Dealing with constant thick phlegm and a runny nose

Honestly, I’ve been dealing with this absolute nightmare every single morning lately. It’s particularly brutal because, unfortunately for everyone living in the Middle East, it’s a workday. I wake up, brush my teeth, and then deal with this heavy, grating cough that feels like it’s sandpapering my throat. After that, I end up hacking up phlegm into the toilet bowl several times, and then I spend the next hour just burning through rolls of toilet paper trying to clear everything out of my nose too. A few times now, it’s actually been mixed with blood—that deep, dark red color blended with green. It’s gotten so exhausting that I’ve even started making jokes with my sister about it; I’ll blow my nose into a tissue and tell her, "Look, a butterfly," because a clump of mucus somehow looks like a little butterfly, and we just sit there finding shapes in it...

Back on Saturday (though if you’re reading this on a Thursday or found me via Google), I caught some kind of cold. My throat was killing me, and since I had been traveling in the heat, I ended up running a fever and vomited once. I feel better now, but this lingering issue won't go away. I really don't have the time to be sitting in a doctor's office right now, so I was wondering if there is some simple, straightforward way to get rid of this? Thanks 😁 (And before anyone asks, no, I don't smoke; I'm only 15 and I've never even tried a cigarette)

Look, let me be clear: if we're talking about a nosebleed, then you're likely looking at broken capillaries triggered by heavy smoking. But if that blood is coming from the lungs...🙂

Dennis Evans59 said:Look, I’ve been going through this absolute nightmare every single morning for days now. It’s even worse because—God help us all across the Middle East—it’s a workday. I wake up, brush my teeth, do that deep, throat-scratching cough that makes my throat feel raw, clear my sinuses, and then spend time hacking up slime into the toilet. Then I spend the next hour basically using half a roll of toilet paper just to clear my nose, too. A few times there's actually been blood mixed in—dark red streaked with green. It is exhausting. Honestly, it’s gotten to the point where I’m making jokes with my sister about it; I’ll blow my nose into a tissue and tell her, "Look, a butterfly!" because some clump of mucus actually looks like a butterfly. I'm literally out here trying to find shapes in my phlegm just to cope...

Last Saturday (or maybe it was Thursday, depending on if you're reading this in 2015 or found me via Google), I caught some kind of bug. My throat was killing me, and since I had been traveling in the heat, I ended up running a fever and throwing up once. I feel better now, but this congestion won't go away... I don't have the time to deal with doctors right now, so is there any simple way to get rid of this? Thanks 😁 (And no, I don't smoke. I'm 15, I haven't touched a cigarette)

I honestly didn't catch the point here, and frankly, those little "butterfly" impressions are completely useless.

wiredridge152 said:Look, if we're talking about a nosebleed, you're likely just looking at broken capillaries triggered by heavy smoking, but if that blood is actually coming from the lungs, then we're dealing with an entirely different level of seriousness.🙂

I honestly don't know; I suspect it's just coming from my nose, especially since I deal with broken capillaries there quite frequently.

I have to admit, I’m completely lost on this one.

Just let me know what you need me to go over. 🙂

I was under the impression we were talking about phlegm—you know, something being coughed up. It’s just a bit confusing since you mentioned it "prefers coming out through the nose." 😁

Regardless, isn't the whole point an expectoration?

p.s. You've been under the weather, your immune system is likely down... it's clearly either a lingering cold or some kind of inflammation. We can only speculate, I suppose.
It's just baffling to me how someone who is only 15 years old can't find a single hour in their day to actually go see a doctor. 🤷

Sophia Wells72 said:I thought you were talking about phlegm, like something coming up when you cough. It’s just a bit confusing since you mentioned it "likes to come out through the nose."😁

Either way, aren't we just talking about coughing something up?

p.s. You were sick, your immune system was down... clearly you're fighting a cold or some kind of infection. All we can do is guess.
It just doesn't make sense to me how, at fifteen years old, you can't find a single hour in the day to go see a doctor.🤷

That mucus or phlegm comes out through both my nose and my mouth when I cough. I'm not sneezing—I don't think it's a standard cold, because I would feel much worse than this. Basically, I'm coughing up this thick green stuff, and the same thing happens when I blow my nose; I actually have to "pull" it out, because I can feel it moving from deep down.

