Coughing up green disc like things

[bumper12]

For the past year or so I have been coughing up green colored stuff in a circular shape or disc shape.  It is always the same looking disc-like thing.  When I cough these little things up they are coming from below, not from my nose or sinuses that I can tell.  I don't cough this up every day and sometimes they surprise me.  All of a sudden I cough and one comes what feels like half way up and I sometimes gag on them or they get stuck in my throat and it's quite embarrasing.

I mentioned it to my doctor at my last physical and he said it's probably allergies.
I have this all year round though, not just seasonal.

Any input on what this is that I am coughing up?

[bactitech]

Did he ever suggest getting a culture done? First morning specimens are the best. The specimen needs to go into the lab soon after coughing up, and it must be done into a sterile container. You unfortunately need a doc's order for this. Coughing up green stuff is not normal. Do you have any other symptoms? Why is your doctor being so offhand about this?  Have you had a chest xray???

I personally think your doc is being pretty cavalier about this. You may want a second opinion.

I am a microbiology technologist and have seen every type of sputum known to man over thirty years. Green is NOT normal. Saliva is clear. We reject sputum specimens if they are only saliva. They now must be screened for lack of epithelials (if epis are in the specimen, it means the specimen was not produced from a deep cough and it's mostly spit) and hopefully the specimen will show a preponderance of white cells. Green sputum usually shows lots of white cells, so you probably have something inflammatory going on somewhere.

Good luck.

[Evie1963]

I've been coughing up(from the back of the throat and sometimes below the opening leading up to the nose) these thick mucusy things you talk about for 8 years. I had a specimen sent off and it was Staph aureus. So far no antibiotic I've tried has cured it. :(

[MedHelpldr]

Hi, I think i have the same and has kept me wondering for years...it happens maybe once a month or less.    I have pressed these things an they smell like hell.  It is a very very strong smell...  is this the same case with you?  it is funny, unless you squeeze them you would not smell anything.   Let me know.

[kawdy]

I to have these once a month or so, I've never noticed a smell though (and belief me, I inspect like I'm a scientist!).  I do have acid reflux and have always attributed to that - I think what happens is there is a build up.  I don't know if this is a bad thing or not, maybe this is just a cleansing thing your body does.

[anwat]

I've had these things for years as well but just recently found out what they were.... tonsillioths or tonsil stones. You can look up either term to learn more. They're harmless and most adults that still have their tonsils experience them to some degree or another.

[Anayasmama1]

oh my goodness thank the lord I am not alone this started happening to me years ago now not all the time sometimes more frequently than others I just cough up these random light green things not quite the size of a pea or sometimes just little specks...sometimes they will be stuck in my throat gagging me a little...but sometimes it will be months without them so I just forget...but they arent solid they are farely hard but squish if you squeeze them and smell kind of like old cigarettes...I thought maybe it was from when I smoked...I showed my mom today finally after years of it happening and she made me so worried like something was really inside of me but I read the tonsil stones description and it sounds right on though I will still go to my doctor to make sure THANKS so much I can rest a little easier now!