Crusting in the throat

[marta]

I have an odd question. I remember reading some threads when I first got on here in May of last year about crusting in the back of the throat and it was inconceivable to me how that would feel at that time. Well now I know, and I'm wondering if any of you have any advice how to dislodge that stuff from the back of your throat. The neti pot and rinse don't work as the water doesn't get back to the throat area. I've tried the 'pre horking' thing (sorry I know this is gross) but it only works about 10% of the time. As I lay in bed last night I was imagining putting some dental floss up my nose and out my mouth and flossing my throat, but I know that's not a reasonable solution.

Any advice will be super appreciated. I am ready to explode with the frustration of feeling that hunk in the back of my throat. It gives me a sore throat when it's there, a hoarse voice, makes it awkward to swallow, and feels like it occasionally blocks the breathing rhythm. Arrrgh!:predrage:

Muchas Thanks.

[pberggren1]

This happens to be my area of expertise.

I have had bouts of chronic post nasal drip over the last 8 years. This sounds like the same thing I have had in the past. The mucus drips down to the larynx and dries up and causes airway blockage and irritation to the vocal cords and surrounding area.

Unfortunately I cannot offer much advice. I tried sucking on candies but that led to a high dental bill, so I don't recommend that. I tried drinking lots of water but that did not seem to help either - it was like the water made things drier in the larynx. Milk was the only thing that gave me a temporary relief and would soften up the chunks and then I would start my coughing routine and would eventually get it out. I found mornings the worst but sometimes the chunks would form down there during the day as well.

I would try using a nebulizer with sterile salin water. I would think the local hospital would supply the sterile saline water. I know this is all a pain in the but.

I remember some of the chunks I would cough up looked like mini donuts and were about the size of a toonie.

Good luck Marta. You might want to contact your ENT about this as well. He might have a good suggestion or 2. Every doc will have a different opinion on the same case so it is worth a try.

Buenas Nochas

[marta]

Thanks Phil,

Yeah, I've tried a bunch of stuff, and nada. It's truly driving me batty. I'll call my ENT tomorrow. Good one. Yeah some of the chunks that come out are large, evil invaders that I want to stomp on.

Incidentally, I was told by a relative that spoke with one of the Weg/Vasculitis specialists in Toronto that some of the new stuff coming out is strongly recommending that Wegs patients stay far away from milk. I can't remember if it was inflamation related or mucous building related, but I do remember that it's bad for us. Just food for thought.

Thanks my friend, hope all is good on your front.

Beunas Nochas to you too.

[pberggren1]

I have tried twice going off dairy and gluten for at least 4 months and did not notice any changes. So I think I will continue to drink my homo milk and get fat.

Let me know if you try the nebulizer. I use it every day about 3 times a day to loosen stuff up in my lungs and lower airways. It definitely helps to some degree, but sometimes it takes me quite a while, like several hours, to cough up everything that I feel is loose in my chest.

[marta]

Will do. I'll have to wait until I get into the city. I don't think I can find one here.
Gracias Amigo.

[pberggren1]

I'm sure your pharmacy will have one or at least can order it in. Mine is called AMG Med Pro and cost 100 bucks, and the masks cost 6 bucks. But you are going to the city next week anyway.

[marta]

Ya baby, going to the city and gettin' infused. With the good stuff.

[drz]

When I was having lots of post nasal drip I treated like a sore throat which it became by gargling with different things, warm water, with salt and baking soda, or apple cider vinegar or honey. Not all at once by at different times. Fortunately I seemed able to cough it up or rinse it out before it dried. Did these things help you at all Phil?

[Sangye]

Ya baby, going to the city and gettin' infused. With the good stuff.
LOL You go, girl! :hug3:

[pberggren1]

When I was having lots of post nasal drip I treated like a sore throat which it became by gargling with different things, warm water, with salt and baking soda, or apple cider vinegar or honey. Not all at once by at different times. Fortunately I seemed able to cough it up or rinse it out before it dried. Did these things help you at all Phil?

