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Color of sputum
- Thread starter anonymous
- Start date
thelizardqueen
New member
Healthy phlegm is normally clear or white. Yellow phlegm is normally a sign of infection or the beginnings of one. Greenish or Brownish phlegm is a deffinite infection. Coughing up Rust coloured phlegm can SOMETIMES mean pneumonia.
F
fr3ak
Guest
Green is predominately psuedomonas<br>
<br>
Yellow is predominately Staph<br>
<br>
brown is usually old blood<br>
<br>
if your coughing blood and do a sputum sample you can get some
pretty cool swirls happening....hehe, yes I use to have fun with my
sputum....sigh LOL<br>
<br>
<br>
When doing your samples, I assume you do them in a plastic sample
jar? that's usually clear you can use it as an hour glass and time
how long it takes for the gunk to slide down the sides LOL, I'm
sure CFs have a fetish with the disgusting stuff that comes out of
us!!! or maybe it's just me hehe<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Yellow is predominately Staph<br>
<br>
brown is usually old blood<br>
<br>
if your coughing blood and do a sputum sample you can get some
pretty cool swirls happening....hehe, yes I use to have fun with my
sputum....sigh LOL<br>
<br>
<br>
When doing your samples, I assume you do them in a plastic sample
jar? that's usually clear you can use it as an hour glass and time
how long it takes for the gunk to slide down the sides LOL, I'm
sure CFs have a fetish with the disgusting stuff that comes out of
us!!! or maybe it's just me hehe<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
lightNlife
New member
I'm at the point now where I can accurately predict what I'm going
to culture just by how my sputum tastes. How gross is that?<br>
<br>
<br>
On a related note, I think if I ever write my autobiography
I'd call it "Mein Cough" what do you think?<br>
<br>
(totally kidding of course...no antisemitism implied)
to culture just by how my sputum tastes. How gross is that?<br>
<br>
<br>
On a related note, I think if I ever write my autobiography
I'd call it "Mein Cough" what do you think?<br>
<br>
(totally kidding of course...no antisemitism implied)
hahha nice.
sputum colour, not sure about that. I used to cough up greenish sputum in my teens, and all i cultured was staph. I think it just refers to the extent of the infection. Regardless of the bug, green means there is too much of it there.
I dunno, it could be wrong. Sometimes i would say it was green, and my nurse would say, no it's yellow. But i have coughed up stuff really green pre pseudo, so who knows?
Think about a cold, and being a kid. Why is it that most of the stuff theyblow out is green? Does that mea they have pseudo in thier lungs? I don't think so.
sputum colour, not sure about that. I used to cough up greenish sputum in my teens, and all i cultured was staph. I think it just refers to the extent of the infection. Regardless of the bug, green means there is too much of it there.
I dunno, it could be wrong. Sometimes i would say it was green, and my nurse would say, no it's yellow. But i have coughed up stuff really green pre pseudo, so who knows?
Think about a cold, and being a kid. Why is it that most of the stuff theyblow out is green? Does that mea they have pseudo in thier lungs? I don't think so.
F
fr3ak
Guest
how many of the "normal" kids that blow green snot have
had their snot tested?<br>
<br>
I'm sure their snot would grow SOMEthing, maybe not necassarily
Psuedo, but I would be curious to know what lurks in their nasal
cavities hehe....<br>
<br>
I know that Psuedomonas is what makes water green,which is why it
isn't a great idea to have flowers in a vase and not change the
water....<br>
<br>
I agree with Lgrace that I could tell what I was growing by the
taste, yum yum NOT....<br>
<br>
had their snot tested?<br>
<br>
I'm sure their snot would grow SOMEthing, maybe not necassarily
Psuedo, but I would be curious to know what lurks in their nasal
cavities hehe....<br>
<br>
I know that Psuedomonas is what makes water green,which is why it
isn't a great idea to have flowers in a vase and not change the
water....<br>
<br>
I agree with Lgrace that I could tell what I was growing by the
taste, yum yum NOT....<br>
<br>
icefisherman
New member
lol, my phlegm tastes like pistachio's (sp?) what does that mean?
