View Full Version : Anyone else coughing up Phlegm?
Does anyone else get this and do they know why?
I have been coughing up WHITE phlegm for nearly 4 months now.
I can feel it building in my chest, I clear it with a cough and up comes this mucus white phlegm. (Sorry, I know that sounds disgusting). Sometimes it is several times a day and then I can go a week with nothing. :shrug:
I don't want to go to the Doctors, because they will want to suggest putting tubes down my throat and I feel ok, but wondered if it may be part of Anxiety?
I smoke and so coughing up brown cak you would think is normal..however, I have noticed on days when I'm particularly anxious or during periods of intense anxiety or panic - hospital appointments or such as a recent trip to a&e for an infected cyst removing...I cough up loads more thick phlegm...often tar stained.
Maybe I smoke more but usually only a very small amount more.
I also get very swollen glands in my neck.
All these things worried me but I have thought logically about it and I feel there are reasonable explanations.
During anxiety and panic attacks almost everyone gets a dry mouth and lump in the throat, upper chest breathing and adrenaline assists both of these...also the thick phlegm in the throat like you can't swallow.
I think all of these things do add to coughing up lots more thicker phlegm.
Additionally I would go see a doctor, I know how nerve wracking the thoughts you have are going and waiting, but I hope reading the above helps a little to curb thoughts of something sinister.
Get checked out and be certain that it's not a worry.
Best wishes
Daniele
Thanks for your reply.
I was thinking that it seems to be worse when I am more Panicky and Anxious, but I was interested to see if there were any other fellow suffers.
You can't help thinking, what if it's something else.
MyNameIsTerry
12-05-15, 05:02
As an asthma sufferer, I'm very used to excess mucus as it comes with the condition. Mine increases at times of stress too because it is impacting on my asthma which is known to cause excess mucus due to inflammation.
There are a load of possibilities such as hyperventilation, GERD, dehydration, allergies, excess coughing, etc. It could even be due to some fluid in the lungs which happened to my mum as she was on water tablets for her blood pressure issues and they ended up being too strong and causing this.
Do you cough a lot when you are anxious or panicky? Do you hyperventilate? Are you going long periods without enough water? Any allergies such as hayfever?
The strange thing is I don't actually have a cough. I only cough when I feel the mucus/phlegm in my chest or throat. It is most of the time white and watery.
I do drink quite a lot. About 10 mugs of tea a day and 2-3 glasses of water.
But, I have noticed that my urine is quite dark.
I don't tend to hyperventilate , because I regularly do breathing exercises and my lung capacity is quite reasonable. I don't suffer from hayfever at all, but I tend to think I have a Sinitus problem?
It just seems to be worse when I am stressed or if it is windy or damp.
I don't have high blood pressure, but I do have high cholesterol; even though I am not overweight. It is about 67. So, I wondered also if it could be a cholesterol thing.
I am going to have a another blood test soon for my cholesterol, but I won't go on tablets; my worst fear. My Mum has been a high 78 for years and years and she doesn't take them either and she eats all the wrong things. She said she does not like the side effects. And I suffer with Acid Reflux as well.
I'm not asking for a diagnosis online, but it would make me feel at ease if others on here suffered with it too. :) If you not what I mean? :shrug:
Now I am worried. :scared15:
No-one else seems to get this. Health Anxiety setting in again. :ohmy:
MyNameIsTerry
15-05-15, 05:59
With it being intermittent, it doesn't sound like a fluid issue as that would be constant from what I have seen.
If it is only when your anxiety is higher, I would say its excess caused by that or inflammation as seen in asthma that causes a build up bearing in mind that asthma is about inflammation and so is anxiety.
Well, now it has turned yellow and sometimes green. I don't have a cough or a cold, I feel ok and I don't want to go to the Docs, cos they will want to shove things down my throat and I just can't face that and it got worse today being out in the Sun or basically it is worse when I am outside or first thing in the morning.
I've had this for about 4 months now on and off, but I was clear of it on my Hols, so maybe it's living in stinky London!?! :ohmy:
Well, hardly anything at all today. The little bit I did have was white.
But, I finally think that I have 'Post Nasal Drip'.
