I have been suffering from something similar to that where I had shortness of breath and wheezing along with white flem that would come up chunks and sometimes yellow, the doctor dismissed that though[the yellow chunks] and put me on predinsone and advair. Two years later I still have it. He diagnosed me with isidnophyliac pneumonia and said it should get better but it hasn't yet. If I don't do my pednisone 20mgs reg 12 to 13 hrs and an advair puff I will get very wheezy and have shortness of breath. Go get it cked out.
I hope you get it resolved whatever it is good luck
your friend is suffering from what we call "smoker's cough," and the very common upper respiratory infecttion with allergic components and best recommendation is Smoke cessation, However, condition should be alleviated with some medications like telfast 120 mg tab, 1 tab once daily, Sinecod forte, 2x a day, increase fluid intake, bed resst, Nebulilization with ventolin nebules will help, 3x a day when needed. No antibiotic yet at this time.If the phlegm is coming from the chest and souds like a lot of secretions, take Fluimucil 600 mg instead of Sinecod forte to liquify the phlegm and easy to expectorate. Dissolve Fluimucil in a glass of water and drink it at night before retiring. Stop it when you think there is nothing to liquify anymore.
Many cigarette smokers, when subjected to increased stress, will smoke more than usual and this would be the most likely explanation for all of your friend’s signs and symptoms. Smoking can cause both upper and lower respiratory tract disease and stress can impair one’s immune response to infection and healing.
However, to be sure that this is not a more serious problem, your friend should go to his/her doctor for physical examination and a chest x-ray.
Good luck.