For those of you that had Mucous

jcortney
jcortney Member Posts: 503
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Anyone take Musinex?  It's supposed to thin out and help expectorate.  Did it do any good?  I'm making massive amounts today.

Thanks,

Joe Cortney

Dallas, TX

«1

Comments

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #2
    I bought some just in case....

    but never had the mucous bad enough to use it.....so I'm not very helpful.  Maybe give it a try and you tell us if it works Laughing

    p

  • jcortney
    jcortney Member Posts: 503
    #3
    phrannie51 said:

    I bought some just in case....

    but never had the mucous bad enough to use it.....so I'm not very helpful.  Maybe give it a try and you tell us if it works Laughing

    p

    Hoping for someone else to be

    Hoping for someone else to be the ginny pig.

     

    :))

     

    J.

  • fishmanpa
    fishmanpa Member Posts: 1,227 Member
    #4
    jcortney said:

    Hoping for someone else to be

    Hoping for someone else to be the ginny pig.

     

    :))

     

    J.

    Tried it but

    Marcia tried with a bad cough and mucous and it helped a little but she ended up having bronchitis and had to go on antibiotics to clear it up.

    "T"

  • Ladylacy
    Ladylacy Member Posts: 773 Member
    #5
    Mucus

    My husband has had terrible mucus since his journey began almost 3 years ago.  He has tried everything but nothing works for him.  He just deals with it.  Some days better than others.  Musinex didn't help him one little bit.  I used to say that we own paper towel companies. 

  • Laralyn
    Laralyn Member Posts: 532
    #6
    I tried it...

    ...but had to use it in my tube because the pills were way too big for me to swallow at the time. They make crystals that dissolve too. I think it helped a little, but a combination of staying hydrated and using a suction machine helped me more. The hydration kept the coughing down a bit and made the mucus thinner so it was easier to get it out (and it was less likely to make me nauseus). It's definitely worth giving a shot to see if it helps you!

  • HobbsDoggy
    HobbsDoggy Member Posts: 276
    #7
    Used It

    I  did use it and it helped.  I was not so bad mucous department, one thing that did not get me as bad as some others.  Still for about 3 weeks it was fairly bad.  The Musinex did help me and I took it for about 4 days.

  • jcortney
    jcortney Member Posts: 503
    #8
    Thanks for the comments

    I just swallowed one.  We'll see if it helps.

     

    Joe

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #9
    jcortney said:

    Thanks for the comments

    I just swallowed one.  We'll see if it helps.

     

    Joe

    Gooooooooooood

    lil'guinea pig.....now we'll wait and see.....LOLOLOLOLOL

  • staceya
    staceya Member Posts: 720
    #10
    phrannie51 said:

    Gooooooooooood

    lil'guinea pig.....now we'll wait and see.....LOLOLOLOLOL

    I just tried it this week and it does help! YEAH

    I had been having the worst last few weeks, and after reading it on a thread here somewhere, tried Musinex and am finding some relief. (In addition to the gazillion gallons of water per day) Not completely, but sleeping much better. The pills are huge. Wonder how long I can keep taking it, the bottle says to contact MD after 7 days. Can't imagine 7 days will be long enough. Has anyone been on it long term?

    Stacey

     

  • Billie67
    Billie67 Member Posts: 898
    #11
    staceya said:

    I just tried it this week and it does help! YEAH

    I had been having the worst last few weeks, and after reading it on a thread here somewhere, tried Musinex and am finding some relief. (In addition to the gazillion gallons of water per day) Not completely, but sleeping much better. The pills are huge. Wonder how long I can keep taking it, the bottle says to contact MD after 7 days. Can't imagine 7 days will be long enough. Has anyone been on it long term?

    Stacey

     

    It helped me a bit
    I used it during the day but at night when I didn't mind being loopy and drugged up I took my dilaudid and that really helped to dry me up! I first was using it for pain but then it occurred to me that once I started taking it at night for the pain I had much less mucus at night than I did during the day. I tested it too. There were a couple times my pain wasn't so bad so I skipped the dilaudid and sure enough the mucus was just as bad at night as during the day.
    Also I used the liquid mucinex and pushed it thru my PEG. I could barely swallow water so all my meds were liquid and I tubed them or we crushed and dissolved them for the PEG.