Phew! Regular honey and lemon and not too much dairy will help this; so I have been told. :unsure:
MyNameIsTerry
18-05-15, 07:01
Carnation, I know from my GP's that if it turns from clear to yellow/green then I have a possible chect infection. They told me that many years ago because of my asthma as at that point I need a bit of help, or did do until the last 10 years or so.
How does post nasal drip occur?
i get this all the time sometimes its clear an sometimes its green iv had my chest looked at but its clear doc said its anxiety but they say that for every symptom i tell them!
Yes, I know what you mean Kim.
The reason I think it is post nasal drip, is the other things that I have that go with it.
A streaming, runny nose; especially if it is windy.
I am worse first thing in the morning or after I have been lying down or sitting back in a chair.
Blocked nasal passages.
Acid Reflux.
Feels like it is stuck in the back of my throat and the phlegm is making me cough, not the other way round.
I sometimes lose the ability to speak for a blockage in my throat.
I get hoarse/ croaky quite a lot.
I can hear crackling in my ear as if they are blocked.
I am sure there are a couple of other, but I looked it up and I seem to have all of those that go with Post Nasal drip.
I am going to try honey and lemon to see if that makes any difference.
But, I did sniff some vickes and that helped a bit.
And today, my phlegm is white. :shrug:
How can I have yellow/green for one day? It just doesn't make sense.
And it definitely worse when I am more stressed.
yer that's what in like mine is worse in a morning its green but as the day goes on its white its really weird!
i also get runny nose feel like its blocked all the time it feels like iv got a constant cold? Sometimes i cant even breathe properly which is really scary
don't think Il ever get the hang of anxiety and depression maybe one day:shrug:
MyNameIsTerry
19-05-15, 07:41
This is interesting to me because well before my anxiety started, probably 10 years before, I've always had issues with groggy throats, needing to clear a lot, certain foods causing inflammation, a feeling of stuffiness at the back of my nose, etc. I've always put it down to my asthma or the medication for that (steroids).
I'm now wondering whether it is or whether it could be this post nasal drip thing?
I was considering trying one of those salt pipes which some asthma sufferers have said has helped them. I looked again last night and found they can also be used for this drip issue.
As an asthma sufferer we get loads of good advice online but we are allso told to eliminate things that can cause a reaction. The trouble is, this includes things like aerosols, pollen, dust, etc and its just not practical to eliminate things like this as we are surrounded by them in our environment. This leaves you a bit stumped on how to improve it other than exercise.
Terry, I have just tried gargling with hot water with salt and made myself a real lemon and honey drink. I have to say, I feel much better already.
I saw a programme on TV about medicines and a Doctor was saying that a lot of the over the counter medicines are useless. You are much better with an old-fashioned remedy like what Gran use to do.
I too have suffered with this on and off for most of my life and so did my Dad.
And if it helps you; my Ex. Husband suffered with Asthma and did not suffer with this at all.
Just incase this may be a wheat or Dairy allergy. I am also going to do some experiments with my food.
But for this week, I am going to stick with the Honey and Lemon drinks to see the affects with that.
This maybe a separate issue with you Terry. :shrug:
As far as the link with Anxiety Kim, it may well be that we have suffered from Anxiety most of our lives and not even realized it until it had peaked.
I have to say that I am definitely much better when I am not so highly stressed. :ohmy:
MyNameIsTerry
20-05-15, 07:19
Yes, I always used that old remedy for saw throats. Either gargling with warm dalt water or even soluable aspirin. Many a medical professional will say the old remedy of warm salt water is a great healer. I got this one off my mum but its one of the old ones from mothers over the years and its veyr effective at resolving throat problems. I never thought of it for this though with assuming it being just my asthma or asthma medication so its good to know about your ex.
The salt pipes are just inhaled Himalayan rock salt which is supposed to be better than normal salts we often use. It gets right into the lungs and helps with the inflammation so it might be useful for me, its the good old salt afterall and I can remember another old remedy of yesteryear that helps - head over a bowel with a towel over your head with hot salt water or a tincture of some kind. So, its a deeper way of doing that I guess.
Maybe Himalayan rock salt can be finally crushed and used for gargling?
If you want to test for allergies, ever thought of making an appointment with Lloyds Pharmacy? They do allergy checks I believe and have done for years.