As for not having the time, that's a long story involving a pretty demanding prep school schedule. I spend my mornings studying before classes start at noon, then I'm stuck at school until 6 or 7 in the evening. By the time I'm done, I'm completely wiped out and all I want is food and sleep, plus it's hard to find any clinics that are even open that late...

Dennis Evans59 said:This phlegm—this nasty stuff I’m coughing up—it’s coming out of my nose and my mouth at the same time when I cough. It isn't just a sneeze; I don't think I have a common cold because if I did, I’d feel way worse than this. Basically, I’m hacking up this thick, green gunk, and the same thing happens through my nose when I blow it. Honestly, I actually have to "pull" it out when I try to clear my nose; I can physically feel it moving from deep down inside.

And as for why I don't have any free time? That's a whole other saga. I'm enrolled in some seriously intense prep courses, so my schedule is absolutely slammed. I'm studying in the mornings before class starts, then I'm stuck in school from noon until 6 or 7 in the evening. By the time I'm done, I am completely wiped out. All I want is food and my bed, and besides, finding a doctor who’s even working at those hours is nearly impossible...

You need to contact a primary care physician immediately regarding potential ABT issues, and you should probably see an ENT specialist as well.

vividsailor7. You claim you "didn't understand anything" after I described the symptoms (look, I'm no doctor, but I figured out the phlegm was coming from both the lungs and the sinuses, obviously)—and then you reply using abbreviations that even a high schooler wouldn't grasp?
I’ve dealt with enough respiratory infections to know my way around an ENT, though I actually had to Google what ABT meant.

EDIT - I Googled ABT and found absolutely nothing related to medicine or respiratory issues.

Maria Howard2—this whole "I'm going to a harder school so I don't have time" thing is total nonsense and you know it. I really hope your parents take you to a doctor, because you aren't doing yourself any favors. Plus, if this is just a virus, you're basically spreading germs all over your classmates and the subway.
When you're sick (which you clearly are), you go to the doctor, get a medical note, stay home, and follow a treatment plan. Primary care doctors—believe it or not!—have morning and afternoon appointments; you just have to check their schedule.

Dennis Evans59 said:The "sludge"—if you can even call it that—comes out of both my nose and mouth whenever I cough. It isn't a sneeze; I don't think it's a common cold, because I’d feel significantly worse than this. Basically, I’m coughing up this thick, green stuff, and when I blow my nose, that same gunk comes out too—it's actually quite unpleasant, as I can literally feel it being pulled from deep inside when I try to clear my sinuses.

Go see a doctor. Thick, green discharge isn't exactly a sign of good health, especially if you've been dealing with this sensation for days now.

As for why I haven't found the time—well, that's a long story. I'm enrolled in a pretty demanding school program, so my schedule is packed. I spend my mornings studying before classes start at noon, then I'm stuck at school until about 6:00 or 7:00 PM. By the time I'm done, I'm just exhausted and craving nothing but food and sleep, and honestly, finding a clinic that's still open by then is difficult...

No, those aren't excuses; they sound more like laziness to me. I went through a rigorous high school alongside extracurriculars, followed by an even more grueling college experience and constant travel... and even now, working myself to the bone all day long, I still manage to carve out time for a medical appointment.

Based on these symptoms, no one is going to be able to give you a diagnosis over a computer screen, let alone suggest a treatment plan (imagine if you actually have to stay in bed due to some infection and end up needing heavy-duty antibiotics). Perhaps consider sacrificing a little bit of your screen time to visit a doctor at 7:00 AM. Good luck. 😉

ABT—Antibiotic Therapy.