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Excess saliva

Vicik
2 Recommendations

Does anyone else have trouble coughing up excess saliva? I have a swallowing disorder and aspirate into my lungs.

I have days where I just seem to cough up excess saliva all day or I would choke on it. I haven't found anything to stop it. I've tried benadryl, scop patch, Zyrtec and nothing works.

In order to diminish the gag reflex I use Norco in small doses. Not my prefernce but it keeps me from feeling like I am going to choke to death.

Just wondering if anyone else has had this experience?

John

Explore topics in this discussion:

Surgery Norco Zyrtec Benadryl

16 replies

MarieTwinTubes

Hi, Vicik/John. Yeah, a feeding tube can change a lot of things, can't it. I got my trach tube and feeding tube as a package deal three years ago.

Have you and your doctor considering a suction pump in your home? Mine is a hugh help in clearing secretions. I don't swallow anything orally, even my saliva (Now that's a social challenge!!)

Best wishes in finding solutions. Marie

Vicik

i'll ask about that. Thanks

TubedTied

I am in the same boat....my saliva needed to be controled as I can swallow nothing. I came home from the hospital 4 years ago with a portable suction machine as aspiration got me twice while in the hospital recovering from the surgery!

Some I have met have a neat system of spitting or "draining" into a little cup with a lid---it is better than into a kleenex- and dumping as needed. Very descrete once you get a system- onlookers can't tell if you are spitting or drinking if you keep th"hacking" down. Anything is better than that drowning feeling or the risk of it getting to the lungs..

I keep an empty coffee cup with a lid in my cup holder- with a lid for the neat freak in me- to spit into when I ma alone or with freinds (decanting is yet to be socially acceptable in public:)) I also have BOTOX shots into the saliva glands to knock them down--works about 80% for 4 to 5 months. It is a non standard use of the drug ( "off label") but fairly common. There is also a drug --Glyco Prililate( spelling) I belive-careful here I am not a doctor so check that dries you up. Ground up and into the tube....Others I know use it with success but it raises the heart rate a bit and I have issues there so no go for me.

Vicik

That's a lot of good info and advice! Thanks so much I will look into all of that. Thank you and have a happy 4th of July.

John

Jesana

I have found that if i take saliva control meds such as benadryl or scopol patch i get very thick secretions that I can't cough out. then it became difficult to breath,so be careful .

Vicik

so what do you do then? I have had troubled with thick secretions and breathing. have you found anything that works?

Jesana

you can try a nebulizer medication called pulmicort. you inhale it then wait about 20 minutes before suctionin.
also lots of water through your tube i get200 ccs five times a day that doesn't cout flushing before and after medicine four times a day
don't put the water in with the formula unless your doctor tells you it is ok
I hope this is useful

Acushla

I have been coughing up Saliva since May, It goes down with my meals so it must go to my lungs. How does that happen? There are no doctors here in Australia who have a cure for it let alone mucus which I bring up when I get out of bed at daybreak. Saliva also comes up whenever I drink something as we are supposed to keep ourselves hydrated. Here in Queensland State Government put Poison Fluoride in Drinking Water than I started coughing it up. WHO has warned against doing it but governments here do not care. They even sell baby plastic bottles even though chemicals leaches into milk. There are Health Boards overseas which claim they have doctors who can find cures but ask for money. I have heard Ginger Tea is helpful so I will check it out this week. Extra Virgin Olive Oil brings up mucus if it is tight in chest but is over aggressive once it comes up. I take a teaspoon of cough suppressant when I go to bed but once I get up during the night it starts up again until I go back to sleep. If it Is the Poison Fluoride how can we prove it?

Alan_Robinson

i would also suggest a humidifier. At night when you sleep the dry air you breath dries out what sits on top of your vocal chords. A humidifier will keep it moiste and easier to expel in the morning. I also find gargling warm water helps.

Acushla

I am now drinking Ginger Tea. It is bringing up the saliva without the prolonged coughing. Ones I am using are Organic Tea bags.

Vicik

thanks I'll try that

Acushla

Ginger Tea is working. I no longer cough up saliva during the night & mucus during the day.

oleyfriends

One Oley member has had success in controlling his saliva output using Robinul (Glycopyrrolate). You might ask your physician if you are a candidate to try it.

nmhusky

Acushla,
How do you take the ginger tea? or do you just rinse your mouth out with it? I don't have a big problem with saliva because the radiation pretty much trashed the saliva glands. But I expect they will come back on line soon enough and then I will have a problem since I cannot swallow. I take all hydration and nourishment by peg tube.
Steve

Acushla

I put hot water on tea bag, steam it for 4 minutes, take bag out, then drink it when it cools down.

MarieTwinTubes

Hi. I say hear hear for the humidifier suggestion. I also swallow nothing, including my saliva. My bedroom looks like a hospital supply room, but my suction pump and humidifier are great for me (I also have a ventilator and a CoughAssist to manage my breathing and secretions). I, as some others have mentioned, carry a cup to expel my saliva and have also learned to do it so it looks like I am drinking. Since I use a wheel chair, I carry the cup between my knees. (Knees are a great tool. Dresses have gone out the window.)

Best wishes in sorting out what works best to meet your needs.
Marie

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