more about mucous plugs..

[TonyaH]

Hi everyone,

I am almost positive the pain my son has had in his chest lately is a mucous plug. Can anyone tell me, though, if the pain can come and go? Last night my son spent about forty-five minutes afraid to take a regular breath because if he breathed in a certain amount, a stabbing pain in the middle of his chest (left side) hurt badly. At one point he was even crying because he was afraid "if I cough I might cough up a tube in my lung" Not quite sure what he meant by the word tube, but I was almost ready to take him to ER to make sure his lung was not about to collapse. However, his last FEV1 about 2 1/2 mos. ago was over 100 and a good friend of mine with CF told me that mucous plugs are not an emergency, they just have to work themselves out . So, I calmed him down and did and did manual CPT, (thanks, Mel!), and that helped. He was able to take a deep breath without the pain. He did not have trouble this morning with his flutter. We'll see how he does tonight with his vest. Can this be a plug if the pain is not constant? Fortunately we go in for our three month next Tuesday. I will feel so much better when I see his next FEV1. But in the mean time, can anyone give me a pointer on how to get this up if it is a plug? Manual CPT eased the pain, but did not produce a plug. In fact, the last two days his mucous has been more clear than it has for the last three months!
Thanks..sorry this was long-winded!
Tonya

 

[TonyaH]

Hi everyone,

I am almost positive the pain my son has had in his chest lately is a mucous plug. Can anyone tell me, though, if the pain can come and go? Last night my son spent about forty-five minutes afraid to take a regular breath because if he breathed in a certain amount, a stabbing pain in the middle of his chest (left side) hurt badly. At one point he was even crying because he was afraid "if I cough I might cough up a tube in my lung" Not quite sure what he meant by the word tube, but I was almost ready to take him to ER to make sure his lung was not about to collapse. However, his last FEV1 about 2 1/2 mos. ago was over 100 and a good friend of mine with CF told me that mucous plugs are not an emergency, they just have to work themselves out . So, I calmed him down and did and did manual CPT, (thanks, Mel!), and that helped. He was able to take a deep breath without the pain. He did not have trouble this morning with his flutter. We'll see how he does tonight with his vest. Can this be a plug if the pain is not constant? Fortunately we go in for our three month next Tuesday. I will feel so much better when I see his next FEV1. But in the mean time, can anyone give me a pointer on how to get this up if it is a plug? Manual CPT eased the pain, but did not produce a plug. In fact, the last two days his mucous has been more clear than it has for the last three months!
Thanks..sorry this was long-winded!
Tonya

 

[TonyaH]

Hi everyone,

I am almost positive the pain my son has had in his chest lately is a mucous plug. Can anyone tell me, though, if the pain can come and go? Last night my son spent about forty-five minutes afraid to take a regular breath because if he breathed in a certain amount, a stabbing pain in the middle of his chest (left side) hurt badly. At one point he was even crying because he was afraid "if I cough I might cough up a tube in my lung" Not quite sure what he meant by the word tube, but I was almost ready to take him to ER to make sure his lung was not about to collapse. However, his last FEV1 about 2 1/2 mos. ago was over 100 and a good friend of mine with CF told me that mucous plugs are not an emergency, they just have to work themselves out . So, I calmed him down and did and did manual CPT, (thanks, Mel!), and that helped. He was able to take a deep breath without the pain. He did not have trouble this morning with his flutter. We'll see how he does tonight with his vest. Can this be a plug if the pain is not constant? Fortunately we go in for our three month next Tuesday. I will feel so much better when I see his next FEV1. But in the mean time, can anyone give me a pointer on how to get this up if it is a plug? Manual CPT eased the pain, but did not produce a plug. In fact, the last two days his mucous has been more clear than it has for the last three months!
Thanks..sorry this was long-winded!
Tonya

 

[TonyaH]

