Cough with Mucus

[Decoratingmom]

I have had a cough for 6 weeks now and it is followed with mucus.  When I first get up in the morning and I take a drink of water normally because I feel dehydrated I feel the mucus start forming.   I then start coughing and trying to spit up the mucus.  It is really been horrible.  I eat and then 30 minutes later I am thowing up my food.  I have been treated with antibiotics and cough medicine but the cough and the mucus still persist.   I am so tired of urinating all over myself when I cough.  I am exhausted and keep getting the run around.   The cough is so bad sometimes I can not catch my breath and I pass out.   I have a wheezing and feeling that the cough gets caught up at the top of my trachea.  It is sometimes has a wheezing.  I have tried removing bread,  sugar and the likes from my diet with no avail.  It is constant.  The mucus that comes up has no color just clear.   What could this be.  I am 46 years old about 50 lbs overweight and not physically moving.  I have been told I have infections in my upper respiratory tract but wouldn't the antibiotic cure this situation.  

[National Jewish Health]

Sounds like a harsh cough.  There are a couple of possibilities.  Mucus could be coming from your nose or sinuses, such as postnasal drip.  It could also be a reaction to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).  You need a chest x-ray for starters, assessment of the nose and sinuses and probably fiberoptic laryngoscopy to rule out non-infectious disease of the throat and larynx.

[Celeste77]

Have you been checked for Pertussis (whooping cough)?? I was given the run around for the same symptoms for about 2 months. After coughing hard enough to break 3 of my ribs, and my demanding that they check for pertussis, I was finally taken seriously. I was the 3rd person officially diagnosed in my state. It took me 5 months to fully recover, and I too had a terrible time with bladder control. :(  

Symptoms of whooping cough in adults:
runny nose (in the beginning)
slight fever the first week or two; atypical in adults(102°F or lower)
severe, repeated coughing fits that:
make breathing difficult
result in vomiting
produce a high-pitched "whooping" sound when a person takes a breath (not as common in adults)
cause a short loss of consciousness
diarrhea
severe exhaustion
inconsistancy is common in women
rarely, fractured ribs

Hope you start feeling better!

[Whacky]

Hi there.  Your condition does not sound like it is being taken care of by any means.  I too cough up little mucus ball, clear in color but a perfectly round jelly type ball with a little bit of black in the center but they fly out of no where without feeling like I have to cough at all.....two years ago a chest x-ray showed nothing.  Though I can only assume it has something to do with the calcified granuloma recently found.  Have you thought about switching doctors?  I just did because I didn't feel as if mine was taking me seriously.  The urinating all over yourself seems like it would truly not be associated, other than the pressure of your cough causing you to lose control of your bladder.  I always think that just comes with having kids :)  Maybe it's time to seek a second opinion or simply a new doctor.  After 10 years, I gave mine the boot.