Mucus in Upper Airways

[DjFunkyFife]

Hi Everyone... i'm hoping someone can give me some tips for what i'm dealing with
I just got out of USC's hospital two weeks ago, and i'm feeling good. I have one issue that has resurfaced: i've had crackling in my upper chest, seems like almost in my throat. Before my hospitalization, i had it pretty bad, then the meds cleared it up... for a few days. About 4 days after i got home, the creackling came back... it is mostly noticeable while i'm laying down. So today i went for my two-week follow up visit, and told them it had come back. The explanation was that mucus was gettting trapped in the upper airways. Physical therapy wasnt able to see me today to give me some kinda instructions on how to deal with it.
Twice a day i do albuterol inhaler then hpertonic with vest, then tobi (this month) the morning session includes pulmozyme. And apparently this isnt enough anymore.
Has anyone else had this crackling of mucus? do you have any tip on clearing it?
Thanks!

 

[DjFunkyFife]

Hi Everyone... i'm hoping someone can give me some tips for what i'm dealing with
I just got out of USC's hospital two weeks ago, and i'm feeling good. I have one issue that has resurfaced: i've had crackling in my upper chest, seems like almost in my throat. Before my hospitalization, i had it pretty bad, then the meds cleared it up... for a few days. About 4 days after i got home, the creackling came back... it is mostly noticeable while i'm laying down. So today i went for my two-week follow up visit, and told them it had come back. The explanation was that mucus was gettting trapped in the upper airways. Physical therapy wasnt able to see me today to give me some kinda instructions on how to deal with it.
Twice a day i do albuterol inhaler then hpertonic with vest, then tobi (this month) the morning session includes pulmozyme. And apparently this isnt enough anymore.
Has anyone else had this crackling of mucus? do you have any tip on clearing it?
Thanks!

 

[Melissa75]

I had this!! For a few months Jan-some of march. It was loud, wet and like you said, worse when lying down. Expiratory more than inspiratory. Ive always had crackles when I exhale, but usually not high up like that and so juicy. Reading to my son at night was a joke, and I was doing PT on myself just under my neck, which also seemed silly, but helped a little. I almost posted about it here too. It seems to have gone away. I'd love to hear why it gets trapped there sometimes and not others. I wondered about the particular bacteria I had then (steno) or the thrush I always have in my throat maybe working its way down from all the abs.

 

[Melissa75]

I had this!! For a few months Jan-some of march. It was loud, wet and like you said, worse when lying down. Expiratory more than inspiratory. Ive always had crackles when I exhale, but usually not high up like that and so juicy. Reading to my son at night was a joke, and I was doing PT on myself just under my neck, which also seemed silly, but helped a little. I almost posted about it here too. It seems to have gone away. I'd love to hear why it gets trapped there sometimes and not others. I wondered about the particular bacteria I had then (steno) or the thrush I always have in my throat maybe working its way down from all the abs.

 

[scanboyd]

Being well hydrated has helped me over the yrs. drink about 60-70 oz fluids, water, coffe before starting morning neb. rx. I also take one Mucinex expectorant 1200mg am and pm. The HTS helps me a great deal in getting the mucous up and out, taking deep breaths and holding it with hts makes me cough a lot of junk out. Glood luck!!

 

[scanboyd]

Being well hydrated has helped me over the yrs. drink about 60-70 oz fluids, water, coffe before starting morning neb. rx. I also take one Mucinex expectorant 1200mg am and pm. The HTS helps me a great deal in getting the mucous up and out, taking deep breaths and holding it with hts makes me cough a lot of junk out. Glood luck!!

 

[searchingforanswers]

I don't really know how to explain this...can you pull the mucus up by a combination of blowing out through your nose in a way that stuff comes up and kinda breathing, panting, and clearing your throat upward. I've never been able to cough effectively except when I'm really sick and don't have a vest. Its not pleasant and I gag on the mucus and sometimes it feels more like vomiting mucus but itdoes come out of the nose or mouth eventually. I also second the wonders of musinex and if post nasal drip is contributing pseudo ephedrine helps me. Have you tried gargling with salt water? I have the mucus at the bottom of my throat right now also...but it was a lot worse last week. My diagnosis is in limo so I'm used to make-shifting solutions and always trying to learn new ones. All and all throat mucus is better then deep lung mucus even if it can really close up your airway at times.

SFA
Diagnostic Status=long term limbo...and I'm probably going to have to wait one more year <growl>.

 

[searchingforanswers]

I don't really know how to explain this...can you pull the mucus up by a combination of blowing out through your nose in a way that stuff comes up and kinda breathing, panting, and clearing your throat upward. I've never been able to cough effectively except when I'm really sick and don't have a vest. Its not pleasant and I gag on the mucus and sometimes it feels more like vomiting mucus but itdoes come out of the nose or mouth eventually. I also second the wonders of musinex and if post nasal drip is contributing pseudo ephedrine helps me. Have you tried gargling with salt water? I have the mucus at the bottom of my throat right now also...but it was a lot worse last week. My diagnosis is in limo so I'm used to make-shifting solutions and always trying to learn new ones. All and all throat mucus is better then deep lung mucus even if it can really close up your airway at times.

SFA
Diagnostic Status=long term limbo...and I'm probably going to have to wait one more year <growl>.

 

[tesorotiffa]

I had this for a while too. I was able to get my insurance company to purchase an ElectroFlo 5000 for me. It is a handheld percussor that fits perfectly on my chest. I started doing that bad boy in conjunction with my Vest, and it is very powerful and it really helped bust that mucus up so I could get it all out.

Also, I started jogging and running. That helps keep me extremely clear. And when I notice that I am feeling congested, nothing works better than a run. Good luck!

 

[tesorotiffa]

I had this for a while too. I was able to get my insurance company to purchase an ElectroFlo 5000 for me. It is a handheld percussor that fits perfectly on my chest. I started doing that bad boy in conjunction with my Vest, and it is very powerful and it really helped bust that mucus up so I could get it all out.

Also, I started jogging and running. That helps keep me extremely clear. And when I notice that I am feeling congested, nothing works better than a run. Good luck!