If you have a lactose issue, there is an old way of resolving that which seems to be rediscovered in ingesting kefir before meals. Kefir is made by adding lactose (in the milk form) and the bacteria eats all of it for you so people with a lactose intolerance can drink this form of milk (I think you have to ferment it slightly longer than a normal brew to remove it all) and apparently because its in your stomach before the meal, it eats its way through any lactose it finds in there too. Kefir is a very old fermented product going back thousands of years that has gained a lot of respect in its revival in the West because it is mega high in probiotics, far higher than anything you can buy and its dirt cheap as you brew it on a continuos basis with a culture that you just keep moving to a new brew each time as they grow indefinately. Thats what I've read about it so far though. Just a thought if it comes to that and you still like your dairy.
Hi. I have been coughing up white phlegm for two months now. I have a lump in my throat nonstop for two months too. I have an upper GI barium swallow that showed esophageal spasms. GERD is what Dr. said with post nasal drip. I'm so obsessed with clearing my throat and the lump :(
I do cough phlegm regular, I also smoke but have cut back,my husband told me I must not use my hookah anymore I like to smoke with the few friends I have made in the Iranian community.I have had x-rays of lungs and all clear I did have bad cold not long ago and still cough,I also suffer bad hay fever maybe that is it.
Wow, wish I saw this thread sooner. Carnation, I have been having this for years. I never have a cough. I have chronic sinusitis and allergies. I have been tested and am allergic to dust, mold, ragweed, cats, dogs, a few different nuts, hickory trees, some random other stuff.
A couple things that popped into my head when reading your symptoms... and keep in mind this is just based off my experience with my allergies.
Waking up with a blocked nose is really common with indoor allergies, such as dust mites and pet dander. That's because our beds are breeding grounds for dust mites. I get this all the time.
Cold weather can make any kind of runny nose worse and I don't really know why, just know it happens to me too. Also when it is damp out, mold allergies can be worse.
I have had all those symptoms with my allergies. I have been tested twice. I finally started immunotherapy because anti-histamines weren't cutting it anymore and I had chronic sinusitis all last fall when ragweed was astronomical. Allergies show up differently in different people, interestingly enough. It's not always sneezing and itching, although sometimes is.
Sometimes it feels worse when I am anxious, but I honestly think it is just because I notice it more.
Have you tried an anti-histamine or a nasal spray? I take xyzal and flonase spray. It helps keep it at bay. Sometimes it would turn yellow or green if I got really congested or my sinuses were blocked. The spray has helped prevent this.
If you aren't into that, a neti-pot can help a lot or a saline spray. I know neti-pots are weird, take getting used to, but are great helps.
With some of my indoor allergies, I had to get an air purifier for my bedroom and frequently change my sheets and pillowcases.
Just a thought based on my own stuff that seemed similar :)
MyNameIsTerry
21-05-15, 07:35
Hmm, thats got me thinking, swgrl.
If you treat it with anti histamine, how about tyring the IR machines? I have hayfever and I have found after many years that the best thing for me by far is IR.
If dust mites are adding to it (or even causing it) then how about purifying the air in the house with ionisers and dehumidifiers to cut down on the increased impact of positive ions and condensation/mold/damp, etc. Condensation is something we get a lot of in the UK.
Did the air purifier help you? I'm thinking about getting one for my bedroom as I have asthma and it should help with the dust issue. Is there a difference between ionisers, dehumidifiers and purifiers? Some seem to say they do all or look the same and some don't seem to offer ionisation and some some say purifier but sound like they do the same as a dehumidifier.
What a neti-pot? It sounds a bit like a china pot with a net over it. :D
I don't have a cough myself and I never do when my hayfever starts up. I guess the cough could just be about the mucus but things like GERD can also cause coughing but I always thought that was more frequent.
Have you gone for everything memory foam then?
The air purifier has been helpful, I keep it in my bedroom. My allergist said to make sure your bedroom is like your "sanctuary" from allergens, so the cat isn't allowed in there either. I do think it helped a bit, wasn't a cure-all, but was helpful. A dehumidifier just takes the moisture out of the air, dry air can make congestion worse though BUT if it's a mold allergy, might be helpful. I believe an ionizer is a type of air purifier. Mine is not one (because it was more expensive haha) but the most important thing when getting a purifier is that it has a HEPA filter. These filter out the smallest microbes and allergens.
