What could this be?

[poppan]

I've been meaning to ask about this for a while. I've had very persistent phlegm in my throat for the last month or more. It doesn't bother me during the day but when I'm showering (morning and before bed) I can bring up a lot of phlegm. Sometimes trying to cough it all up makes me throw up.

I've had this before--maybe 18 months ago? It lasted for months last time too. Any idea what it could be? Could it be Whooping Cough (but I'm not coughing at all). DD was dx'd with WC in mid-May but then recovered so quickly I'm not 100% sure the dx was correct. Allergies? I'm not feeling poorly otherwise, just curious what it could be.

[KMK_Mama]

Silent reflux/heart burn....I went to the ENT for this and what felt like a lump in my throat. He looked down my esophagus and said it was quite damaged from silent reflux, hence the lump feeling. When I came home and researched I learned that the body can make more phlegm in reaction to damage in the esophagus in an attempt to heal it.

I was on meds for a few months and it's gone now.

[teachma]

I was going to post same as the pp.

[poppan]

Wow thank you. I just googled it; I guess I should go to an ENT? That's good to hear you didn't have to stay on the meds.

[KMK_Mama]

Originally Posted by poppan

Wow thank you. I just googled it; I guess I should go to an ENT? That's good to hear you didn't have to stay on the meds.

Honestly I wouldn't bother. You can get the meds over the counter. He put me on Nexium but it's really expensive. (he gave me samples) When I followed up with him he told me that because the Nexium is so pricey just to go on Prilosec or the generic because they are basically the same as the Nexium. Try it and see if it works. I got mine at Costco and it was $16 or so for a 6 week supply. I was on it for about 4 1/2 months. He told me to try it for 3 and then stop but all my symptoms came back after I stopped taking it. I bought another supply and after another 6 weeks I'm fine. I changed my diet so that could be a part of why it went away.

[poppan]

Thanks for the advice. I will get some Prilosec and see if it makes the symptoms go away. I am a little daunted by the dietary changes (unfortunately I love onion rings, pizza, my morning cup of coffee, chocolate, red meat etc.) but am going to start cutting back (well except on the coffee ) and see how that goes. I can eat pretty healthy, have certainly done it before, but when work and life gets busy I start tending towards the faster choices in the cafeteria and chocolate in the afternoon...

[Bri'sgirl]

I'm really glad I came across this thread. I've had a very similar thing going on for almost 2 years. Lots of phlem, but it makes me cough really bad, that sometimes I get headaches from the coughing. I gag on it a lot, too.

However, quite a few years ago, I went to the ENT with the lump feeling in my throat. They said that I had acid reflux, but I couldn't see why because I never noticed it. The Dr. said I should go on Nexium or Prilosec, but I never did. Maybe I'll give those a try to see if it will help.

[poppan]

Usually it doesn't bother me during the day (or night--just in the shower it seems!) but yesterday driving home from work I was gagging on it so bad. I don't know if my pants were too tight or what?!? (I read that tight waistbands made it worse.) Either that or I can't eat chicken piccata for lunch!