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My Friend Is About A 50-year Old Man. He Is
Question: My friend is about a 50-year old man. He is slender and tall, but he is having a problem with needing to spit mucus which develops frequently, such as about every 15 minutes or sometimes more frequently. We have read some of the answers posted here. I don't know how this site works yet, but people like my friend would be very grateful for help. He said that he feels like he's dying and spitting his brains out all the time. He has not yet been able to find an answer. He is a good man and is worth helping.
My friend is about a 50-year old man. He is slender and tall, but he is having a problem with needing to spit mucus which develops frequently, such as about every 15 minutes or sometimes more frequently. We have read some of the answers posted here. I don't know how this site works yet, but people like my friend would be very grateful for help. He said that he feels like he's dying and spitting his brains out all the time. He has not yet been able to find an answer. He is a good man and is worth helping.
Brief Answer:
The problem could be with the awareness of the collection
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for using the Ask a Doctor service.
I understand your concerns about your friend.
I hope the Ear, nose and throat examination by doctor has been normal. In such case there are two components involved. The first is the apparently increased production of saliva, the second is the urge to spit it out. Let me tell you that our body constantly produces saliva and we are not even aware that we constantly gulp it down. Not doing it would therefore lead to collection of saliva in the oral cavity and needless to say, one might get conscious about this collection. There might be a mental block in gulping down the saliva, thus leading to the urge to spit it out. This can sometimes become a obsession, but no matter what, the saliva would keep coming as it is constantly produced (constant production of saliva is normal). Thus the obsession to spit it out could be the problematic part here and therefore needs to be dealt with. A psychiatrist therefore needs to be consulted and steps tried before we suggest medicines like glycopyrrolate which actually reduce the saliva production. I would therefore request you to urge you to take your friend for a visit to a psychiatrist. He would be able to guide him about how to consciously control the entire thing.
I hope that would help.
Regards
The problem could be with the awareness of the collection
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for using the Ask a Doctor service.
I understand your concerns about your friend.
I hope the Ear, nose and throat examination by doctor has been normal. In such case there are two components involved. The first is the apparently increased production of saliva, the second is the urge to spit it out. Let me tell you that our body constantly produces saliva and we are not even aware that we constantly gulp it down. Not doing it would therefore lead to collection of saliva in the oral cavity and needless to say, one might get conscious about this collection. There might be a mental block in gulping down the saliva, thus leading to the urge to spit it out. This can sometimes become a obsession, but no matter what, the saliva would keep coming as it is constantly produced (constant production of saliva is normal). Thus the obsession to spit it out could be the problematic part here and therefore needs to be dealt with. A psychiatrist therefore needs to be consulted and steps tried before we suggest medicines like glycopyrrolate which actually reduce the saliva production. I would therefore request you to urge you to take your friend for a visit to a psychiatrist. He would be able to guide him about how to consciously control the entire thing.
I hope that would help.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Brief Answer:
The problem could be with the awareness of the collection
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for using the Ask a Doctor service.
I understand your concerns about your friend.
I hope the Ear, nose and throat examination by doctor has been normal. In such case there are two components involved. The first is the apparently increased production of saliva, the second is the urge to spit it out. Let me tell you that our body constantly produces saliva and we are not even aware that we constantly gulp it down. Not doing it would therefore lead to collection of saliva in the oral cavity and needless to say, one might get conscious about this collection. There might be a mental block in gulping down the saliva, thus leading to the urge to spit it out. This can sometimes become a obsession, but no matter what, the saliva would keep coming as it is constantly produced (constant production of saliva is normal). Thus the obsession to spit it out could be the problematic part here and therefore needs to be dealt with. A psychiatrist therefore needs to be consulted and steps tried before we suggest medicines like glycopyrrolate which actually reduce the saliva production. I would therefore request you to urge you to take your friend for a visit to a psychiatrist. He would be able to guide him about how to consciously control the entire thing.