A neti pot does look like a little tea pot. You put purified/boiled water in (once it has cooled or you'll burn your nose off) .. I like it warm. You mix it with a packet of basically salt (saline mix), they make premixed packets with the right amount. Then you pour it up one nostril over a sink and the water goes up and comes down the other side, cleaning out your sinus passages. Then reverse! Heres a video:
http://www.webmd.com/allergies/video/truth-about-neti-pots
I have a memory foam bed topper and pillow. You can get allergen free mattress covers etc but I didn't want to spend the money and am just keeping up with washing my stuff.
Thanks for your response everyone.
I never thought it may be an allergy.
I do have a cat, but have always had cats. :shrug:
The mold and dust could be a possibility, so I will endeavor to get one of those humidifier things.
What puzzles me is the non-consistency of the phlegm/mucus.
Sometimes I have a lot, sometimes I don't have any. Mostly it is white, then I have yellow, then it is green and then it is back to white again.
I don't have cough; I only cough to shift the mucus which feels like it is stuck in the back of the throat.
And as Terry says that damp is rife in England. Even on a Sunny day. :ohmy:
This has given me a lot to think about and experiment with. :unsure:
Another important thing that helped me with my dust allergy was changing the cabin air filter in my car, as I spent a lot of time driving for work. Also make sure you clean out the filters on the AC in your house if you have one. Mine varies in severity as well. Sometimes I feel great and stop taking my meds, sometimes I can't stop at all or I get sick. Good luck!!
MyNameIsTerry
22-05-15, 11:19
You get HEPA filters in vacuum cleaners too thesedays so thats going to be a bonus.
I'm not sure on the colour issue because I was always told by my GP's that colour in mucus is a possible sign of infection.
The neti-pot sounds like something that may be a bit uncomfortable at first. I wouldn't have thought something like that could work but it sounds good. Its like salth therapy for you nose and this is interesting as the salt pipes are exhalled through the nose so they may help with that too (something to check I guess). I would be tempted to freak people out by drinking my tea like that!
Thanks for the explanation. I keep seeing ones that say they do all 3 and I was wondering what the difference was between them and whether an air purifier does the same as an ioniser.
---------- Post added at 11:19 ---------- Previous post was at 10:52 ----------
You can also get these Himalayan salt lamps & tealight holders which are natural ionisers. The heat is supposed to make them more efficient. They are much more decorative too.
http://site.himalayansaltshop.com/images/spread.jpg
Oh, that's what those are!! My supervisor has some in her office and I just thought they were pretty, haha. Maybe I will get some. Where do you find those?
The neti-pot is uncomfortable until you learn how to do it correctly. Then it feels awesome!! I know it's surprising and I used to say I'd never do it because it was disgusting, but when allergies got bad I was desperate. Haha, please freak somebody out with your tea although can't promise that will be pleasant :)
MyNameIsTerry
24-05-15, 08:17
Yeah, its the same salt in is the salt pipes. Its supposed to be a healthier form of salt.
They've been around for years but I first spotted them in the gadget catalogues I used to be sent by peopled Like Firebox and IWOOT. You can get them anywhere thesedays though. There are loads on Ebay, Amazon, etc. Some are carved so they make ornaments out of them in the shape of animals. Some are even blue, green, etc. If you type salt lamp into Google and look at the images, it will give you an idea of what you can get.
I quite like this one as well as the firebowls:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/d5/4b/41/d54b41dc7e869d8d7ac63b8b2173fae2.jpg
Well, just to put a spanner in the works and to prove you right Terry.
I now have a Chest Infection. I was really bad with a Fever and still recovering.
But, it still doesn't explain several months of coughing up or producing white phlegm and my Mum has reminded me that I was doing this years ago.
There maybe an explanation for my Chest Infection as the Carers we have for my Partner's Mum have been coughing and spluttering all over the house for the last couple of weeks. I mentioned to my partner that they should not come if they are ill, but they still did.
I was more concerned for his 89 year old Mother than me, but it was me that got it!
I have been putting Vicks on my feet and it works! Actually, I have been putting it everywhere. Honey and lemon works good too. And Granny's old fashioned chicken, onions and carrots Stew.