Hi everyone,

I am almost positive the pain my son has had in his chest lately is a mucous plug. Can anyone tell me, though, if the pain can come and go? Last night my son spent about forty-five minutes afraid to take a regular breath because if he breathed in a certain amount, a stabbing pain in the middle of his chest (left side) hurt badly. At one point he was even crying because he was afraid "if I cough I might cough up a tube in my lung" Not quite sure what he meant by the word tube, but I was almost ready to take him to ER to make sure his lung was not about to collapse. However, his last FEV1 about 2 1/2 mos. ago was over 100 and a good friend of mine with CF told me that mucous plugs are not an emergency, they just have to work themselves out . So, I calmed him down and did and did manual CPT, (thanks, Mel!), and that helped. He was able to take a deep breath without the pain. He did not have trouble this morning with his flutter. We'll see how he does tonight with his vest. Can this be a plug if the pain is not constant? Fortunately we go in for our three month next Tuesday. I will feel so much better when I see his next FEV1. But in the mean time, can anyone give me a pointer on how to get this up if it is a plug? Manual CPT eased the pain, but did not produce a plug. In fact, the last two days his mucous has been more clear than it has for the last three months!
Thanks..sorry this was long-winded!
Tonya

 

[TonyaH]

Hi everyone,

I am almost positive the pain my son has had in his chest lately is a mucous plug. Can anyone tell me, though, if the pain can come and go? Last night my son spent about forty-five minutes afraid to take a regular breath because if he breathed in a certain amount, a stabbing pain in the middle of his chest (left side) hurt badly. At one point he was even crying because he was afraid "if I cough I might cough up a tube in my lung" Not quite sure what he meant by the word tube, but I was almost ready to take him to ER to make sure his lung was not about to collapse. However, his last FEV1 about 2 1/2 mos. ago was over 100 and a good friend of mine with CF told me that mucous plugs are not an emergency, they just have to work themselves out . So, I calmed him down and did and did manual CPT, (thanks, Mel!), and that helped. He was able to take a deep breath without the pain. He did not have trouble this morning with his flutter. We'll see how he does tonight with his vest. Can this be a plug if the pain is not constant? Fortunately we go in for our three month next Tuesday. I will feel so much better when I see his next FEV1. But in the mean time, can anyone give me a pointer on how to get this up if it is a plug? Manual CPT eased the pain, but did not produce a plug. In fact, the last two days his mucous has been more clear than it has for the last three months!
Thanks..sorry this was long-winded!
Tonya

 

[JazzysMom]

Plugs can exist all over & cause pain all over at different times. I am a walking example of that right now. I dont have a productive cough, but my xrays shows TONS of plugs on my left side which is where the various pains occur.

I learned from my therapist this admission something that I never knew. WHen I do my vest & feel a need to cough even if its a slight cough that I should surpress it. So I breathed thru the need to cough until that "round" was done & it was time to cough.

The idea is that the small coughs breaks the plug up into smaller pieces which takes more coughing to get the whole thing up. If you can surpress the cough & hopefully get the plug up whole its better in the long run.

Plugs are difficult to get up. That is why they are called PLUGS! It takes a lot of work both with nebs, CPT & proper coughing to work them all the way up & out.

I would keep doing what you are doing since it worked. If the pain didnt go away at all I would say its a collapsed lung or pleuresy, but it definitely sounds like a plug to me.

HUGS & Good Luck!

 

[JazzysMom]

Plugs can exist all over & cause pain all over at different times. I am a walking example of that right now. I dont have a productive cough, but my xrays shows TONS of plugs on my left side which is where the various pains occur.

I learned from my therapist this admission something that I never knew. WHen I do my vest & feel a need to cough even if its a slight cough that I should surpress it. So I breathed thru the need to cough until that "round" was done & it was time to cough.

The idea is that the small coughs breaks the plug up into smaller pieces which takes more coughing to get the whole thing up. If you can surpress the cough & hopefully get the plug up whole its better in the long run.

Plugs are difficult to get up. That is why they are called PLUGS! It takes a lot of work both with nebs, CPT & proper coughing to work them all the way up & out.

I would keep doing what you are doing since it worked. If the pain didnt go away at all I would say its a collapsed lung or pleuresy, but it definitely sounds like a plug to me.

HUGS & Good Luck!

 

[JazzysMom]

Plugs can exist all over & cause pain all over at different times. I am a walking example of that right now. I dont have a productive cough, but my xrays shows TONS of plugs on my left side which is where the various pains occur.

