Coughing with white/clear phlegm

miche31

Hello,
This bug is going around here where I live as well. It sounds like the infection is cleared out of you, but you are still left with the viral infection, which antibiotics won't kill. It is just a matter of time for your body to fight it off. There is a long lasting cough here with people after the sinus and bronchitis is gone. In fact I got it 2 weeks ago, and I'm still coughing, but no longer coughing up colored phlegm, just white. Anytime after an infection, you're left feeling tired too, so don't get worried. It sounds like to me that your on the road to recovery, the cough just stays with you for awhile. Try finding natural remedies to help. Good luck, hope you feel better soon. Michelle

ericpolanco

Thanks Michelle.
You're email made me feel a lot better.
One thing i did notice was i looked for blood in my phlegm but it was always yellow or green.
Once or twice in my whole time being sick i think i hacked so hard to take out phlegm, my throat was irritated, that i saw little streaks of blood.
Now that only happend twice overall but it scared the crap out of me.

Anyways...
It still feels weird... like either my throat gets dry and i need to cough up until phlegm comes out or when i sneeze i feel phlegm coming out as well...
I've been like this 2 weeks as well...
I'm 23 years old and a bit scared but your words have helped me feel better.
Thanks Michelle for the advise...
Hope you feel better too!

Thanks
Eric

miche31

Eric,
When you cough, it triggers a spasm in your throat (my ENT told me this), and your throat inside will create phlegm in response to the irritation, so it is kind of a rebound effect. You cough to get the phlegm up, but the coughing irritates it, so it create phlegm. Also, the post nasal drip triggers spasms as well, and you don't even realize that it's happening because you don't feel it. Are you taking any nose spray for that, or is it clearing up on it's own? I take Flonase to my sinuses. There are a few things you can try to help alleviate your cough;
1. Have you tried Mucinex to thin out the phlem? It works really well.
2. Drink lots and lots of liquids; that also helps to keep it thinned out.
3. Suck on Ricola herb drops, or Halls has Vitamin drops.
4. Are you eating well? That can help speed up colds. Are you getting enough sleep? How about a humidifier at night, if it's dry in your area? Put Vics Vaporub on your chest and throat at night, the vapors help.
It really sounds like your on the road to recovery, just be patient. Coughs like to last awhile. Michelle

ericpolanco

Once again Michelle thanks for your reply.
I'm happy to finally be talking to someone with similar experience and who has talk to an ENT before.

I think it might be the post nasal drip but the doctor only gave me saline nasal drops but i still feel my nose a bit plugged. Also, when i swallow in the background what feels like nasal discharge i then feel the phlegm get created in my throat.
It just feels weird but eventually i have to cough it up.
I don't have any other symptoms so that's why i'm not concerned but this is the first time this has happend to me so i'm skeptical like always.

Well i'll be honest, i have not been eating all that well but i have been drinking loads of water.
My white phlegm started last week on Friday and this morning it seems to have gotten better.
I've only coughed like 2 or 3 times but it was not as violent as usual.

Like two years ago or a little less i started getting these weird feelings near my nose and middle of my head.
My doctor finally told me that i had small sinus infection and maybe that started triggering the nasal drips.
Ever since then i've been learning how to deal with sinus issues.
I have not seen an ENT to properly check me but i'm assuming that the sinus infections eventually lead to this problem i have now correct me if i'm wrong.
I usually get sick every 2 years but i get really bad fevers that leave me in bed. This time i only got this cough and phlegm.

My sleep had been deprived due to coughing at night for about 4 nights but it started getting better when my phlegm started coming out white.
The only thing that really bugs me is the amount of time it takes. If this is normal then i don't have to worry as much.
Seriously i thought i was dying and had pnemonia because i read a lot of stuff on the internet.

Thanks for your Help Michelle.

Keep shooting your advice.

I really appreciate it a lot.

Eric