Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Frustrated!

So, I am feeling slightly frustrated. And I am sorry in advance, but this post is going to be descriptive. If you have a queasy stomach, I suggest moving on.

I am hoping that by posting this, someone can give me some helpful ideas.

Remember when T got his adenoidectomy? Before it, he kept having one sinus infection after another. I could tell not only from the goop in his nose, but from the mucusy-gurgley cough that seemed ever stuck in his throat. He seriously sounds like someone who has been smoking for decades (even though he is never even around ANYONE who smokes) and he just needs to cough up some phlegm.

Gross.

Well, after the anenoidectomy, he got one more sinus infection... sort of... we think. His nose was just a little yucky, but not as much as normal. Still, he had that awful sound in his throat.

That was a couple months ago.

Now, he is sick again. Well, not sick, sick. He is playing and otherwise healthy, but he has that nasty mucus build up in the back of his throat. As much as he tries to clear or cough it out, he can't get it. And it seems to gag him while he tries. But, thanks to the adenoidectomy, his sinus's are clear. No goop. No congestion in his nostrils. Just plain goopy gunk somewhere in the back of his throat that not even the doctor can see.

With his adenoids enlarged, the doc says, his sinuses were getting infected and the most obvious, so that is what was treated.

Now, we are back at the doc with the same gurgley mess in his throat -- minus a sinus infection -- and the doctor has no idea what it is. He says he is going to treat it as bronchitis because that is his best guess even though his lungs were clear. Because of how T sounds, he really felt there was a bacterial infection to treat. And I agreed.

T has a history of Asthma, tested negative for all allergies, and blood work has come back clean. Thank goodness.

But my frustration is with the fact that NOBODY can seem to figure this out. Thankfully, his sinuses are ok. But why is he getting this? What on earth is it? I don't even know what kind of specialist to take him to -- its not his sinuses any more. Its not his lungs. My pediatrician -- who I have always thought was super -- has no idea.

If I just knew what to Google, I could research this. But I don't even know where to begin.

Any ideas?

8 comments:

Diane said...

Does the doctor say his lungs sound gurgly or crackly? When I was younger (not as young as T, but younger) I had 'wet asthma', which gave me fits with this mucous build up in my upper lungs that was always coming up into my throat. I did steroid inhaler treatments for several months and it cleared up. I've never had trouble with it again. I could NEVER get the stuff up. As you describe, it would choke me if I tried. I sure hope someone can get to the bottom of this for you. I know you're worried and T is so uncomfortable. I'm praying.

Many hugs............

Diane

Diane said...
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Diane said...
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Lara Neves said...

Maybe it's a build up of phlegm in the actual vocal folds? Not laryngitis, because then he would have no voice, but maybe he just has an issue clearing it out of there and that's why his voice sounds the way it does?

Otherwise, I have no idea. Good luck trying to figure it out! Sometimes it can be so frustrating!

Huston Family said...

I've had the same thing for almost five months. I've seen 3 doctors, it's been called bronchitus, bronchial spasms, and asthma. I've been on 3 antibiotics and an inhaler, I've had chest x-rays, blood tests for valley fever, and a CAT scan in case of a blood clot. If you guys figure it out, call me, cause I'm tired of coughing!

heather said...

Um, did you like my pictures I sent to you?

ALSO, is this an allergy of some kind? I know that milk/ dairy products for me (used to, when I ate them) made me congested. I've heard it's fairly common. ???

Fiauna said...

I'd like to know a few more symptoms. Does he have upset stomachs frequently? Does he get a lot of infections? How do his finger nails look? I used to work at a pediatric asthma clinic. So many kids came it with asthma that actually had other illnesses.

Be persistent. Find a pediatric pulmonologist if you have to. Best of luck.

Just SO said...

I have no idea what to tell you. Maybe an over active mucous gland? I have issues with phlegm (which in my book is a four letter word) but thankfully I can cough mine up. Although sometimes I lose the contents of my stomach in the process. Sorry if that's tmi. Good luck I hope you can get things figured out.