Terry, I have one of those salt things, but I didn't know what it was. I bought it in a Charity Shop years ago. I am now going to put it in my bedroom. :)
Love the one with the Tree. :)
MyNameIsTerry
25-05-15, 11:25
Yes, I thought they couldn't work with patients on days they have illnesses. Was it one of these zero hours companies by any chance? Having said that, my GF once told me about a district nurse who wrapped a bandage so tight it caused pain and the pressure made the wound worse on an old lady and she & her mum put a fresh one on and reported the nurse. It was lucky they were visiting her.
My dad puts Vic on his chest so he can inhale it. How on earth does it work with your
feet?
The white mucus can be back to your original thoughts and maybe it is the post nasal drip. If the coloured is only happening due to this infection then right that one off.
Salt lamps aren't that cheap so that must have been a bargain!
Over the last 4 years, our Carers have always worked when they have had colds and viruses. They are not supposed to, but they do. :scared15:
Vicks works on the feet through the pressure points. That's why should always make sure that in between your toes is dry when you shower or have a bath. (A Nurse told me this). It is also very effective to have a foot massage, because it relaxes the whole body.
And, yes, I still think it is post nasal drip, nearly back to white, thank God. :)
Oh Dear, things are really going wrong for me now.
I am trying to get an appointment with the GP and I have to wait until tomorrow.
As you know I had a chest infection which seemed to clear up.
Well, last week, I woke up and was violently sick. Then I noticed that I had pain occurring in my left shoulder; really excruciating pain.
Now my cough has worsened to the point of choking me and waking me up in the night and I can only lay on one side to get to sleep.
I have been bringing up the white mucus stuff that I was bringing up previous to having the chest infection which led to me becoming bed bound and feverish.
Then; if that's not enough, last night I coughed and a pinhead of blood was visible in the mucus and the same again this morning.
I don't feel right, but I don't feel as ill as I did two weeks ago.
I am wheezing occasionally and it clears when I cough.
I can breathe in and out deeply with NO pain, but must admit that it hurt two weeks ago when I tried this.
After googling; which I tell people not to do, I find my symptoms link up with Pleurisy and I have no choice but to see a GP in the morning.
It is the blood that worries me, albeit a small amount, it worries the hell out of me.
If anyone else has had similar, I would love to hear your comments as now my Anxiety is 'Mountain High' and my Health Anxiety has come back with a vengeance.
Ok, not a doctor, but I have had a little bit of blood here and there with coughing. If you are coughing as much as it sounds, I'm willing to bet your air way is irritated. It happens to me with dry air, coughing, just anything irritating. If it's not a lot, I'm sure its not something terrible.
I know once or twice a year when my husband gets a bad virus, he will have a terrible cough for weeks after. The dr has said his lungs get so irritated from coughing that they just keep coughing over and over again, like a bad cycle. They gave him an inhaler to get through the worst of it.
I hope you feel better soon!!
Thank you so much for replying SWgrl.
My friend thinks I may have over pushed my blood vessels with the constant coughing. And, my airway, is definitely irritated. I even cough, when I don't have to.
It's something I have been doing when I get highly anxious.
I am worse on a windy or cold day, with air-conditioning and when I get nervous.
Where does all this white phlegm come from?
I will still see the GP tomorrow anyway, that's if I can get an appointment. :shrug:
MyNameIsTerry
09-06-15, 05:37
I think if it was a load of blood, you would need to get some more immediate help but with it being a tiny bit and with all this coughing, you've probably torn something or irrritated something. Tiny bits of blood are ok.
Perhaps your infection has worsened and now needs some antibiotics? The pain in the shoulder has gone so thats a good sign as I would expect that to be more constant if it was something more than an infection.
I'm sure you will be ok, Carnation :hugs:
hheavenlyangel
09-06-15, 07:06
Carnation, I get this all the time. I have had chronic sinus problems pretty much for the past 6 years. I get awful post nasal drip which causes a cough that is very dry but I can feel something as though I want to cough it up but nothing. I say this because when I blow my nose, It is white, thick and very sticky so I imagine this is what is going into my chest. A short course of Prednisone and antibiotics usually clears it up for a couple of days at least and then the whole vicious cycle again. I am on here today as I had an awful panic attack this morning thinking I have something terrible. I think you will find there are a ton more people out there with this problem. They just don't say anything because they can rationally put two and two together. For those of us with a Panic disorder - Rational?? what's that!
heavenlyangel, I think I have sinus problems too. And it is just like that. A white sticky mucus and after lying down, it obviously drips down on to the chest.