I learned from my therapist this admission something that I never knew. WHen I do my vest & feel a need to cough even if its a slight cough that I should surpress it. So I breathed thru the need to cough until that "round" was done & it was time to cough.

The idea is that the small coughs breaks the plug up into smaller pieces which takes more coughing to get the whole thing up. If you can surpress the cough & hopefully get the plug up whole its better in the long run.

Plugs are difficult to get up. That is why they are called PLUGS! It takes a lot of work both with nebs, CPT & proper coughing to work them all the way up & out.

I would keep doing what you are doing since it worked. If the pain didnt go away at all I would say its a collapsed lung or pleuresy, but it definitely sounds like a plug to me.

HUGS & Good Luck!

 

[JazzysMom]

Plugs can exist all over & cause pain all over at different times. I am a walking example of that right now. I dont have a productive cough, but my xrays shows TONS of plugs on my left side which is where the various pains occur.

I learned from my therapist this admission something that I never knew. WHen I do my vest & feel a need to cough even if its a slight cough that I should surpress it. So I breathed thru the need to cough until that "round" was done & it was time to cough.

The idea is that the small coughs breaks the plug up into smaller pieces which takes more coughing to get the whole thing up. If you can surpress the cough & hopefully get the plug up whole its better in the long run.

Plugs are difficult to get up. That is why they are called PLUGS! It takes a lot of work both with nebs, CPT & proper coughing to work them all the way up & out.

I would keep doing what you are doing since it worked. If the pain didnt go away at all I would say its a collapsed lung or pleuresy, but it definitely sounds like a plug to me.

HUGS & Good Luck!

 

[JazzysMom]

Plugs can exist all over & cause pain all over at different times. I am a walking example of that right now. I dont have a productive cough, but my xrays shows TONS of plugs on my left side which is where the various pains occur.

I learned from my therapist this admission something that I never knew. WHen I do my vest & feel a need to cough even if its a slight cough that I should surpress it. So I breathed thru the need to cough until that "round" was done & it was time to cough.

The idea is that the small coughs breaks the plug up into smaller pieces which takes more coughing to get the whole thing up. If you can surpress the cough & hopefully get the plug up whole its better in the long run.

Plugs are difficult to get up. That is why they are called PLUGS! It takes a lot of work both with nebs, CPT & proper coughing to work them all the way up & out.

I would keep doing what you are doing since it worked. If the pain didnt go away at all I would say its a collapsed lung or pleuresy, but it definitely sounds like a plug to me.

HUGS & Good Luck!

 

[ladybug]

****************** Warning, KINDA GROSS *********************







I'm not trying to hyjack this post, but just curious how you know if you've hacked up a plug?? Lately, my coughs are getting up thick globs (so sorry, tmi!) every now and again all day. Usually, my cough is more persistant throughout the day with a constant amount of phlegm that is a bit more watery. I don't feel sick at all, so don't know what's going on and curious if I'm just finally getting up some plugs? They're not hard or anything, but just really super thick and "formed".

 

[ladybug]

****************** Warning, KINDA GROSS *********************







I'm not trying to hyjack this post, but just curious how you know if you've hacked up a plug?? Lately, my coughs are getting up thick globs (so sorry, tmi!) every now and again all day. Usually, my cough is more persistant throughout the day with a constant amount of phlegm that is a bit more watery. I don't feel sick at all, so don't know what's going on and curious if I'm just finally getting up some plugs? They're not hard or anything, but just really super thick and "formed".

 

[ladybug]

****************** Warning, KINDA GROSS *********************







I'm not trying to hyjack this post, but just curious how you know if you've hacked up a plug?? Lately, my coughs are getting up thick globs (so sorry, tmi!) every now and again all day. Usually, my cough is more persistant throughout the day with a constant amount of phlegm that is a bit more watery. I don't feel sick at all, so don't know what's going on and curious if I'm just finally getting up some plugs? They're not hard or anything, but just really super thick and "formed".

