White Stringy Cheese like sputum

[a1angler]

I am a 44 yr old male. Asthma since birth. From 12 yrs old to 28 yrs old no sickness of any kind, No med s of any kind. Since about my 28 th birthday asthma has been getting worse. Started using Ventolin helped almost instantly, within 5 seconds. about 3 mths ago, I was hand spreading straw for a newly sewn lawn and had a little asthma flare up. I did the normal drill used the inhaler and seemed to get a little better. woke up the next morning needed the inhaler and several time that day and the days after that. The inhaler seemed to quit having an effect on me. Scared me pretty bad. I have a nebulizer and used it also with albuterol sulfate with some relief, but ended up going to the ER. I have a fairly severe peanut allergy. I left the ER still having some asthma symptoms but much better. I think they gave me albuterol with ipratropium. Done some reading and read that it shouldnt be given to someone with a peanut or soy allergy. Anyways, about 6 yrs ago I started having labored breathing spells, but would most of the time cough up a white stringy pizza cheese looking sputum. it happened a couple of times a year and was minimal. However, since the straw spreading it has been quite frequent. I go to a pulmanoligist twice a year for maintenance meds and pft. He put me on some new meds and started having chest pains went to the ER done all tests except heart cath. He said everything was ok, I had pvcs and pacs nothing to worry about. I have been off work on and off for almost 3 mths and after going to another dr that prescribed tetracycline 3 days ago. I am now able to get up and got to the bathroom without labored breathing. The day after I started taking the tetracycline I coughed up a 20 oz bottle full of that white sputum. WHAT is wrong with me? Is there a possibility of permanent lung damage? 3chest xrays all normal. BP normal, all blood work normal.

[Munch_kin]

You should go to your asthma nurse/specialist and do a spirometer test or something... That is not right, and no one should have to put up with that!!! Good luck... and book an appointment now!!!

[treebranches]

The fun cheese you're coughing up is sputum:

"During an asthma attack, the smooth muscle layer goes into spasm, narrowing the airway. The middle layer swells because of inflammation, and more mucus is produced. In some segments of the airway, mucus forms plugs that nearly or completely block the airway." - Merck Manual (http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec04/ch044/ch044a.html)

Coughing it up can actually be good, because you're clearing out your airways.  It hurts and it *****, so you want to avoid having asthma so bad that it happens.  That being said, it doesn't mean that having it at all or having so much is good.  Did you have x-rays, CT scan or MRI done on your lungs?  How is your peak-flow test?

Work with your doctor to find a medication that works for you and I'd recommend getting allergy tested for anything you're using on your lawn or in the garden: straw, hay, grass, etc.  Asthmatics are prone to allergies; maybe try taking some generic over-the-counter allergic medicine and/or wear a mask when you're working outside.

[Penthane]

I don't know how it's in the States, but here in Europe, you can get Cetirizine (Zyrtec) over the counter, and it worked pretty good for me. I use Aerius now, only because my healthcare insurance comp. doesn't pay the Zyrtec anymore. Coughing up sputum is common.  You can also ask for a "Flutter" (I checked, it's got the same name in the USA), a device you blow on, and then  it pulsates to, kind of, massage the sputum out of your lungs. I started to play the harmonica to help my lungs clear the sputum, more fun then a Flutter ;-)
Permanent damage? Don't think so. Not this soon anyway. But a lot of hard coughing over a long period of time can cause permanent damage. That's why you have to go see a doctor about it.

Good luck

[a1angler]

Here's an update. I saved some of this sputum in a water bottle and went to my lifelong family doctor. I asked him to run lab test on the sputum because, I have had asthma all my life and have never had this type of sputum. He did and the results were a bacterial infection called pseudomonus. It's an antibiotic resistant bacterial infection that can only be treated with specific antibiotics. The one he prescribed for me was ciproflaxacin 250mg 4 times / day for 7 days. After I took the second one I could tell I was getting better and have continued to get better. I coughed up some more of that sputum, but now it has subsided and is nonexistant. Evidentally, this specific bacteria caused my asthma to worsen and produce this sputum. It's just a guess on my part. I am no physician but I have had asthma all my life and you sort of get to know your body and it's normal reactions. I go to the doctor tomorrow 01/21/2009 for a follow up and I am going to request that another culture be done to make sure that stuff is gone.

I never get on and post stuff or get involved in much, but someone out there might have the same symptoms and not have to be sick 3 mths trying to find out what the cause is. At any rate for all the people that post on here, I want to formally thank you for the time you spent writing about your illness and wellness. I did a lot of reading and a lot of the things I read eased my mind. Again, thanks to everyone that post on here.

Jim Miles Jr.

[Justen]

Hey,

I have been having this shortness of breath for over a year now, I have been to a lung, heart, and soon to be liver specialist to see what is wrong.  I have had an X ray, Cat scan (with dye), and all my pulmonary functions checked at the pulmonalogist.  All of which came out clear and normal.  I have had asthma since very young but have never coughed up this much sputum in my life, I am coughing up about 2 handfuls a day.  I just wanted to thank you for posting this cause this is 1 more thing I can suggest to the MD to see if this will fix the horrible problem.  

Thanks,
Justen