Lost voice due to mucus build up

[1bigmike]

I have extremely thick sticky mucus in my airways.  When I'm able to expell some, from very hard coughing I sometimes get immediate relief for about a minute until more mucus comes to take it's place. Drinking hot water also helps for a short time. I live with a constant feeling that something is stuck in my throat. I have had 4 different ENTs, all associated with Loma Linda medical center, looking in my nose.  They all say the same thing, that they have never seen this before.  I have this thick sticky mucus on my vocal cords and in my air passage. I have had the full battery of allergy testing with no findings.  They now are sending me to pulmanary to see if they can find the cause. I really don't expect the answer to be there because I can actually feel the mucus coming down from my nose.
While with the ENTs I have had 1 nasal passage scrap, which cleaned one sinus cavity that was severly blocked and one that was partially blocked. I have had another, within 45 days, where they went and scrapped my air passages in my throat and recleaned the nasal cavity.  After these cleanings the conditions seems to get better and I felt "normal" for about a month but within 15 - 30 days after stopping the antibiotics and ending the steriod treatment the condition returns. Previous to the surgerys, I am currently on Guaifenesin with little bebefit.   I have been given steriods and antibiotics, various types and they do seem to help while I'm taking them but the condition returns shortly after I stop the antibiotics.
I'm a real estate broker and the ability to speak is a tool I can't do without.
My question is has anyone found anything that helps?

[sbay6758]

Hey,

Any luck with diagnosing this? If so, what's the treatment?

It sounds very similar to what I have.

[LivingInHope]

And you're welcome for my reply!

[LivingInHope]

Well, medicine is constantly in state of flux as to what they believe to be true, and since that website I found says it can come out in adulthood, who knows, maybe it can wait to come out much longer than they think?  They should check it out and I'm glad you are planning to pursue it with that sweat test!  They should definitely be looking at the immune system like the ENT is leaning toward.... leave no possible stone unturned!

[1bigmike]

Thank you for the reply.  The doctors did say it reminded them of CF but they also did not doing any testing, that I know of, to rule it out saying something to the effect it is a baby disease and didn't apply since I was 65.  I will ask for the sweat test on the 18th on January, which is my next ENT appointment.  The ENT sent me to the lung dr and they have done a cat scan and some lung capacity measuring with and withour buterol.  I have an appointment on the 19th to discuss those results.  The ENT also said they were leaning to some immume disorder and that will be their next approach if the pulmanary specialist don't come up with anything.  Thanks again

[LivingInHope]

So they ruled out cystic fibrosis (which can have thick sticky mucus, cough, and repeated sinus infections as symptoms and sometimes people don't experience symptoms until adulthood, according to Mayo Clinic- see private message)?

You've been to 4 ENTs, but are you sure they tested for everything with your trip to an allergist?  I went to one in TN who had some training at Johns Hopkins who did testing, where they come up with treatment like an individual fingerprint to your specific allergies.  But I'm sure there are many things (because I saw the list) that weren't tested for, though there were plenty that were.  He spoke of how much mucus can be created by allergies and it can cause acid reflux type symptoms even with all the mucous.  And did they do any auto-immune testing?

LPRD, laryngo-pharyngeal reflux disease can affect your throat, making you hoarse, you can have post-nasal drip and LPRD can cause a cough.  Treatment for it is generally the same as GERD.  There are voice therapists who deal with voice issues with LPRD.  (See private message for more info)

Also, there are some speaking programs that can be used as applications on the i-phone.  I have severe TMJ dysfunction, and at times am using the very inexpensive Speak It program with an i pod touch and wireless keyboard and mini speaker.

Additionally, you might consider a very good air purifier, possibly one with a hepa filter, to see if you get any improvement.