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>icefisherman</b></i>
lol, my phlegm tastes like pistachio's (sp?) what does that mean?</end quote></div>
It means you need to brush your teeth after eating pistachio ice cream LOL...seriously
My sputum when green usually is pseudomonas, but since I now culture MRSA I would assume it could mean any active infection. I actually know its pseudomonas when there is a "sweeter" taste to the sputum. Red/brown is old blood. I usually bring up yellow. I dont think I have ever had completely clear/white sputum. Lighter in shade yes.....totally clearn/white no!
lol, my phlegm tastes like pistachio's (sp?) what does that mean?</end quote></div>
It means you need to brush your teeth after eating pistachio ice cream LOL...seriously
My sputum when green usually is pseudomonas, but since I now culture MRSA I would assume it could mean any active infection. I actually know its pseudomonas when there is a "sweeter" taste to the sputum. Red/brown is old blood. I usually bring up yellow. I dont think I have ever had completely clear/white sputum. Lighter in shade yes.....totally clearn/white no!
thefrogprincess
New member
My sputum was yellow for years and I never cultured staph.....its pretty much green now and I only culture psuedo.
My was green for months and lately its more whitish to whitish green and I feel a lot better. When I start feeling tired, and achy, usually a couple hours later I'll be coughing up green to bloody green/brown sputum. This can change on a daily basis. Thankfully, lately I've had more good days than bad.
John
John
coltsfan715
New member
My sputum usually ranges from clear when I am just out of the hospital to like a pea green color when I am sick or my MRSA is flaring up. For me I tend to get a different consistency/thickness when I have a MRSA flare up as compared to a Psuedo flare up.
I have also had my doc tell me that sometimes the darker the sputum the longer it has been in your lungs. I asked about this when I was nearing the end of my last run of IVs because I was coughing up a lot of brown sputum and he said it was probably a mixture of blood and old sputum.
I can also tell by the taste of my sputum what is the problem causer - MRSA or Psuedo. Psuedo to me doesn't have much of a taste while the MRSA makes me want to throw up it is so ick.
Lindsey
Not that it hasn't been said, but I will say it again. Only with CFers could we not be totally repulsed by this thread. lol If someone non-CF was talking about their sputum or snot I would cringe, but not here not with ya'll lol.
I have also had my doc tell me that sometimes the darker the sputum the longer it has been in your lungs. I asked about this when I was nearing the end of my last run of IVs because I was coughing up a lot of brown sputum and he said it was probably a mixture of blood and old sputum.
I can also tell by the taste of my sputum what is the problem causer - MRSA or Psuedo. Psuedo to me doesn't have much of a taste while the MRSA makes me want to throw up it is so ick.
Lindsey
Not that it hasn't been said, but I will say it again. Only with CFers could we not be totally repulsed by this thread. lol If someone non-CF was talking about their sputum or snot I would cringe, but not here not with ya'll lol.
thelizardqueen
New member
The colour of sputum that I bring up always varies from day to day. Somedays I cough up yellow, others green, and sometimes I even get away with white/clear sputum. I can even cough up all of the above colours in one day. I continually culture PA. Every sputum I do will have PA in it, but the levels vary sometimes.
I ALWAYS culture p.a. (even during and after 3 weeks of IVs)... mine is ALWAYS green and pretty dark... no matter what. I can't remember EVER having clear/white. I have had yellow back in my teens.
I don't know. I think it mostly matters how you feel. Obviously, if they went only by the color of mine, I'd be in the hosp. constantly. I know it means infection, but what CFer is actually ever infection-free? I've heard the darkness has to do more with infection (and the consistency), but mine has been rather thick lately and really dark, and my pft's are UP. So, makes no sense. My doc did recently say that thicker is usually a lot harder to cough out, so may be a good sign when you have that. I gues it just depends on the person and your "norm".
I don't know. I think it mostly matters how you feel. Obviously, if they went only by the color of mine, I'd be in the hosp. constantly. I know it means infection, but what CFer is actually ever infection-free? I've heard the darkness has to do more with infection (and the consistency), but mine has been rather thick lately and really dark, and my pft's are UP. So, makes no sense. My doc did recently say that thicker is usually a lot harder to cough out, so may be a good sign when you have that. I gues it just depends on the person and your "norm".
coltsfan715
New member
Lauren,
I can't really describe the taste thing that well. For me it is one of those tastes that I can't place other than something along the lines of, as out of nowhere as this might sound, BAD raw/uncooked salmon. When I am sick or having a bit of a flare up I sometimes get this taste and it is awful it coats my tongue and I have to scrub my tongue to get it off, so I don't continue tasting it. Usually when I have that and have a culture done, I end up being told that MRSA is the major problem.
When I am simply sick and coughing up more and such(no real taste) and have a culture I am usually told that the Psuedo is causing the major problem.