And if you have a chest infection as well, as I did, it makes it really bad.
My Doctor wants to do an X-Ray, but I am too scared to find out the results.
I don't think I would be able to handle any bad news in my condition, so I don't know whether I am going to go.
Terry, she didn't offer my any antibiotics, which I am surprised at.
She listened to my chest and seemed quite happy, even though I told her that I have been wheezing on and off. That's probably why she has recommended a Chest X-Ray.
I have also been using 'coughing' to control my Panic Attacks. This was before I got the Chest Infections. When I have felt a bit faint/dizzy/Anxious; I tend to clear my throat by coughing, so my body just wants to cough all of the time, even if there is nothing there to cough on. I have been trying not to do this today and only cough when my throat is irritated, so I have to find something else to use when I become panicky. (I think a few people use this coughing method to control their attacks).
I am feeling much better today, which is typical when you have just made an appointment with the GP.
Hope your Mum is ok Terry and you are getting some rest yourself. You will be so exhausted with it all. Make sure you get some Meditation time to make up for it. :)
MyNameIsTerry
10-06-15, 05:45
This "coughing" method, perhaps if you do it a lot and/or forcefully, it can aggravate your throat or blood vessels and thats why you had a little bit of blood? Or maybe a combination of coughing more than usual on top of it? I can't say I've heard of that method before but if its forceful can you do it will less oomph?
Another thing on the coughing. My brother had his nose broke a couple of times when he was younger and he had to have an op to reset it. Years on he says it has collapsed again but he's been putting up with it for years now because its not a very pleasant op because they insert splints. So, he has been coughing a lot, and forcefully. Late last year he found a lump on his throat and he had a load of soarness and lost his voice a lot. After trying antibiotics a couple of times he ended up being referred to the hospital. It turned out it was an inflamed node and had to have it removed and it was because of all his coughing.
I'm not saying that you have this because I don't believe you have. I'm saying this because his years of forceful coughing throughout the day and throat clearing had been the likely cause eventually. So, determine whether that method is causing you any problems and whilst it may not be like my brother's it could just be that the coughing has inflamed something along with the infection and thats why a little bit of blood came out?
Please don't worry about that.
Yeah, its an unwritten law (probably part of Sod's!) that you are ill until you set foot in the doctors office and then you are much better. Whatever strange force they have in their doorways, I want one!!!
My mum's doing much better, thanks. She's started doing a bit of cooking again, been out shopping today for a bit for essentials and has started sleeping in bed from tonight now she has stopped the antibiotics.
I'm ok. All the usual issues for me and other than the day she was taken to hospital, I've been ok. Feeling a bit of a blip coming on but they come regardless of situation and so to the "anti blips" where I feel much better!
In really think you should brave the xray. GP's send people for them at the drop of a hat thesedays often just to rule things out. So, it may be completely nothing. My mum had been coughing for months and she was sent for one and it turned out she had some fluid on her lungs and all it was was the water tablet she takes for her diabetes being too strong. Stopping it and it went away.
I'm surprised she didn't give you antibiotics but I know thesedays that they only give them out when they have too and the guidance all doctors worldwide have been given is to allow the body to try to tackle it first. This came about because of the issues with bacteria becoming resistant to them making them worthless and more steroids being used. So, perhaps take that as a good sign because she wouldn't take a chance if she listening to your chest and judged it too bad for your body to resolve it.
It's now that the emergency with your Mum is over that you will now feel burned out. You stepped up to the mark when needed and it takes it out of you. So, you need to look after yourself now. Give yourself some TLC and relaxation time. :hugs:
I want to have the X-ray, but I am very scared. I have been avoiding them for the last 15 years. My Mother suffered Cancer for ten years of her Life, so that is on my mind and because of my Mild stroke ten years ago, I worry about that.
I am just not strong enough to cope with those words; "I am sorry to have to tell you...............". I even struggle with going to the Doctors.
There is only me to look after my Mum, there is no other Family and I worry about that a lot.
I also have a secret that I have not revealed up until now and that is being a 'Smoker'!
I am not proud of it and I have been smoking for a long time.
I get told off by the Doctors every time I go. I am weak to my vices and I was stupid to start in the first place. But, it is fact that I smoke and I am at risk medically.
