Can We Compare Notes on Gunk? Ewww Alert

Pam M
Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Ugh. "Normally", I have small, polite gobs of goo that I hack up from time to time. After my neck dissection, it was more "substantial" (before, I regularly brought up very small amounts). Lately, my production has increased greatly - sometimes it's great green rubbery goo. Sometimes, I have a rough time with my "goo globs". A couple days ago, I became convinced that if this continues, and I make it to an old age, I shall die by choking on my own mucus/sputum. No cold/fever/health/hydration issues at this time. Anyone else hacking up more than normal?

Comments

  • Bigfuzzydoug
    Bigfuzzydoug Member Posts: 154
    #2
    I yaked up charcoal.
    I had this god-awful horrible taste in my mouth and would occasionally hork up a small black piece of burned flesh. "Yup," the Rad-Oncologist said, "the taste is from extra mucous and dead, burned up tissue. It happens. Pretty nasty. You can try gargling." When I had coughing fits, even the cat would freak at the hairballs I would hork!

    But that's nothing! If I remember correctly, there was a story here of someone who coughed so hard that something like a mass actually came out. YES - they literally coughed out their malignant tumor!!! ...If I remember correctly.

    Let the "ewwing" and screams of "gross" commence! Dawn, 'sweetblood22', can freak you out with some fun, nasty tales. She's been through the ringer and back. Maybe we can all gather round the campfire and freak each other out? ;-p
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #3
    Hi Pam

    When ever I get that it is always an infection, go see your ENT and get it checked out.

    Hondo
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #4
    Actually....
    I had the mucus from hell, but I never had a problem with hacking anything up. Kinda happy about that. I cough constantly, but that is because I'm so dry, I could spit scorpions and rattle snakes. Nothing comes up.

    Jeeeez, a girl has the roof of her mouth peel off in a sheet, and get stuck in her front teeth, and she gets a reputation around here........lol. ;-)
  • Hal61
    Hal61 Member Posts: 655
    #5
    Green is a go sign
    Hi Pam, I'm with Hondo. The increase, and especially the color. Green sputum, mucous, etc., can sometimes indicate and infection. If it doesn't go away like right now, have it looked at.

    best, Hal
  • Ingrid K
    Ingrid K Member Posts: 813
    #6
    Hal61 said:

    Green is a go sign
    Hi Pam, I'm with Hondo. The increase, and especially the color. Green sputum, mucous, etc., can sometimes indicate and infection. If it doesn't go away like right now, have it looked at.

    best, Hal

    green is definitely not as good as yellow
    My ENT told me that coughing up yellow crud is okay, but if it's green, to call them and get seen in the office. Like hondo and hal say, green indicates infection.... you may not have cold symptoms, but you may have something internal. GOOD LUCK with that.
  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #7
    Yep, gunky here as well.
    Seems like the last month or so, I've been gunkier than usual. Early mornings I consistently cough and hack till I gag myself. So far, no green, but I'm left wondering if this it what it's like to have a bad cold with no spit, no snot, and no tears. Ewwwwww.

    Here's hoping it subsides before summer comes again.

    Deb
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #8
    Ingrid K said:

    green is definitely not as good as yellow
    My ENT told me that coughing up yellow crud is okay, but if it's green, to call them and get seen in the office. Like hondo and hal say, green indicates infection.... you may not have cold symptoms, but you may have something internal. GOOD LUCK with that.

    Hah - Green Is Usually "Go"
    Saw my rads doc last week - hacked up sumpin scary on the way, and told him about the increase and change. We're waiting and watching (sound familiar?). My mouth and throat look good, he said - we agree that this far (21 months) after chemo rads, we'd rather not be quick to do antibiotics, and the green is occassional, not consistent. I've convinced myself that my sinuses aren't draining down into my tummy like they used to, and the reason is the mucus is getting hung up in some of my throat's new nooks and crannies (so when enough builds up to cause me an issue, it has to come up). Forgot to ask doc whether or not that's a plausible explanation, and was wondering if you all experienced the same.

    For my personal best hacking up "eww" - the prize probably goes to post-tonsillectomy Eww.
  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #9
    Pam M said:

    Hah - Green Is Usually "Go"
    Saw my rads doc last week - hacked up sumpin scary on the way, and told him about the increase and change. We're waiting and watching (sound familiar?). My mouth and throat look good, he said - we agree that this far (21 months) after chemo rads, we'd rather not be quick to do antibiotics, and the green is occassional, not consistent. I've convinced myself that my sinuses aren't draining down into my tummy like they used to, and the reason is the mucus is getting hung up in some of my throat's new nooks and crannies (so when enough builds up to cause me an issue, it has to come up). Forgot to ask doc whether or not that's a plausible explanation, and was wondering if you all experienced the same.