I hope that would help.
Regards
The problem could be with the awareness of the collection
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for using the Ask a Doctor service.
I understand your concerns about your friend.
I hope the Ear, nose and throat examination by doctor has been normal. In such case there are two components involved. The first is the apparently increased production of saliva, the second is the urge to spit it out. Let me tell you that our body constantly produces saliva and we are not even aware that we constantly gulp it down. Not doing it would therefore lead to collection of saliva in the oral cavity and needless to say, one might get conscious about this collection. There might be a mental block in gulping down the saliva, thus leading to the urge to spit it out. This can sometimes become a obsession, but no matter what, the saliva would keep coming as it is constantly produced (constant production of saliva is normal). Thus the obsession to spit it out could be the problematic part here and therefore needs to be dealt with. A psychiatrist therefore needs to be consulted and steps tried before we suggest medicines like glycopyrrolate which actually reduce the saliva production. I would therefore request you to urge you to take your friend for a visit to a psychiatrist. He would be able to guide him about how to consciously control the entire thing.
I hope that would help.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Hi Doctor Saha,
Thank you. I called my friend and read him your message. He says that he doesn't remember trying glucopyrrolate. He tells me that he gets physically sick in his stomach when he swallows his saliva. This has been happening for 2 years or more. We would really like help, because my friend lives in assisted living for needy people, and they are not, in my opinion, doing a good job of helping him.
Thank you. I called my friend and read him your message. He says that he doesn't remember trying glucopyrrolate. He tells me that he gets physically sick in his stomach when he swallows his saliva. This has been happening for 2 years or more. We would really like help, because my friend lives in assisted living for needy people, and they are not, in my opinion, doing a good job of helping him.
Hi Doctor Saha,
Thank you. I called my friend and read him your message. He says that he doesn't remember trying glucopyrrolate. He tells me that he gets physically sick in his stomach when he swallows his saliva. This has been happening for 2 years or more. We would really like help, because my friend lives in assisted living for needy people, and they are not, in my opinion, doing a good job of helping him.
Thank you. I called my friend and read him your message. He says that he doesn't remember trying glucopyrrolate. He tells me that he gets physically sick in his stomach when he swallows his saliva. This has been happening for 2 years or more. We would really like help, because my friend lives in assisted living for needy people, and they are not, in my opinion, doing a good job of helping him.
Brief Answer:
Psychiatric intervention needed
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back. I would strongly urge you to take him to a psychiatrist. Your friend has a mental block with swallowing the saliva. The very notion that swallowing it will make him sick in the stomach, can actually make him sick. Psychiatric intervention is strongly indicated in this case. Fluorine can help.
Regards
Psychiatric intervention needed
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back. I would strongly urge you to take him to a psychiatrist. Your friend has a mental block with swallowing the saliva. The very notion that swallowing it will make him sick in the stomach, can actually make him sick. Psychiatric intervention is strongly indicated in this case. Fluorine can help.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Brief Answer:
Psychiatric intervention needed
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back. I would strongly urge you to take him to a psychiatrist. Your friend has a mental block with swallowing the saliva. The very notion that swallowing it will make him sick in the stomach, can actually make him sick. Psychiatric intervention is strongly indicated in this case. Fluorine can help.
Regards
Psychiatric intervention needed
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back. I would strongly urge you to take him to a psychiatrist. Your friend has a mental block with swallowing the saliva. The very notion that swallowing it will make him sick in the stomach, can actually make him sick. Psychiatric intervention is strongly indicated in this case. Fluorine can help.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Dear Dr. Saha,
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I read it to my friend and then asked him what he thought. He said that it was an interesting idea, that his thinking about the saliva making him sick could contribute to the fulfillment of that expectation.
I asked him if he noticed an increase in the amount of mucus or saliva he produced. He said that he did, in fact, experience an increase in the production of mucus about 2 years ago, when his spitting first started.
