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Constant yellow phlegm (with poll)

Discussion in 'Immunological' started by Sarah94, Nov 22, 2019.

?

Do you have yellow phlegm?

  1. Always or almost always

    1 vote(s)
    5.3%
  2. Sometimes

    6 vote(s)
    31.6%
  3. Rarely or never

    12 vote(s)
    63.2%
  1. Sarah94

    Sarah94 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    3,601
    Location:
    UK
    I always (for at least the past year) seem to have excess phlegm in my sinuses. Every so often it comes out in my nose or mouth, and it's usually yellow.

    I definitely in recent weeks feel increasingly 'bunged up' in my face, like you do when (as a normal person) you're recovering from a cold.

    Is the colour of the phlegm a sign that I have an active infection? Or just ME immune dysfunction?
     
  2. Sarah94

    Sarah94 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    3,601
    Location:
    UK
    DokaGirl likes this.
  3. Jonathan Edwards

    Jonathan Edwards Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    13,278
    Location:
    London, UK
    I don't think we have good evidence for there being such a thing as ME immune dysfunction.

    Yellow phlegm more or less means bacterial colonisation. If that is coming from the nose persistently it is likely to originate in the maxillary or frontal sinuses. Chronic low grade bacterial sinusitis is probably quite common although it was never my field and things have changed over the decades.

    Maybe an ENT opinion is in order.
     
  4. Sarah94

    Sarah94 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    3,601
    Location:
    UK
    OK thanks
     
    DokaGirl and Amw66 like this.
  5. James Morris-Lent

    James Morris-Lent Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    903
    Location:
    United States
    I had persistent yellow gunk for a period early on. From about 3-18 months in if I remember. (I don't get it anymore.)

    I could always get some out if I did that gross thing where you suck from your sinuses into your mouth - but a lot would come with PEM and I would suck out quite a bit. I could never get it out by blowing my nose.

    I had a round of clavamox during that period but it had no noticeable effect. I also had a nasolayrongoscopy which observed only some small polyps and slight redness in the throat I think.
     
    DokaGirl, Sarah94 and Wonko like this.
  6. Kitty

    Kitty Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    5,064
    Location:
    UK
    I do, from post-nasal drip. I've had it much of my life, certainly long before ME.

    It's exacerbated, though, by my own insistence on occasionally eating dairy, to which I'm now intolerant. :banghead:
    (Lactase supplements mean I can digest it without discomfort, but it doesn't stop it making me phlegmy. :rolleyes:)
     
    James Morris-Lent, MeSci and Sarah94 like this.
  7. lansbergen

    lansbergen Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    616
    I do not have yellow phlegm but to the end of a flare a lot of whitish mucus.
     
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  8. andypants

    andypants Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    1,334
    Location:
    Norway
    Not eating dairy is the only thing that seems to help for me. Not that I’m very good at that!
     
    James Morris-Lent, Samuel and Trish like this.
  9. JemPD

    JemPD Senior Member (Voting Rights)

    Messages:
    3,916
    Every morning without fail I have an amount approx the size of an almond of brown or yellow phlegm. I have to spend a few mins clearing it, it's been like that since about 5 yrs before becoming ill - so about 25 yrs.
    I then intermittently a few times through the day have the same but it's wetter, a smaller amount & either yellow or green. I just assumed it was 'normal' as I don't have an sense of a blocked nose or facial/sinus pain. I have often wondered if it might be a very low grade infection, but being already erroneously seen as a hypochondriac I wouldn't dream of seeing a Dr about it. Perhaps I should?
     
  10. NelliePledge

    NelliePledge Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
    13,145
    Location:
    UK West Midlands
    The only time I ever had yellow phlegm was two decades before ME when I got bronchitis that lasted about 7 weeks and took 2 lots of antibiotics to clear.

    I do get noticeable catarrh when I eat cow cheese although I’ve read this hasn’t been proven to be connected . I definitely don’t get it from goat or sheep cheese.
     
    James Morris-Lent and andypants like this.

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