So, you see, I am very worried about the cough and the more I stress, the more I smoke. I used to drink as well, but I have totally given that up, apart from Birthdays and Christmas, but I gave that up quite easily, which sounds menial, but I used to drink day and night every day to the point where I didn't know the difference. :ohmy:
I would rather not know if I am going to die or only have part of a lung, I would give up on Life altogether. :weep:
MyNameIsTerry
12-06-15, 12:11
Carnation, my dad smoked until about 4 years ago. He had been doing it for nearly 50 years (with a short break inbetween when he gave up for a bit) and he is fine. He's in his seventies.
Smoking could be a reason for the mucus since it irritates your lungs and that will cause more mucus to be produced. Does your GP know about the ongoing mucus issue?
You've had an infection and that's made things worse but that will go and you will be back to normal.
If you go to a GP with a breathing issue nine times out of ten you will be finding yourself heading for an X ray. I've read articles about the NHS complaining about GP's sending people for far too meant tests just in case and I think now the local trusts monitor them and take action where they raise too many. So, this is going to be one of those times where a GP is just covering themselves. She didn't find any breathing issues when she examined you and any obstruction would have been found.
Smoking does mean an increased risk - but it does not mean anything bad has happened just like being overweight doesn't mean you will get diabetes.
Whatever you decide to do, you have the support of people on here and well done for cutting the drinking down. And don't feel ashamed because you smoke, we all have of vices :hugs::flowers:
I am ashamed Terry. I should never started in the first place.
It was all because I was dumped on my 18th Birthday.
We were planning to get engaged and he never turned up. Then a mate of his phoned me and told me that he had met someone else.
I went to the local shop, bought 20 fags and started smoking.
I have always punished myself when something like that happens.
It's like I need to destroy myself when something bad happens or I get rejected.
Now I am paying the price.
And the thing is, it gets me through travelling in the car and many other issues that stress me out and I can not think of anything else that would help in that way.:shrug:
I used to drink loads Terry, that's another way of punishing myself.
I wouldn't be able to afford it now. :ohmy:
I do actually want to give up the smoking, but I am so scared of the withdrawal symptoms on top of everything else. The moment I feel bad, I would be straight back on them again. The GP's are on my back all of the time and I keep coming up with excuses, but I am never in a good place to be able to deal with it. :weep:
MyNameIsTerry
15-06-15, 08:00
I'm familiar with self sabotage and self destruction. I'm a Sagittarius and that star sign has our galaxies Supermassive Black Hole in it!
Its a core belief that you need to change. You shouldn't feel the need to punish yourself and certainly not for things that are not even your fault like that. I think this is something you need to deal with as you felt the same way about your dad's care and you did so much for him.
I think when it comes to rejection people look inward and look for areas they are insufficient in, some people to improve and others to condemn.
There is no reason why you would be paying the price for this or anything else, people smoke their whole lives and live long & healthy. One of the non urgent ambulance medics who came out asked if my mum smoked (she never has, but my dad did for many years) and he said his gran lived into her nineties and smoked all her life from very young. How many people do you hear about like that? Quite a few. The trouble is, its like everything else, we only hear the bad all the time. I get sick of seeing cancer ads everywhere just like people got sick of the HIV/AIDS campaigns of the 80-90's and all the anti theft ones with the various scary looking animals that the police used. I know they drive peoples HA but to a lot of people they just make you sick of hearing about it because its too in your face all the time and desensitise to it.
You gave up the drinking and you are fine in that respect, aren't you? So, why wouldn't you be if you gave up smoking?
GP's always moan about, they did with my dad and he payed no attention to it. GP's only go on about it because they are being told by the NHS to encourage people to stop...GP's wouldn't care in the least otherwise...its not like many care about anxiety! Its your life, so its your choice.
It would be best to quit but I know what you mean, the withdrawal can be a problem for many. I was lucky when I quit but I never smoked that much. Your GP should consider your mental state in that situation, there is no use pushing for quitting if its going to impact on mental health.
You could do with drawing a line under feeling ashamed. A powerful negative emotion like that is a reinforcer and it will only stand in your way. Try to practice some acceptance with issues like this and tell yourself its what you do now & going forward that matters, not the past.
Maybe you could reduce the impact by switching to the e-cigs?
