I have a really scary question. I am in complete denial about this because it scares the hell out of me. For the last four or five years or so, I've been coughing up thick clear phlegm with black spots in it. It does not appear to be dried blood. It almost seems tarry, for lack of a better word. I do not smoke. I did smoke for about five years when I was much younger- maybe 4 cigarettes a day- so honestly not much. I also used to smoke marijuana a bit, but also not excessively. I quit smoking both about the same time- I'd say 2000/2001 or so. I work in an office- so I don't think I'm exposed to anything too awful, except for maybe recycled air.
I have brought this up with a Dr. only once, and he basically blew me off (it was not my normal dr). I am honestly scared to go to the dr about this. I cannot find anything really about this on the internet. The only things I've found regarding black phlegm are 1. having the black lung (which I think they mean entirely black phlegm, where mine is just spotted), 2. smoking crack (which I do not do and never have done!!!), 3. and I found a very small amount of information tying it to smoking marijuana. In that tiny amount of information, however, it said it should go away a couple months after you quit smoking.
There is no rhyme or reason to when it happens. Sometime it wont happen for months, and then other times I'll cough up black phlegm on 3 or 4 occassions in one week. I do not have a cough, I do not have more trouble breathing than normal (I have very mild asthma that is normally triggered by my anxiety attacks-which are now very rare), I really don't have ANY other symptoms.
I think I'm going to break down and go to the doctors office, but I was hoping someone else had an idea of what this may be??? Maybe someone has gone through this before, or knows someone who's gone through this before?
I'm wondering that since the phlegm is so thick that maybe this is some kind of nasal infection with post nasal drip?
Please help me, I am really stressed about this
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Edited- I forgot to mention that in 2000 the office I worked in caught on fire and I was in the building while it happened. We worked on a skeleton crew after that in my managers house with some of the equipment that had tons of smoke damage.
I have brought this up with a Dr. only once, and he basically blew me off (it was not my normal dr). I am honestly scared to go to the dr about this. I cannot find anything really about this on the internet. The only things I've found regarding black phlegm are 1. having the black lung (which I think they mean entirely black phlegm, where mine is just spotted), 2. smoking crack (which I do not do and never have done!!!), 3. and I found a very small amount of information tying it to smoking marijuana. In that tiny amount of information, however, it said it should go away a couple months after you quit smoking.
There is no rhyme or reason to when it happens. Sometime it wont happen for months, and then other times I'll cough up black phlegm on 3 or 4 occassions in one week. I do not have a cough, I do not have more trouble breathing than normal (I have very mild asthma that is normally triggered by my anxiety attacks-which are now very rare), I really don't have ANY other symptoms.
I think I'm going to break down and go to the doctors office, but I was hoping someone else had an idea of what this may be??? Maybe someone has gone through this before, or knows someone who's gone through this before?
I'm wondering that since the phlegm is so thick that maybe this is some kind of nasal infection with post nasal drip?
Please help me, I am really stressed about this
:Edited- I forgot to mention that in 2000 the office I worked in caught on fire and I was in the building while it happened. We worked on a skeleton crew after that in my managers house with some of the equipment that had tons of smoke damage.
I'm sorry, I don't blame you for being worried! I have no idea what could be wrong, but I'm guessing your instincts or right on...
That's probably bad too, but at least I'm probably not dying. She did say she's never ever seen anything like that, so that's a little bizarre. Dp thinks my body is just super good at cleansing itself out and I'm getting rid of the everyday pollution we breathe in... 
Wishful thinking? 
and pump parts are on their way! I feel like such a turd 
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I've seen the same thing happen to myself.
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: just know you're not alone with your freaky body worries.
: I thought I had a brand new disease or something.
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