Continued Post-Nasal Drip and Constant Mucus in Throat

Posted by adominic @adominic, Mar 22, 2022

I was sick the last week or January/first week of February. Home Test-negative, rapid PCR-negative. All COVID symptoms and known prolonged exposure to infected individuals make me believe it was COVID. Since then, I have had a tremendously hard time dealing with post-nasal drip and mucus collecting in my throat. It is clear, sticky and almost impossible to remove from throat by coughing or clearing my throat. Flonase does nothing, allergy pills do nothing. Had anyone else had an issue like this post COVID? How long did it last? What did you do to cope? Small problem in comparison to others that post here, I realize.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.

@rkw

I tested positive for Covid late last month after a weekend trip where I, like a dummy, fell off of wearing N95s indoors. I came back home with Covid. I'm just glad that, at least, during travel, I was masked in public areas like the airport and on the plane.

I have type 1 diabetes, so my primary care team put me on Paxlovid. But that week was a ton of coughing and I was coughing up phlegm and mucus persistently for days. My consistent gripe was how gross it was as I even had phlegm projectiles at one point. (It was just a couple of times but ewwwww, no.) I'm now Covid negative. I'm still coughing and occasionally coughing up phlegm, especially in the morning after I sleep. In terms of progress though it's definitely less coughing, so that's good.

I did buy Dayquil and Nyquil and graduated to Mucinex afterwards to just give my lungs an assist. After a couple of days I stopped the cold medicine.

Based on what I've read, you don't enter Long Covid territory after 4-8 weeks as post-Covid cough is a thing. For now, I'm going to let my primary care doc know, keep resting, and drink tons of fluids. Easy for me as I love hot teas.

I'm going to also start weaving low-impact aerobic exercise back in. I KNOW that will get my lungs working, and I'll definitely cough stuff up. However, I'll also be getting back into shape.

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Welcome, @rkw. Love your profile picture. I'm waving back.

I noticed that you wished to post a URL to a blog post by Dr. Van, Mayo Clinic post-Covid specialist, with your post. You will be able to add URLs to your posts in a few days. There is a brief period where new members can't post links. We do this to deter spammers and keep the community safe. Clearly the link you wanted to post is not spam. Please allow me to post it for you.

- Post-COVID Cough https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/post-covid-recovery/newsfeed-post/post-covid-cough/

You sounds like you have a good plan for introducing a healthy path back to recovery. Have you got a low-impact program or videos that help inspire you to stick with it?

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@colleenyoung

Welcome, @rkw. Love your profile picture. I'm waving back.

I noticed that you wished to post a URL to a blog post by Dr. Van, Mayo Clinic post-Covid specialist, with your post. You will be able to add URLs to your posts in a few days. There is a brief period where new members can't post links. We do this to deter spammers and keep the community safe. Clearly the link you wanted to post is not spam. Please allow me to post it for you.

- Post-COVID Cough https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/post-covid-recovery/newsfeed-post/post-covid-cough/

You sounds like you have a good plan for introducing a healthy path back to recovery. Have you got a low-impact program or videos that help inspire you to stick with it?

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Yep. That's it.

I'm a professional community manager, so I get it even if it's a bit heavy-handed, I understand.

I exercised before this. I'm not an exercise novice. So yes, I've got what I need regarding that. Thanks.

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I have had this issue for 2 1/2 years now after I had Covid. I have seen an ENT and tried all of his suggestions, as well as those of 2 primary care doctors. No improvement. I don't think most doctors understand yet that this is a HUGE lasting issue after Covid. I am just recently beginning to see scholarly articles on the subject. Hoping for a cure. Good luck!

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@aviatress

I have had this issue for 2 1/2 years now after I had Covid. I have seen an ENT and tried all of his suggestions, as well as those of 2 primary care doctors. No improvement. I don't think most doctors understand yet that this is a HUGE lasting issue after Covid. I am just recently beginning to see scholarly articles on the subject. Hoping for a cure. Good luck!

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Did you look into healing the vagus nerve to solve the PND problem already? Or does yours has nothing to do with vasomotor rhinitis / no stuffy nose, dry nose etc?

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@linh

I had problematic post-nasal drip with mucus collecting in my throat & my COVID-19 tests were negative too. The only thing that worked for me was regular nasal rinses plus gargling with warm salt water. I took me a year to get up the courage to do nasal rinsing. I did it out of desperation and lo and behold it worked. Once I became proficient at it, it was no big deal after all.

A sibling recommended adding lemon juice to the daily water I drunk. A dental specialist had recommended adding lemon juice to her following a dental procedure, to cut down bacteria. I followed this advice too. This sibling uses a infrared sauna mounted in her closet to keep her sinus passages open. I have heard these should not be used with cardiac issues however.

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Best to ask your own dentist about adding lemon juice to water as I recently did. I believe any benefit of using lemon juice may depend on the condition of your gums.

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@somebeach

100% exact same scenario for me. NEVER had allergies. Always active and playing sports. I can't even play adult soccer now. I have been to the cardiologist due to rapid heart rate and palpitations. I has EKG and Echocaridiograms (ultra sound of the heart) and everything is normal except for tachycardia which is fast heart rate. I have been prescribed flecanide and it has really helped with the fast heart rate and palpitations.

However, I had never experienced this until after I had the vaccine (Pfizer, two shots). I wish I never did it but I thought I was helping protect others. I'm sure there is a different thread for this, but I am really struggling because I think the vaccine created a reaction where my body is producing a THICK, STICKY, SALTY mucus and phlegm that I can never get rid of. I hope that I can get some type of remedy for this issue and stop guessing and blaming things that may have nothing to do with it.

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I had the 2 shot Pfizer vaccine too. Sept/Oct 2020. Then contracted Covid July 2021. Have had the mucous issue ever since. It is AWFUL! I too have wondered if ir is a side effect of Covid or of the vaccine...

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@anomaly

I had the 2 shot Pfizer vaccine too. Sept/Oct 2020. Then contracted Covid July 2021. Have had the mucous issue ever since. It is AWFUL! I too have wondered if ir is a side effect of Covid or of the vaccine...

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Could be both I think. I didn't have the vaccinations and had mild covid (omicron) but also suffer from post nasal drip ever since.

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New on this site. First Covid infection Jan 22. Subsequent issue with thick mucus that I notice when brushing my teeth.
Otherwise lungs seem clear but I do wear a nose strip at night so I don’t have that plugged nose feeling. I see some on this site use a sinus rinse which I have used in the past. I’ll give that a whirl and see if it helps.

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Hi all: have had a mild case of COVID in 2021 that left me with the sticky nasal discharge and coughing up a white sticky exudate from my lungs. November 1st 2022, got a really bad case of COVID. Recovered in 2 weeks and then felt as if I would never recover completely. White sticky stuff remained. I have been gargling with a normal saline solution and it helps a lot.
Two weeks ago I was advised by my MD to try Omnaris Nasal spray in the am to help with the mucus and at night before going to bed. I now have a much LESSER amount of mucus and not vomiting any more after coughing in the morning. It is a relief. I still gargle with the light salt solution 3x daily. Maybe it may all go away! trying my best to remain optimistic.

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@anomaly

I had the 2 shot Pfizer vaccine too. Sept/Oct 2020. Then contracted Covid July 2021. Have had the mucous issue ever since. It is AWFUL! I too have wondered if ir is a side effect of Covid or of the vaccine...

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It is side effect of the infection. Please see my reply below re some positive effects of noral saline gargle x3 a day and started Omnaris [prescription] 2 wks ago and mucus --sticky and white has lessened considerablyl

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