Is this just sinus problems or something worse???

[7micks]

Every now and then I get what seems to be a severe cold, or sinus infection. Sometimes it requires antibiotics, sometimes not. During this I get a really tight sore feeling at the back of my nose, right at the top of my throat. (the nasopharynx area?) I have a lot of trouble breathing through my nose and constantly have to cough and hack up phlegm. After a while, I start to cough up this very wierd substance. It's slimy like phlegm, but feels like hard tissue or something. It has a sort of flat side like a skin, and the other side is always has blood in it, and sometimes even looks like it has veins or something. It doesn't look like normal mucous at all, and it has me worried. After several bouts of this, my "cold" goes away, I have no more irritation in my throat, and feel fine. For a couple of months. Then it happens all over again.  My husband immediately thought "TUMOR", but I have never heard of anything in this particular area before. Is it just recurring sinus infection? I plan to see a doctor as soon as my husbands new insurance plan goes into effect, but thought I would check here first. When I do see a doctor, how do I explain this? Should I wait until I have a sample to show? (YUCK!)  I'm kind of at a loss, but I'm also a little nervous about this.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[viesda]

Just thought that I would join the ranks of wierd phlegm people! I get exactly the same thing from time to time. I think it has to do with siuns infections somewhat as I generally get this worse during a sinus infection and I really didn't have it happen much before I started getting sinus infections a few years back. I originally was worried that it was something horrible as it started when I started working with drug users, and was exposed to some pretty nasty illnesses but so far it hasn't killed me, just feels yucky and grosses me out a bit:)
Maybe we should start a chunky bloody phlegm club:)

[denise2]

Hi 7Micks,

I get the VERY same thing a couple times a year(I know of no one else who gets this), at times it gets really bad and I get a high fever & a VERY sore throat.
For me, that wad of bloody crusty odd color phlem in the back of my upper throat is from post nasal drip . The longer it sits back there the worse things become (or the longer it lasts w/out intervention).
I've had this for years and to this day I still do not know what the catalyst is. When I see my doc he gives me an antibiotic, calls it an Upper Resp. Infect. and it goes away with the med(perhaps I should one day consult an ENT doc).
I have since learned ways to prevent this; Use a humidifer, esp. when sleeping during the dry winter months(VERY important). #2, the moment I notice the post nasal drip thickening I use the Sudafed Non-drying formula(blue capsuals). #3, Gargle a couple times a day with warm salt water. 4, Drink warm liquids all day long for a few days-nothing cold!

Hope this works for you as it does for me. And I hope we can both find out what phelm it is! :)

[National Jewish]

It does not sound like a tumor because of the fact that your symptoms come and go.  That is not the case with a tumor. I would explain to your doctor exactly what you have described in your note.  It sounds like it is materials coming from your sinuses, but someone will have to examine you and perhaps perform a CT of the sinuses.  That will get to the cause of these symptoms.