    Good luck, I hope you get some mucus relief.
    Billie
  • Ladylacy
    Ladylacy Member Posts: 773 Member
    #12
    Mucinex

    Mucinex is actually guaifenesin and you can buy this in liquid form.  We were told to even get it with the cough medicine included.  That is what my husband used but got no relief.  Funny thing is that his pain medication helps to control his mucus and when we told the surgeon, he just laughed and couldn't explain it.  We were also told that we didn't want to dry out the mucus from the lungs completely because we need this to keep the lungs moist and expecially if you are a laryngectomy.  Just remember what works for one, doesn't always work for the next and you have to take it continuously for mucinex to work.  When I take it, I get bronchitis, so go explain that.

  • Ingrid K
    Ingrid K Member Posts: 813
    #13
    staceya said:

    I just tried it this week and it does help! YEAH

    I had been having the worst last few weeks, and after reading it on a thread here somewhere, tried Musinex and am finding some relief. (In addition to the gazillion gallons of water per day) Not completely, but sleeping much better. The pills are huge. Wonder how long I can keep taking it, the bottle says to contact MD after 7 days. Can't imagine 7 days will be long enough. Has anyone been on it long term?

    Stacey

     

    Mucinex

    Hi Stacey

    It's not related to cancer, but my Mom has been taking Mucinex for at least 5 years because of her asthma.

    She gets it in liquid form, as she has a hard time swallowing the pills.

    I would run it past your doc, but I don't think there are any long term issues.  It has helped Mom tremendously with excess mucus that would wake her up at night.

    Glad you are getting some relief from it.

  • jcortney
    jcortney Member Posts: 503
    #14
    Works for me!

    If you are suffering, give musinex a try.  I'm light years better today than I was yesterday.

    Joe Cortney

    Dallas, TX

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #15
    jcortney said:

    Works for me!

    If you are suffering, give musinex a try.  I'm light years better today than I was yesterday.

    Joe Cortney

    Dallas, TX

    That's a great thing to know....

    for future suffers....both you and Stace got relief from Musinex....you did good and get the "Piggie of the Month" award! Laughing

  • jcortney
    jcortney Member Posts: 503
    #16
    phrannie51 said:

    That's a great thing to know....

    for future suffers....both you and Stace got relief from Musinex....you did good and get the "Piggie of the Month" award! Laughing

    Oink!

    Oink!

  • NJShore
    NJShore Member Posts: 429 Member
    #17
    Pineapple Juice

    I read an article where it said Pineapple juice gets reduces mucous too... but I would think it's a bit too sweet and acidy for most folks to use for some time after treatments... although I wonder about those latent cat hair balls, folks talk about ;)

    Kari

  • jcortney
    jcortney Member Posts: 503
    #18
    NJShore said:

    Pineapple Juice

    I read an article where it said Pineapple juice gets reduces mucous too... but I would think it's a bit too sweet and acidy for most folks to use for some time after treatments... although I wonder about those latent cat hair balls, folks talk about ;)

    Kari

    That's one thing I'll not

    That's one thing I'll not volunteer for tasting.  Can you imagine what pineapple juice would do to a sore throat?  Hurts just to think about it.

     

    J.

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #19
    back to normal

    Joe,

     

    You are making massive amounts of “expectorate”?  How sophisticated of you while the rest of us deal with mucus, phlegm and spit.  I would volunteer to be your guinea pig for the pineapple juice before the Musinex.  The juice makes sense (little acid to cut through the expectorate).

     

    Anyway, I hope you feel better.

     

    Matt

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,773 Member
    #20
    CivilMatt said:

    back to normal

    Joe,

     

    You are making massive amounts of “expectorate”?  How sophisticated of you while the rest of us deal with mucus, phlegm and spit.  I would volunteer to be your guinea pig for the pineapple juice before the Musinex.  The juice makes sense (little acid to cut through the expectorate).

     

    Anyway, I hope you feel better.

     

    Matt

    suction machine?

    DOn't the suction machines help suck all all the junk in the throat? Don't hear many being used.

  • longtime
    longtime Member Posts: 8
    #21
    I use Mucinex

    It really helps me, but you have to make sure you drink a full glass of water when you take it. The mucus, when I get a cough, will dry deep down and I can't cough it up. PAINFUL. The Mucinex has been a lifesaver! It brings moisture into the area. Agian, you HAVE to drink a full glass of water with it, and keep hydrated.  In the hospital, I had to ask them to bring saline so I could irrigate. The IV's helped much. Small town, local hospital with maybe no experience with laryngectomys. I have a great young doctor, and when I go in for recheck, I think I need to have him educated hosptial staff if I go back in.

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