phlem problem

[Bella77]

Can I get advice on my husbands cough assist machine. He stayed up til 4 a.m. trying to get gunk up from his throat. He uses his suction and cough assist at least 4 times a day, the suction machine more than that. I checked the settings and it is 2.5 inhale and 3 exhale, does the pressure if set higher do more pulling and what does flow mean and does it matter if the pause is longer. He won't eat any sweets at all because he says it makes his throat sticky. He's stopped his smoothies because its either too thick, too thin, too sweet, too sticky, too much, and this is not said in a nice way! He barely takes his ensure anymore because it makes him have more phlem. He just cannot get that gunk up and it takes all his energy doing all this stuff.

He is getting a stomach tube put in this month sometime, will that make the phlem go away somewhat? His saliva is running rampant all over the place, he takes that pill that starts with a g, he takes that 4 times a day.

This is so frustrating but then you all know that already.

 

[panguinjen]

Hi Bella,
Yes the tube will cut down on the saliva some. Ask the doctor for a compression vest... It will break the mucous up, then use the cough assist and suction. Will he eat soups? Before Rog got his tube, he ate a lot of soups, we added protein powder to everything. I know this is frustrating for BOTH of you!

Jen

 

[Bella77]

Thanks for the information , he eats alot of soups but all the protein I've seen has sweetness to them. I have a huge jar right now I just bought at GNC and it's vanilla flavored so it's sweet and that really makes him have alot of phlem. I asked him today if he would try that new ensure that if blueberry or peach flavored and he said he would try it. I try to get Benacalorie in some things too, he's lost 25# since March. I am so frustrated!

 

[HelenL]

My Mom used to add chocolate or strawberry syrup to the ensure so my Dad would drink it..

 

[panguinjen]

Re: phlegm problem

We found some unflavored powder in the health food aisle at the grocery store. Rog lost 60 pounds before he would agree to the tube. It was only when he couldn't swallow any food at a meal that he finally agreed it was time...within 2 weeks he had it placed and I was relieved!

Jen