 

[ladybug]

****************** Warning, KINDA GROSS *********************







I'm not trying to hyjack this post, but just curious how you know if you've hacked up a plug?? Lately, my coughs are getting up thick globs (so sorry, tmi!) every now and again all day. Usually, my cough is more persistant throughout the day with a constant amount of phlegm that is a bit more watery. I don't feel sick at all, so don't know what's going on and curious if I'm just finally getting up some plugs? They're not hard or anything, but just really super thick and "formed".

 

[ladybug]

****************** Warning, KINDA GROSS *********************







I'm not trying to hyjack this post, but just curious how you know if you've hacked up a plug?? Lately, my coughs are getting up thick globs (so sorry, tmi!) every now and again all day. Usually, my cough is more persistant throughout the day with a constant amount of phlegm that is a bit more watery. I don't feel sick at all, so don't know what's going on and curious if I'm just finally getting up some plugs? They're not hard or anything, but just really super thick and "formed".

 

[ladybug]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>TonyaH</b></i>

Last night my son spent about forty-five minutes afraid to take a regular breath because if he breathed in a certain amount, a stabbing pain in the middle of his chest (left side) hurt badly.

/</end quote></div>

Tonya, When I've had this pain, its usually pleurisy if its not associated with a productive cough. I can't explain pleurisy very well (hopefully someone can), but think its very normal for people with CF and scar tissue and has to do with the lungs rubbing agains the ribs?!? Either way, I have had this where I'm terrified to breathe cause the stabbing pain is soooo bad. I usually just put a heating pad over my chest and take ibuprofren and it goes away within a couple to several hours. Good luck. Glad he felt better today though!

 

[ladybug]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>TonyaH</b></i>

Last night my son spent about forty-five minutes afraid to take a regular breath because if he breathed in a certain amount, a stabbing pain in the middle of his chest (left side) hurt badly.

/</end quote></div>

Tonya, When I've had this pain, its usually pleurisy if its not associated with a productive cough. I can't explain pleurisy very well (hopefully someone can), but think its very normal for people with CF and scar tissue and has to do with the lungs rubbing agains the ribs?!? Either way, I have had this where I'm terrified to breathe cause the stabbing pain is soooo bad. I usually just put a heating pad over my chest and take ibuprofren and it goes away within a couple to several hours. Good luck. Glad he felt better today though!

 

[ladybug]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>TonyaH</b></i>

Last night my son spent about forty-five minutes afraid to take a regular breath because if he breathed in a certain amount, a stabbing pain in the middle of his chest (left side) hurt badly.

/</end quote></div>

Tonya, When I've had this pain, its usually pleurisy if its not associated with a productive cough. I can't explain pleurisy very well (hopefully someone can), but think its very normal for people with CF and scar tissue and has to do with the lungs rubbing agains the ribs?!? Either way, I have had this where I'm terrified to breathe cause the stabbing pain is soooo bad. I usually just put a heating pad over my chest and take ibuprofren and it goes away within a couple to several hours. Good luck. Glad he felt better today though!

 

[ladybug]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>TonyaH</b></i>

Last night my son spent about forty-five minutes afraid to take a regular breath because if he breathed in a certain amount, a stabbing pain in the middle of his chest (left side) hurt badly.

/</end quote>

Tonya, When I've had this pain, its usually pleurisy if its not associated with a productive cough. I can't explain pleurisy very well (hopefully someone can), but think its very normal for people with CF and scar tissue and has to do with the lungs rubbing agains the ribs?!? Either way, I have had this where I'm terrified to breathe cause the stabbing pain is soooo bad. I usually just put a heating pad over my chest and take ibuprofren and it goes away within a couple to several hours. Good luck. Glad he felt better today though!

 

[ladybug]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>TonyaH</b></i>

Last night my son spent about forty-five minutes afraid to take a regular breath because if he breathed in a certain amount, a stabbing pain in the middle of his chest (left side) hurt badly.

/</end quote>

Tonya, When I've had this pain, its usually pleurisy if its not associated with a productive cough. I can't explain pleurisy very well (hopefully someone can), but think its very normal for people with CF and scar tissue and has to do with the lungs rubbing agains the ribs?!? Either way, I have had this where I'm terrified to breathe cause the stabbing pain is soooo bad. I usually just put a heating pad over my chest and take ibuprofren and it goes away within a couple to several hours. Good luck. Glad he felt better today though!