Oh yes! I forgot to mention that I gargled with warm salt water and just warm water by itself and also drank decaf teas with some honey in it as well. These all helped a bit as well. But I am sure Marta has tried all of these because she is quite brilliant with a brilliant husband to back her up.

[chrisTIn@]

I have tried twice going off dairy and gluten for at least 4 months and did not notice any changes.

This is usefull info. Thx! :thumbup:

Marta, Ihope your throat will soon heal. I can imagine this is very annoying to you.
I too sometimes have a feeling of hoarseness.
Then I get sort of an obsession to cough all the time, scratch my throat and so on, to make the feeling go away...
I have no crusting till now, but it could happen to me too.

Good luck girl! :smile1:

[marta]

Oh yes! I forgot to mention that I gargled with warm salt water and just warm water by itself and also drank decaf teas with some honey in it as well. These all helped a bit as well. But I am sure Marta has tried all of these because she is quite brilliant with a brilliant husband to back her up.

ha ha ha.... you were obviously not here long enough to really get to know us....

[pberggren1]

Should I reconsider coming there again this summer?

[marta]

you better.

[pberggren1]

I am definitely going to try.

[marta]

Bring it on baby!

[Ginger]

Are Wegs pateints who are still on high doses of everything allowed to drink that hot lemon drink? Just wondering, becuase whenever i had prenasal drip and it would harden, i wouldgarggle with that and i could cough it up much better. Haven't tried it since started on the drugs though.

[Sangye]

Is it just hot lemon in water? If so, that's perfectly fine.

[freakyschizogirl]

I have this problem too but mine normally dislodges itselt after a few hours and "hocking" it up, nice start to the morning. Good luck with your quest Marta

[marta]

I'll try the warm water and lemon (seems to work for cleaning gunk from the inside of a microwave oven, so why not crusties in the back of the throat). Yeah Sam, no kidding a nice way to start the morning. That sound is just horrible, but sometimes it's lodged back there for days, and the longer it's there, the more it collects and the more obtrusive it becomes. I am so used to trying to get it out when I'm alone and making that horrible 'animal in distress' sound of hocking it up, that I sometimes absent mindedly will make that sound in public. I catch myself almost immediately but it's a shock to me and anyone within ear shot of me. It's rare but embarassing enough.

I must say though - and I hope I'm not speaking prematurely - that it seems to be ever so slowly subsiding. Now that I'm RTX girl, maybe it'll be a distant memory in the not too distant future.

[pberggren1]

I'm sure your throat chunks will get better Marta now that you have had an infusion of rtx.

[drz]

I'll try the warm water and lemon (seems to work for cleaning gunk from the inside of a microwave oven, so why not crusties in the back of the throat). Yeah Sam, no kidding a nice way to start the morning. That sound is just horrible, but sometimes it's lodged back there for days, and the longer it's there, the more it collects and the more obtrusive it becomes. I am so used to trying to get it out when I'm alone and making that horrible 'animal in distress' sound of hocking it up, that I sometimes absent mindedly will make that sound in public. I catch myself almost immediately but it's a shock to me and anyone within ear shot of me. It's rare but embarassing enough.

I must say though - and I hope I'm not speaking prematurely - that it seems to be ever so slowly subsiding. Now that I'm RTX girl, maybe it'll be a distant memory in the not too distant future.

I think we can add the "hocking" in public to list of worst things about Wegener's disease. I bet that felt embarrassing.

I don't know if it would help you with the hocking but I found gargling with a dilute apple cider vinegar help my sore throat from post nasal drip.. I also used baking soda rinse. Both of those are also good cleaning agents and shouldn't do any harm in a mild solution.

[pberggren1]

If I have to hock in public I do it. I feel I have no choice. I would rather take advantage of trying to get it up and out and being able to breath better.

[freakyschizogirl]

i do too, like you say i feel like i have no choice if i want to breathe or have a conversation! Definately one of the worst symptoms of sinus involvement!