Also to add: When my MRSA is flaring up my sputum tends to be thinner. I am not sure if that is normal, but it is more fluidy instead of thick and goopy.
Lindsey
I say that about the salmon because I have had a sushi platter with salmon that was not cooked really at all and it had a flavor that just resonated through my mouth and somewhat into my nose (which kind of stank a bit) - which is similar to what I get with my sputum on occasion.
I am sure that probably didn't clarify too much for you Lauren, but I tried lol <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif" border="0">. Though, if it did help then great.
I can't really describe the taste thing that well. For me it is one of those tastes that I can't place other than something along the lines of, as out of nowhere as this might sound, BAD raw/uncooked salmon. When I am sick or having a bit of a flare up I sometimes get this taste and it is awful it coats my tongue and I have to scrub my tongue to get it off, so I don't continue tasting it. Usually when I have that and have a culture done, I end up being told that MRSA is the major problem.
When I am simply sick and coughing up more and such(no real taste) and have a culture I am usually told that the Psuedo is causing the major problem.
Also to add: When my MRSA is flaring up my sputum tends to be thinner. I am not sure if that is normal, but it is more fluidy instead of thick and goopy.
Lindsey
I say that about the salmon because I have had a sushi platter with salmon that was not cooked really at all and it had a flavor that just resonated through my mouth and somewhat into my nose (which kind of stank a bit) - which is similar to what I get with my sputum on occasion.
I am sure that probably didn't clarify too much for you Lauren, but I tried lol <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif" border="0">. Though, if it did help then great.
spicyone18
New member
oh man all this doesn't sound good. I've been in the hospital for 3 weeks now, I had a few days of light green/white sputum but now its a pretty dark color with a horriable taste. They took a sputum sample today, but should I be worried?
coltsfan715
New member
Hi Courtney,
Sorry to hear you have been in the hospital for the past few weeks. I hope you are feeling better. I would say wait and see what the doc says and what your culture results are before I get to worried. If you have had sputum in the past like what you are experiencing now I am sure it is nothing to be worried about.
I would just wait and see and try not to worry to much about it.
Lindsey
Sorry to hear you have been in the hospital for the past few weeks. I hope you are feeling better. I would say wait and see what the doc says and what your culture results are before I get to worried. If you have had sputum in the past like what you are experiencing now I am sure it is nothing to be worried about.
I would just wait and see and try not to worry to much about it.
Lindsey
I've got a question, but I hesitate to ask it because it's definitely not attractive! What makes phlegm turn from jello-like in appearance and substance to more like pudding with a sort of milky nature? This is the thing that really tells me I need to do something more than the color... This pudding like variety also tends to have a certain smell which I can't describe.
sorry Chipper but I can't help you there.....my sputum is always
the same consistency and i wouldn't really liken it to jello OR
pudding....so i'm a bit lost here.<br>
<br>
What i've noticed about mine is that first thing in the morning i
usually bring up 3-6 good chunks of quite thick quite green
sputum.....then during the day what i bring up, which is not
a huge amount, but it is a daily occurrence - is thinner in
consistency and a light yellow colour, sometimes white.<br>
<br>
Mine is normally tasteless and odourless even when i'm sick enough
to be on AB's - but on the odd occasion i've been able to taste
something not particularly unpleasant but definitely a unique
taste, which i can only assume is one of my bugs.<br>
<br>
I never culture staph - only pseudo and cepacia multivorans....so
not sure where the yellow comes from....the green in the morning i
assume is my pseudo that has had time to sit in my lungs overnight
as I don't tend to cough much if at all during the night.<br>
<br>
the same consistency and i wouldn't really liken it to jello OR
pudding....so i'm a bit lost here.<br>
<br>
What i've noticed about mine is that first thing in the morning i
usually bring up 3-6 good chunks of quite thick quite green
sputum.....then during the day what i bring up, which is not
a huge amount, but it is a daily occurrence - is thinner in
consistency and a light yellow colour, sometimes white.<br>
<br>
Mine is normally tasteless and odourless even when i'm sick enough
to be on AB's - but on the odd occasion i've been able to taste
something not particularly unpleasant but definitely a unique
taste, which i can only assume is one of my bugs.<br>
<br>
I never culture staph - only pseudo and cepacia multivorans....so
not sure where the yellow comes from....the green in the morning i
assume is my pseudo that has had time to sit in my lungs overnight
as I don't tend to cough much if at all during the night.<br>
<br>