Coughing up phlegm every morning...what is this?

It could be allergies, such as to dust mites or something you wear for sleeping. Also, have you been tested for Asthma? Sometimes Asthma can occur at night and then when the asthma settles down, the body tries to get rid of the extra mucus produced by the inflammation in the airway. Acid reflux may cause this as well, because of the irritation that can happen when refluxed material gets into the airway.

Might be interesting to see what a pulmonolgist or allergist would say about this.

Well the mucus is yellowish-white. I do have allergies (dust pollen, etc). I had an asthma test about 3 years ago and it was fine. And I do have GERD..I can't remember if that started before or after the pneumonia...I think before.
So I should have another asthma test? And allergies can really cause your lungs to have stuff in them like this?

Hi guys
I went to the doc and he listened to my lungs and looked in my nose. He said it's probably not asthma b/c I don't have that trouble breathing out. He thinks it has to do w/my GERD and post nasal drip. So he upped my Prevacid and gave me another nasal spray. (I already take 2). Thing is, the stuff I cough up is coming from my lungs, not my esophagus, where the post nasal drip would--I think--go. And as far as Gerd, how would acid getting into my lungs cause me to cough up this "stuff"?

if your not using one already then maybe try a saline nasal spray inbetween the sprays your using now...
might help!
soft HUGZ
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Phixgrrrl))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Please help me about this....



Allergy Treatments

Yes I supposedly have gerd. I've been on prevacid for a few years. I've upped it to 2 pills/day but haven't seen a difference yet. Honestly I don't mind coughing to get it out...I just don't want it to be b/c something serious is happening. My gerd doesn't feel that bad. There's a little burning and not at any particular time that I've noticed. I really wanted to get off the Prevacid and have more of a natural remedy when I could afford to see an alternative doc...seems like that will be never.
Why would Gerd cause mucus?

Its just your sinuses draining down the back of your throat. Two things can help. One is sleeping upright which isn't that comfortable or taking sinus night medication which dries up the sinuses and no more phlegm in the morning!

Learning from my own experience, I'd say that if you haven't seen a lung specialist, you should.

For nine years I went through hell with my lungs, being told by the doctors I'd seen in those years that I had chronic bronchitis, and I just had to learn to live with it.

I never believed that was what I had. In my younger years, I would have seen a lung doctor on my own, or asked my doctor to refer me to one. When I started coughing up what looked like bloody scabs, I was sent to one, and the diagnosis was Microbacterium Avium-Intracellular Complex (which is in the TB family).

I remember one question on the papers I filled out there. It was what color was my sputum.

Had I seen him seven or eight years earlier, the outcome might have been drastically different. I was put on the three top antibiotics used to treat this infection, for a year and a half. After the first few months, they'd done absolutely nothing - except maybe cause a few side effects, like my blurring vision.

Could be a chronic infection. Seawater is not free of microbes...

My wife has been coughing for 14 years. It's on and off. When it starts it stays for 2-3 months. After that she will be 100% normal. Pattern is not repeatable. We dont know when it is going to start again. It can start in 3 months, 6 months or even 1 year again. Whatever medications you take, it is going to stay for 2-3 months. Definitely it is not seasonal. Other than this issue she is healthy. Eats Vegetarian+Eggs (No meat, fish). Not overweight.

Following tests didnt show anything positive:
1. ENT
2. Pulmonology
3. Allergist
4. Gastro

Tests done: Chest Xray, PFT, Endoscopy, ENT with camera, Vocal card check, Capsule insertion for acid reflux check, biopsy of stomach lining for H Pilori, CT Scan, Yearly check ups and Blood tests all comes normal.

Observations: Lungs stay clear. No post nasal. No acidity.

Symptoms: Cough with clear mucus. Mostly in morning and before or during eating. No cough in night. So sleep is not affected.

I appreciate your input, if anyone of you have any insight or experienced in your family or friends.

Tried Chinese Herbal, Homeo and Accupuncture alternatively.

Interesting, I have the same exact problem. I tried GERD medication, then Nasacort, now I'm on day 3 of a Z-pack. So far, no change whatsoever. I had an EUA done in april, and it feels like things got worse since then. My symptoms are phlegm that needs to get coughed out about 1 hour or so after I arise in the morning. The coughing goes on until I feel as though the phlegm has been coughed out. It is yellow. I am now getting phlegm/cough throughout the day. It's tiring.

I had an xray which had a questionable spot ("possibly shadow") in 2010, so they did a CT Scan, which showed emphysema - I do not now nor have I ever smoked! My GP ordered pulmonary function tests which were fine, so he concluded I did NOT have COPD of the emphysematous type. I had an Xray about 2 months ago which was clear.

Does anybody know if they can do a culture and sensitivity with the phlegm that is coughed up?

Bebebe, what is your next plan of attack, if any? Have you seen a pulmonary doc, or an allergist? I don't know what to do next.