Follow
Share

My dad is 83 and lives with my family and I full time. He has Parkinson's along with other problems, although I know this issue is due to the Parkinson's. He has been having a terrible cough because he gets that phlegm that comes with PD not in his throat and not in his lungs but right in between. When it gets stuck there, he cannot cough it up or swallow it down so he gets this deep honking cough going on which keeps him up half the night. Now he's like a zombie. Sleeping all the time. He has been prescribed tessalon perles and they do thin the mucous, but it's just not enough to get rid of it one way or the other. Anyone have any suggestions?

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Find Care & Housing

24 Answers

Most
Helpful Newest
First Oldest
First
Have you tried a humidifier? I kept one running year round and seemed to help stepdad with the chronic mucus buildup that he had though not related though to PD.
Helpful Answer (4)
Report
Have they tried Guaifenisen? It's an expectorant and you can take pretty big doses of this. My FIL has serious lung damage due to being first an miner, then a firefighter. His lungs were a mess in his old age. HE took huge doses of this and it did help him cough up the gunk. Tessalon perles are supposed to take away the "tickle" of a cough, not suppress it.
Helpful Answer (3)
Report
This isn't for everyone, and it's no good if he can't have any alcohol. But as a singer, when I'm sick, I find Jagermeister cuts right through the guck in my esphogus like nothing else. It even cured me of laryngitis once.  Keep it in the freezer, give just one ounce at night, and have the person sip it, not shoot it.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
Thanks for the tip Dorianne, I'll take the Jager, but Dad is severely allergic to alcohol, so no dice. I bought him a humidifier and some lemon and honey cough drops, took him off the perles and since I don't have any Guaifenesin pills left from his prescription, I'm just giving him some otc liquid I have left from Walgreens that I bought when my daughter was sick a few weeks ago with flu. So far, it seems like he's not coughing as much, and when he does, I can hear stuff coming up. Guess Guaifenesin must be more potent than Tessalon. Poor guy, now his throat is hurting though.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
My father had serious problems with mucus because he had limited lung capacity (sarcoidosis) + bronchiectasis, which meant that the mucus had a place to accumulate. The doctors had him take large amounts of guaifenesin - purchased in generic form from the drugstore - and albuterol with a nebulizer. If they thought he was headed for pneumonia, they gave him antibiotics and steroids. The guaifenesin is the easiest place to start.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
Eliminating wheat and dairy (which are mucus-producing) from his diet might help.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
On the Dr's TV series it was mentioned that eating grapes would help alleviate mucous. I was coughing up large wads of mucous every morning due to COPD plus numerous medications so I tried it, IT WORKS. I've been eat grapes every night for the few years and very few problems since.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
Guaifenesin will loosen the phlegm and makes it easier to expectorate. Maybe get him an incentive spirometer.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
Lilacalani has a good point. I don't buy milk in plastic jugs anymore, opting for "real milk" sold in glass jar at Kroger. When I drink the plastic jug milk, or eat alot of cheese products, I get a 'thick' inner ear and/or mucus feeling. Yech!! Incidently, I just read that years ago, milk had a Cassien (?) # of 2. It is now at 4/5. Reason it's higher is the way they feed/medicate the cattle now. Wheat is definitely another problem. You might also make sure the sugar/carb intake is not high.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
A few suggestions:
#1 Does he have a pulmonologist that may be able to offer suggestions?
#2 Have him sleep with at least three pillows.
#3 Guaifenesin use should be monitored.
#4 Do not use Guaifenesin/DM.
#5 No dairy products should be consumed.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
See All Answers
This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.

Recent Questions


Popular Questions


Related Questions

Ask a Question
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter