Frothy white phlegm question

Status
Not open for further replies.

Al

Moderator emeritus
Joined
May 25, 2004
Messages
8,083
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
10/2003
Country
CA
State
On
City
NW of Toronto
I don't ask too many questions on here but for the past few weeks I've been coughing a lot more and hacking a lot of thick slimy frothy white crud up. Are any of you long term diagnosed people doing this? Yes I did use the search feature as I have advised others to do. I didn't find this specific issue addressed. I'm thinking maybe it's a bulbar issue but think I'm early on those symptoms.

AL.
 
AL,

My husband has coughing spells that end up producing a lot of crap going everywhere! Especially bad scene with his BiPap on. He has a box of Kleenex wherever he sits and by his bedside.

Using a cough assist and a suction machine is beneficial, but my husband is resistant to do so.

You are correct, it is a bulbar issue. It can become scary because the phlegm or saliva or whatever the hell it is can get kinda stuck in the throat, blocking the airway, as it all strings together. You must remain calm and fasten your seat-belt. :wink:
 
Hi, I don't usually say much but my husband has the bulbar form and he has spells of coughing up frothy phelgm. It seems to concide wth him chocking or asperation of food.
Once he gets it up he doen't cough much of feel conjested until he asperates again. His breathing is at about 23%FVC. He refused the peg tube so we will have to deal the best we can. Take your time eating and lean forward is the best advice.

Rhonda::
 
Hi Al, sorry to hear about your crud issue. I usually spend about 15 minutes every morning trying to hack, spit, wash, and otherwise drag out a whole bunch of thick, gooey stuff out of my throat and mouth. I have tried many things to get rid of it but nothing much works except a lot of water and persistence with my tooth brush. I am lucky in that I can still stand and bend over the sink and let the water run through my mouth to try to wash it out and sometimes I just stand in the shower with my mouth open. During the day it is not so bad because I can drink water out of the tap but I think that at night all of the saliva turns into goo. And CJ, I have had to use my suction machine on the sticky stuff that is keeping me from breathing. It does work but because the stuff is so sticky and stringy it has caused me to gag and vomit more than once. Such fun!
 
Yes Barry! My husband has been there too! Gag til ya puke! Sorry y'all! Wish I could make it better.

The patch behind the ear seems to help a bit with the saliva and coughing.
 
Yes, I used to as well. Now with a trache and vent we can suction it up and it is not a bother anymore. I had forgotten about it until you mentioned the trouble you are having. It got really bad up until I got my trache. I did not find a way to effectively deal with it. I hope you can!
 
I get it at any time of the day. Not connected to eating. Get a kind of tickle in back of throat, cough a few times. Wait a few minutes cough a few more. Usually takes 6-8 times coughing to get it up. Rest of the time, no saliva problems.

AL.
 
I have been having the same problem lately. It's white thick almost spiderweby looking. I start coughing and and can't catch my breath and it goes on for about 10-15 mins sometimes longer. no shallowing or eating issues yet. thanks for asking it Al.
 
Yep have that good way to explain it (spiderweb) thick and yucky. My son is so horrified from the sound I make, he almost cringes when I clear my throat and make that sound, yep it sure is not pretty, he is like MOM.. I went from being a cool fitness instructor, young looking, mom, to well, not so much so.. LOL
 
It could be a lot of things, but frothy white phlegm is a symptom of pulminary edema. Call your respiratory therapist and see what they say.
 
That stuff is the bane of our existance! We found that a mucus thinner is helpful. When he could still eat yogurt, Andy would take Mucinex, double the amount, by mouth. Now that he cannot eat anymore, we give him Robitussin, (the mucus thinner, not the cough suppressant) 4 tsp every 4 hours through the tube. Keeping hydrated helps as well..1-2 liters of water a day. His ability to cough it up is gone, so we push on his belly, like a Heimlich manuver, but from the front. It helps him get it up to where we can suction it out.
 
Rick has had morning congestion for at lease five years. He thought everyone used a half a box of Kleenex every morning.... but no. There is so much that he sometimes chokes on it. He sometimes sneezes and coughs quite a bit too. The phlegm is as clear as water..... but then about twice a year he gets an infection and has to get an antibiotic. He uses his Bipap every time he sleeps.

He has to wait for an hour or two before he can eat breakfast.... but manages coffee. He occasionally chokes lightly on food, but manages to recover with little effort so far. Once in a while he has trouble swallowing, but that hasn't progressed.

His hands are getting worse with stiffened fingers and twitches.... and he staggers and loses his balance more frequently. Thank God so far his progression has been very slow.
 
Thank you for asking that question, I once in awhile get that tickle in the back of the throat, I am lucky I can still move around and I head outside while I fight for breath and cough up the spider webs ( good way to put it)I take the phone with me as I am scared one of these days I won't be able to get a breath, I once did the hemlich on myself with a patio chair, it never happens because of food just a tickle.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top