. I know it is not "gone" however it is not active. I handled the Big 3 with no side effects at all. It wasn't hard to do for me. Thanks again, Deb

I'm sorry, but I don't think anyone has offered a reason for coughing up mucus immediately after eating a MEAL, not a snack, nor all day. I have Gerd, in so much as I have to stay away from very spicy food. That's all! So I still don't understand why I cough up mucus, not clear my throat, after each meal.

Deb-
When you were on the antibiotics was it for a few months each time or more than a few months. How fortunate, MAC free and for at least two years. That's great.
My gut feeling, of which I keep telling myself, is that if I do go on the antibiotics I would handle them O.K.... However at 82 and 3 months and feeling well...not ready to do so.
Have a great Sunday.
Barbara