Carnation, my 65 year old sister has smoked for 50 years (heavily) and has no intention of ever giving up. Her GP has said that giving up now would just give her other issues. She freely admits that she is addicted to nicotine but she has never had any chest problems and X rays are always clear-she does get sent for them if she has had a cough for over 3 weeks and I expect this why your GP is advising you to have one. However she obviously doesn't think you have a chest infection-do you have a temperature?
For us it's easy to get "addicted" to things and routines. I avoid buying plants as I know I'd have to water them at set times of the day and what if I couldn't etc:DIt comes naturally to beat ourselves up and give ourselves a hard time with guilt trips etc
I don't think you've given yourself a death sentence by smoking although you are fearing the worst. I know how you feel about medical tests and just not being able to cope with bad news. I also know how you feel about being responsible for other people. Maybe you should get away for a short break by the sea to see if this helps with your chest problems? A few days away from all the trials at home? I know that your anxiety lessens when you're on holiday and maybe you need some sun and sea to reflect and recuperate? When you're bogged down by everything it's so hard to think clearly and get things in perspective? xx
Thank you both. :hugs:
I am so upset tonight. My symptoms are high, my thumb is still bad, I am still bringing up gunge from my chest, my partner is obsessing about his Cancer spreading, my Cat is ill with a swollen bottom lip, my Mum is depressed and 90% house bound now, my Mother n Law is talking a load of rubbish because of her Dementia.
I really can't cope with everything, I feel like I am losing control. I don't even care about my veg that I have been nurturing for the last 3 months.
I am living in fear of having Cancer, Heart Disease, a collapsing lung and Parkinsons.
All my friends live 200 miles away. I have no Brothers and Sisters or Children and I feel so alone. I have no social life and every day is the same routine and chores, chores and more chores.
I have just been watching Corrie and the 'Jenny Story', where she is contemplating jumping from her balcony and I could relate to her feelings.
And, every time I see my GP, they never seem to understand or take Anxiety seriously and it makes me very angry. I hurt mentally and physically and when it is every day, it becomes to unbearable to live with. Why oh why is there not more help and support for people like us? :weep:
Hey Carnation, I can't believe how much you have on your plate right now. It sounds like a lot to deal with, more than I can imagine. It's so hard to watch somebody with dementia get worse. And also having to worry about your mother and your partner too.
Any way you could take a weekend and visit your friends who live so far away? Or invite them up for a weekend? Something to take your mind off all this difficult stuff.
Yes, I think I need a break. I am trying to find something in the next couple of weeks, but everywhere is so expensive the time of the year and it riles me that Companies do this. That you basically have to pay 3 times as much for the possibility of some sun. :mad:
Swgrl, my Life is definitely not my own. I feel trapped and bogged down with Family illness and duties. I panic that I will never be able to lead my own Life and have the freedom to do what I want to do or be too old to do any of the things I want to do.
It gets me down big time, but I never let it show to any of them, which I think is more damaging for me, because I carry the feelings around with me and just get so sad.
I am a strong person, but I am NOT Superwoman. And with this Chest Infection, which I have had twice and in between them , persistent coughing and bringing up mucus, congestion, buzzing ears, pain down the side of the face, burning sensations in the eyes, sore throats and generally feeling like sh.t! I am finding it extremely difficult to keep going. :weep:
MyNameIsTerry
16-06-15, 06:15
I found myself relating to Kevin Webster...I desperately needed a shave! (get a shave Kev you've got a tramps beard!) :D
I don't think GP's are particularily interested, I think its just a job and not the vocation they say it is. They are the same with the elderley though so maybe its because they are supposed to be dealing with coughs, colds & sprains since they left the hospitals? Its a broken system basically that deals with people in the same way a production line is assembling something.
Are there any suppport groups in your area? There is a good one in mine and it can be a different dimension in person. It does help, just being able to talk freely and socialise with people who understand just like these places.
You've got a lot of weight on your shoulders so you are bound to feel it build up at times. Remember how much you enjoyed your holiday? That could be you again shortly on another break.
I really think you've been through the wars a bit lately and that build up is making everything worse. If you could get rid of the chest infection, you will feel much stronger as that will be knocking your system and then all these negative thoughts start to seep out & spiral out of control.
When I have my blips, my thinking can turn negative like this. When they end, my mind clears more and the positives start to appear again. See it as a stage and keep working on your issues and these stages change.
:hugs:
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