Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms.
Asthma is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.[
Cigarette smoke contains 92 different carcinogens. When you are in a room full of other people's smoke, for every 7 cigarettes smoked by someone else, a passive smoker will have inhaled the equivalent of 1 cigarette. A passive smoker is the term to describe someone who does not smoke, but by breathing, the smoke gets inhaled into the lungs.
As a teenager I worked in an office of 19 women, out of whom 17 smoked, there was not extraction in the room. At home my parents chain smoked. I was a passive smoker. I have no doubt that the everyday expousure to inhaling other people's smoke has damaged my airways.
These days, it is now illegal in the UK to smoke in offices, shops, pubs, restaurants, leisure centres and on public tranpsort and even some outdoor public spaces.
It sounds like asthma caused by allergens not secound hand smoke. Tjough smoke may be a trigger for you. Have you been allergy tested by an allergist? Many allergist also deal with asthma too. If you have an allergy to something it can cause the excessive mucus. Testing yourself could tell you what your triggers are helping you to avoid both allergy and asthma issues or at least decrease your symptoms.
Mucinex seems to help my son with the terrible mucus issue he has. Check with your OBGYN to see if it is safe for you to take it is over the counter thr genetic brand works just as well. Drink lots of water and avoid milk and oj as they both cause more mucus production. I would ask gor a referal to an allergist thst deals with asthma and get tested.
I am exactly the same every morning. It is post nasal drip. The catarrh drops down the tubes and then you have to make a awful noise and spit it out. It is caused by allergic reactions and it much worse when you get a viral or bacterial infeciton.
We have a carpet and it makes no difference. My husband sleeps on a feather pillow next to me, so I may be allergic to that.
We did have mould in the bathroom and I insisted my husband get rid of the sealant around the bath (that was black in places) and replace it. You can get allergic reactions to the spores of the moulds.
Don't drink milk products as they will increase cataarh.
I was allergic to the Beconase (kept getting thrus in the mouth), so rinse your mouth and have a drink after you use the inhaler. I was prescribed with Ventolin and a spacer on Friday as I couldn't get enough air.
Sometimes the only symtom of the asthma is a persistent cough. I usually get this wet cough when I llie down, and no sooner you cough up the wet phlegm, after a few seconds it's there again. This is asthma that is triggered off by some irritant (dust mites perhaps). I have never smoked only passively other people's smoke. I was diagnosed with asthma after the age of 40. The symtoms were persistent coughing that had would not go away after 3 bouts of influenza.
You may start to recognise triggers that set you off, like cigarette smoke, perfumes, animals, the cold, feathers and so on. After a while you will recognise your triggers and will be able to keep away from them. I find the extreme cold weather will set off a coughing bout. Unfortunately there is no cure for asthma, just management and control.
If you do have feather duvets and pillows it would be worth changing these to the manmade fiber antiallergenic types.
You really should be seeing a pulmonologist, not a GP. Prednisone and inhaled steroids have inherent dangers. In any case they are used for people with a relatively serious case that more conservative medications do not help. I stopped using a steroid inhaler three years ago. The steroid caused adrenal fatigue, osteoporosis and severe choking (from phlegm).The powder that is propelled into your lungs from the inhaler can cause inflammation that results in choking..
For the phlegm you might want to take 500 mg. of vitamin B5 (a mucus thinner) daily (no side effects.) Also you can reduce inflammation (which is what is causing the mucus) with vitamins C and B6. Also there are herbal supplements that reduce inflammation. Among them are mullein, boswellia, licorice. marshmallow and many many others others. That is the route I follow.
Hi. Thanks for your response. The Gp has never officially diagnosed anything - she said that my peak flow was low the first time that I attended , so I'm guessing she assumed it was asthma. The second time I went, we discussed post nasal drip as a possible cause. I assume the Gp is going to see if I respond to any of the medications and make an official diagnosis from there?
I returned to the doctors yesterday because my symptoms aren't improving and ive have noticed that the mucus/phlegm seems to be settling deeper in my chest, to which the GP suggested using a spacer as she doesn't think that the steriod inhaler is properly entering my lungs.
I don't think that I have a particulary dry mouth. I'm currently toying with the idea that it is possibly an environmental allergy or a food allergy (the latter due to the fact that it seems to arise at certain times throughout the day).
Thanks for your help.
What was the specific diagnosis? I assume allergy/asthma, but you never quite say it. Another possibility is a proliferation of Candida albicans. Do you suffer from dry mouth? Please supply a little more information.
In any case, second-hand smoke is not likely a factor.