    For my personal best hacking up "eww" - the prize probably goes to post-tonsillectomy Eww.

    Antibiotics did help me ...
    At one point a few weeks back, I was pretty sure I was incubating a sinus infection, and had my Doc put me on a short course of antibiotics. It did make me feel better fast, and I didn't seem to have any adverse effects from the medication.

    Deb
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #10
    D Lewis said:

    Yep, gunky here as well.
    Seems like the last month or so, I've been gunkier than usual. Early mornings I consistently cough and hack till I gag myself. So far, no green, but I'm left wondering if this it what it's like to have a bad cold with no spit, no snot, and no tears. Ewwwwww.

    Here's hoping it subsides before summer comes again.

    Deb

    Hoping It Does Clear
    Wondering if I should break out the Neti Pot. Another eww, but not bad.
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #11
    Pam M said:

    Hoping It Does Clear
    Wondering if I should break out the Neti Pot. Another eww, but not bad.

    I know quite a few people
    I know quite a few people that swear by that neti pot. Couldn't hurt.
  • Bigfuzzydoug
    Bigfuzzydoug Member Posts: 154
    #12
    One more question
    Did you ask the doc if they want a sample for lab testing? Are you saving what you spit up? You don't want to mess around with a nasty infection like pneumonia which can take several different forms.
  • Greend
    Greend Member Posts: 678
    #13
    Gunk contest
    Pam,

    I am with you 100% and I've been doing this for years. Fact is that sometimes it does restrict my air flow and I actually find myself getting tired and then I think to cough up my "daily surprises". I have noted that whatever I drink earlier in the day seems to influence the color of my prize winning globs. I always drink coffee so I can count on dark brown lugies at some point in time. We all seem to have our remedies (mine is breathing in steam or gargling with peroxide).

    In an earlier post I recommended the county fairs have a contest for biggest glob but it didn't seem to catch on.

    One other item of interest for me is that whenever I cough one of the prize winners up it always seems to be super glued on one end to the roof of my mouth and I have to physically snatch the rascal or pull it out because gravity just isn't powerful enbough.

    Oh well, after this great discussion I think I'll order 1/2 oysters on the half shell. :>)
  • Greend
    Greend Member Posts: 678
    #14
    Greend said:

    Gunk contest
    Pam,

    I am with you 100% and I've been doing this for years. Fact is that sometimes it does restrict my air flow and I actually find myself getting tired and then I think to cough up my "daily surprises". I have noted that whatever I drink earlier in the day seems to influence the color of my prize winning globs. I always drink coffee so I can count on dark brown lugies at some point in time. We all seem to have our remedies (mine is breathing in steam or gargling with peroxide).

    In an earlier post I recommended the county fairs have a contest for biggest glob but it didn't seem to catch on.

    One other item of interest for me is that whenever I cough one of the prize winners up it always seems to be super glued on one end to the roof of my mouth and I have to physically snatch the rascal or pull it out because gravity just isn't powerful enbough.

    Oh well, after this great discussion I think I'll order 1/2 oysters on the half shell. :>)

    one more theory
    I am convinced that because my "swallow" muscles do not wotk that the mucus gets to the top of my throat clogs up my airway because my throat can't move it on down to my stomach.
  • luv4lacrosse
    luv4lacrosse Member Posts: 1,410 Member
    #15
    RIGHT THERE WITH YA SISTER
    I have allot of mucous in varying stages of viscocity ranging from snot like all the way to a hard brown looking piece of something. I just had my evry 120 day visit to my Rad Onc. who said it is a direct result of my bilateral neck radiation. He is looking to try me on a med that is typically used to loosen mucous in CF patients, but wants to study it more. I also have little to no saliva which I am sure aids in keeping every thing thick and or solid.

    I have just become used to it.

    Mike
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #16
    sweetblood22 said:

    I know quite a few people
    I know quite a few people that swear by that neti pot. Couldn't hurt.

    Hi Pam

    Very good idea that Sweet has, I use the NeilMed Sinus Rinse twice a day to help keep things in my nasal area cleaned and washed out.

    One of the best things I ever started doing

    Hondo

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