northstar Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 I am nervous about my mom lately and the worry is getting the better of me, yet I dont know if it is something to worry about Over the past 2 weeks she has begun to 'clear her throat' often. She'll give a little 'aaa aaaaammm' when talking. A cold went thru my family around this time. She attributed it to that, thinking she was fighting off a cold. She never came down with one though. Then she said it was 'post nasal drip' from allergies and that it is gone now. I dont know who she is trying to fool....cause I hear it and she is still doing it I asked her to talk to her dr about it last week, I told my dad to make sure of it. She didnt ask. She said the dr listened to her lungs and that they sounded clear and her breaths were full I am afraid that the cancer is growing again. It was stable at her last scan about a month or so ago. Before she found out she had cancer and before she started treatment, she had been clearing her throat constantly. She was also blaming her symptoms on allergies....so this all sounds WAY too familiar to me I was just wondering what you here thought of this. Should I be concerned? If her lungs were producing phlegm or she was developing a plural effusion again (sp?)...would the dr be able to hear it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leslie221 Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 That's one of the -many- things I hate about disease: once you've been told you've got it, every single physical symptom sets off a red flag and your imagination leads you to dark places. I know it happens to me ALL THE TIME! I'm getting over a cold I caught from my husband and I'm clearing my throat once in a while and I'm just sure it should be all gone by now. Before all this happened, I would have just figured the after-effects are lingering. Leave a message with this information at your mom's onc's office - he may not be able to comment back to you due to confidentiality, but it may give him information he needs to evaluate things better and you may be able to put your mind at ease. Leslie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nancy B Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 I have this problem also. Sometimes it takes me a few minutes to clear my throat so I can even talk. Mine is due to allergies, I produce a very thick mucous. I have had everything checked out, endoscopy, ENT put a camera down my throat, even surgeon noted the thick mucous when he did my wedge-resection. My pulmonologist recommended Mucinex (OTC). By all means get it checked out, but it is probably allergies. I sure hope so for your Mom. Nancy B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fall54 Posted December 13, 2005 Share Posted December 13, 2005 I am having this problem quite badly but thought it was post nasal drip or an allegy I never knew I had. Is this a sign that something is wrong?? God Bless, Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northstar Posted December 13, 2005 Author Share Posted December 13, 2005 Thanks for the replies Jane, I really dont know if its a sign of something. Like Leslie was saying, when you or a loved one has cancer everything is a worry, My dad has cleared his throat (to the point of habit!) for the 32 years I've been alive, and there is nothing wrong with him I did notice my mom doing this though before we founf out she had cancer. It went away while she was undergoing treatment..or at least I think it did. Either eay ots much more noticable now and that has me concerned Nancy, mom had allergy tests done this spring, she was allergic to everything they tested her for!! Are whole family has bad allergies actually. So allergies are not out of the question I guess Well wishes to everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miami Janet Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 My Mom also had a problem with hoarseness and throat clearing and she never had allergies before. On her bloodwork recently I noticed her esinophil level was high indicating allergy so maybe she developed them late in life? Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fall54 Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 My being a heavy smoker though puts me in a different light when it comes to this. I seem to have a lot of post nasal drip but it is definantly worse at night. I used to take Nightime when it bothered and I couldnt sleep because of it but lately when I take it, it doesnt help like it used to. It helps some but I still have it. Having no insurance I have not had it checked out and I wonder how they would check it out anyway. I cant say I am not concerned but I am living with it. God Bless, Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Posted December 18, 2005 Share Posted December 18, 2005 I am quite late in replying on this one. I wanted to mention another alternative here..... Acid Reflux. Sometimes it doesn't give you the typical symptoms such as heartburn, sometimes it irritates the back of the throat and causes hoarseness, excessive throatclearing and sore throats. I had problems similiar when I was originally diagnosed - they went away during treatment - and came back with a vengence after I finished treatments. Good luck! Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fall54 Posted December 18, 2005 Share Posted December 18, 2005 Nancy, I got some mucinexDM and am taking 2 before bed. It has helped but I still have some problems with it. Thanks for recomending it though. God Bless, Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northstar Posted December 23, 2005 Author Share Posted December 23, 2005 I thought I'd come back to tell you what her dr has said. He seems to think all is ok, since he hears nothing when listening to her breathe. I guess there isnt any rattling or fluid sound in the chest It maybe the last tinge of the cold that went thru the family or allergies She goes for a scan next week, so I guess we will know soon enough if anything has changed or if she is still stable and holding on well Thanks for the imput! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don M Posted December 23, 2005 Share Posted December 23, 2005 I have a persitent mucous build up in my bronchial area and I clear my throat constantly. I never had to do it before my surgerys. My pulmonologist theorizes that stuff gets hung up on my bronchial stump. I don't worry about it and as long as my ct scans come out clear I fgure I am ok. It is a minor annoyance. I get alleriges too. Don M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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