Now I have a question for you of my own. You mentioned that fluorine can help. Please explain that to me. I am a chemist, so I know what fluorine is. My questions are: What form of fluorine do you recommend he try? And then, how much?
Finally, is there another doctor, perhaps a pulmonologist or a specialist in the formation of mucus, who can weigh in on this discussion?
While I was talking to my friend, I heard him pull stuff up in his throat and spit about every 12 seconds. Again, he is a good man and I want to help him.
Thank you so much for your help on this matter. If we find a solution, we will be so happy!
Lynda
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I read it to my friend and then asked him what he thought. He said that it was an interesting idea, that his thinking about the saliva making him sick could contribute to the fulfillment of that expectation.
I asked him if he noticed an increase in the amount of mucus or saliva he produced. He said that he did, in fact, experience an increase in the production of mucus about 2 years ago, when his spitting first started.
Now I have a question for you of my own. You mentioned that fluorine can help. Please explain that to me. I am a chemist, so I know what fluorine is. My questions are: What form of fluorine do you recommend he try? And then, how much?
Finally, is there another doctor, perhaps a pulmonologist or a specialist in the formation of mucus, who can weigh in on this discussion?
While I was talking to my friend, I heard him pull stuff up in his throat and spit about every 12 seconds. Again, he is a good man and I want to help him.
Thank you so much for your help on this matter. If we find a solution, we will be so happy!
Lynda
Dear Dr. Saha,
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I read it to my friend and then asked him what he thought. He said that it was an interesting idea, that his thinking about the saliva making him sick could contribute to the fulfillment of that expectation.
I asked him if he noticed an increase in the amount of mucus or saliva he produced. He said that he did, in fact, experience an increase in the production of mucus about 2 years ago, when his spitting first started.
Now I have a question for you of my own. You mentioned that fluorine can help. Please explain that to me. I am a chemist, so I know what fluorine is. My questions are: What form of fluorine do you recommend he try? And then, how much?
Finally, is there another doctor, perhaps a pulmonologist or a specialist in the formation of mucus, who can weigh in on this discussion?
While I was talking to my friend, I heard him pull stuff up in his throat and spit about every 12 seconds. Again, he is a good man and I want to help him.
Thank you so much for your help on this matter. If we find a solution, we will be so happy!
Lynda
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I read it to my friend and then asked him what he thought. He said that it was an interesting idea, that his thinking about the saliva making him sick could contribute to the fulfillment of that expectation.
I asked him if he noticed an increase in the amount of mucus or saliva he produced. He said that he did, in fact, experience an increase in the production of mucus about 2 years ago, when his spitting first started.
Now I have a question for you of my own. You mentioned that fluorine can help. Please explain that to me. I am a chemist, so I know what fluorine is. My questions are: What form of fluorine do you recommend he try? And then, how much?
Finally, is there another doctor, perhaps a pulmonologist or a specialist in the formation of mucus, who can weigh in on this discussion?
While I was talking to my friend, I heard him pull stuff up in his throat and spit about every 12 seconds. Again, he is a good man and I want to help him.
Thank you so much for your help on this matter. If we find a solution, we will be so happy!
Lynda
Brief Answer:
Fluoxetine
Detailed Answer:
Not fluorine but fluoxetine. Those two are entirely different but an unfortunate and inadvertent autocorrect had occurred and I had overlooked it. Fluoxetine is an SSRI which has multiple modes of action. It is basically a long term anxiolytic and is helpful. Anxiety also leads to increased gastric secretion (and also salivary secretion) and so there could be an indirect role as well.
No need to see a pulmonologist. Not within his domain at all.
Regards
Fluoxetine
Detailed Answer:
Not fluorine but fluoxetine. Those two are entirely different but an unfortunate and inadvertent autocorrect had occurred and I had overlooked it. Fluoxetine is an SSRI which has multiple modes of action. It is basically a long term anxiolytic and is helpful. Anxiety also leads to increased gastric secretion (and also salivary secretion) and so there could be an indirect role as well.
