Excess Phlegm/Throat Clearing

[CeilingStarer]

Anyone else have this problem?

I'm always coughing and hacking up to find my voice. It's where a lot of my anxiety comes from, as I have trouble speaking at work/social events at times.

Seems to just go crazy late morning, and after eating.

I had a bit of a phlegm problem when I was younger (as does my Dad), but this is just ruling my life. I'm wondering if it has been a vicious cycle where anxiety has slowly made the condition worse...

[My911GT2993]

Well yes, I didn't used to butnow I have to clear my throat before I speak because otherwise my voice will 'break' n go high pitched.
But sometimes I don't even need to do it, but do it just incase my voice wants to fail.
Sometimes I got to clear my throat right the way through the sentance, and yes it raises the anxiety a bit.

Is that how you spell flem? "Phlegm" or is that something else?

[ecotec83]

Have you been checked for Coughing Athsma? I frequently clear my through and have worse problems after eating, brushing my teeth and in the morning.

[CeilingStarer]

Originally Posted by ecotec83

Have you been checked for Coughing Athsma? I frequently clear my through and have worse problems after eating, brushing my teeth and in the morning.

Well, AFAIK asthma means it's hard to breath due to narrowing of the windpipe... but I just tend to get gunk in the back of the throat that drowns out my vocal cords. Breathing is generally fine still.

I'll look into it though, thanks. So even with asthma meds, you still get the throat clearing?

[ecotec83]

Originally Posted by CeilingStarer

Well, AFAIK asthma means it's hard to breath due to narrowing of the windpipe... but I just tend to get gunk in the back of the throat that drowns out my vocal cords. Breathing is generally fine still.

I'll look into it though, thanks. So even with asthma meds, you still get the throat clearing?

I was on med for a while but cant afford them now. They did help me a lot and i stopped couging and clearing my throat so much. Post nasal drip is another possibility.

[millenniumman75]

I get frequent bacterial bronchitis or something like that. The phlegm builds up in my chest and I get a sore throat with a dry cough. I also wheeze when I laugh.

[shyvr6]

The Cough-Variant Asthma is something that seems similar to my condition. It doesn't say anything about clearing the throat after you eat though which is when I mainly do it. I guess that could be a symptom even though they didn't mention it.

[Paper Samurai]

Having used to have a Asthma and alot of phelgm in my early teens, my best recommendation to you is to try and cut dairy out your diet and see what happens. I know this may sound a bit illogical, but it really does work - indeed there's studies backing this up, but I've got to say I'm loathe to bringing up the studies card as an argument, but anyway would you lose anything giving this a go? That's the way I look at it anyway.

[CeilingStarer]

Originally Posted by Paper Samurai

Having used to have a Asthma and alot of phelgm in my early teens, my best recommendation to you is to try and cut dairy out your diet and see what happens. I know this may sound a bit illogical, but it really does work - indeed there's studies backing this up, but I've got to say I'm loathe to bringing up the studies card as an argument, but anyway would you lose anything giving this a go? That's the way I look at it anyway.

I've tried cutting out dairy and gluten etc periodically and it hasn't really helped. But I've had the condition for like 12 years. I've heard it can take 6 months - 1 year to get things like gluten out of your system.

Anyway, booked an appointment with a highly recommended naturopath in a few weeks. I'm happy to eat only lettuce and run daily marathons for 2010 if it means finding a cure. I can't even start to address my social anxiety without curing this first.

Anyway, thanks for your suggestions. I might try some asthma meds in the short term.