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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Could Cause Coughing Up Brown Mucous?

Hello Dr. Grief, I quit smoking almost 1 year ago exactly and have been consistently been coughing up brown mucuous and a sticky, jelly-like substance. I previously smoked cigarettes for about 10 years, on and off, with a few month breaks here and there. My question is: when will I have gotten all the bad stuff out of my lungs? V/r Alex
Thu, 5 Mar 2015
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Pulmonologist,  's  Response
Hello dear, thanks for your question on HCM.
I can understand your situation and problem.
Smokers are at great risk of lung infection, because of poor defence system damaged by cigarette smoke.
So chronic bacterial infection in lung is common in smokers.
Green mucus is seen in pseudomonas infection. And smokers are at increased risk of pseudomonas infection.
So in your case we need to rule out this first.
So get done
1. Chest x ray
2. Sputum culture and sensitivity.
Chest x ray is needed to rule out infection.
Sputum culture is needed to isolate the causative organism, sensitivity is needed to guide antibiotic therapy.
So consult pulmonologist and discuss all these.
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What Could Cause Coughing Up Brown Mucous?

Hello dear, thanks for your question on HCM. I can understand your situation and problem. Smokers are at great risk of lung infection, because of poor defence system damaged by cigarette smoke. So chronic bacterial infection in lung is common in smokers. Green mucus is seen in pseudomonas infection. And smokers are at increased risk of pseudomonas infection. So in your case we need to rule out this first. So get done 1. Chest x ray 2. Sputum culture and sensitivity. Chest x ray is needed to rule out infection. Sputum culture is needed to isolate the causative organism, sensitivity is needed to guide antibiotic therapy. So consult pulmonologist and discuss all these.