No need to see a pulmonologist. Not within his domain at all.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Brief Answer:
Fluoxetine
Detailed Answer:
Not fluorine but fluoxetine. Those two are entirely different but an unfortunate and inadvertent autocorrect had occurred and I had overlooked it. Fluoxetine is an SSRI which has multiple modes of action. It is basically a long term anxiolytic and is helpful. Anxiety also leads to increased gastric secretion (and also salivary secretion) and so there could be an indirect role as well.
No need to see a pulmonologist. Not within his domain at all.
Regards
Fluoxetine
Detailed Answer:
Not fluorine but fluoxetine. Those two are entirely different but an unfortunate and inadvertent autocorrect had occurred and I had overlooked it. Fluoxetine is an SSRI which has multiple modes of action. It is basically a long term anxiolytic and is helpful. Anxiety also leads to increased gastric secretion (and also salivary secretion) and so there could be an indirect role as well.
No need to see a pulmonologist. Not within his domain at all.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Thank you so much for the correction. Fluoxetine. I will look that up and tell my friend. I will look up SSRI and Anxiolytic. Yes, my friend has anxiety, so I will ask him about that. I really hope that we get this solved for him soon. Hopefully in 2 or 3 days more. Thank you again.
Thank you so much for the correction. Fluoxetine. I will look that up and tell my friend. I will look up SSRI and Anxiolytic. Yes, my friend has anxiety, so I will ask him about that. I really hope that we get this solved for him soon. Hopefully in 2 or 3 days more. Thank you again.
OK. I looked up those three things, fluoxetine, SSRI and anxiolytic.
I know that my friend is taking different medications now, although I don't yet know their names.
The way healthcaremagic works, could I connect to a psych person to get his/her second opinion on your assessment? I am not certain that my friend's problem is exclusively psychological. I believe that there is a physical problem which is not being addressed. I could be wrong, but I have never before met anyone with this kind of spitting problem. And as I talk to him, he seems sane and reasonable to me.
I know that my friend is taking different medications now, although I don't yet know their names.
The way healthcaremagic works, could I connect to a psych person to get his/her second opinion on your assessment? I am not certain that my friend's problem is exclusively psychological. I believe that there is a physical problem which is not being addressed. I could be wrong, but I have never before met anyone with this kind of spitting problem. And as I talk to him, he seems sane and reasonable to me.
OK. I looked up those three things, fluoxetine, SSRI and anxiolytic.
I know that my friend is taking different medications now, although I don't yet know their names.
The way healthcaremagic works, could I connect to a psych person to get his/her second opinion on your assessment? I am not certain that my friend's problem is exclusively psychological. I believe that there is a physical problem which is not being addressed. I could be wrong, but I have never before met anyone with this kind of spitting problem. And as I talk to him, he seems sane and reasonable to me.
I know that my friend is taking different medications now, although I don't yet know their names.
The way healthcaremagic works, could I connect to a psych person to get his/her second opinion on your assessment? I am not certain that my friend's problem is exclusively psychological. I believe that there is a physical problem which is not being addressed. I could be wrong, but I have never before met anyone with this kind of spitting problem. And as I talk to him, he seems sane and reasonable to me.
Brief Answer:
You could use the Ask a Specialist to discuss with a psychiatrist.
Detailed Answer:
You could use the Ask a Specialist to discuss with a psychiatrist.
You could use the Ask a Specialist to discuss with a psychiatrist.
Detailed Answer:
You could use the Ask a Specialist to discuss with a psychiatrist.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
Brief Answer:
You could use the Ask a Specialist to discuss with a psychiatrist.
Detailed Answer:
You could use the Ask a Specialist to discuss with a psychiatrist.
You could use the Ask a Specialist to discuss with a psychiatrist.
Detailed Answer:
You could use the Ask a Specialist to discuss with a psychiatrist.
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
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