Coping With Hemoptysis

I’ve had episodes of weeks or months of constant post nasal drip, a feeling of liquid in my bronchial tubes sometimes accompanied by upper stomach discomfort/acid reflux and upper back pain and even neck muscles aches. A few times I felt congestion in my bronchial area and though I dont really cough much I try to clear it out and I’ve tasted blood a few times and then spit a little blood up.

The first 2 times this happened I was petrified! But a few people I talked to about it said it isn’t a big deal and that it happens sometimes, and probably due to irritated bronchial track and/or reflux. After I cough up the blood I try to cough more up again to see if it continues. Once it is out after a few times of spitting it up seems to stop completely. With all of these overlapping symtoms and conditions its difficult for me to distinquish the connection between them (if there even is any). And what it is that triggers these episodes! It seem that alot of the of the time I get them all at once…or one symptom comes first and then the others follow.

In any case being a holistic type orientated person and also extremely sensitive to any form of medication (as well as having mitral valve prolapse) I never, ever take any drugs at all. I also don’t or dink coffee or tea with caffiene, soda etc.

I’ve put off seeing an MD because the last 2 times I went they just give me drugs for the reflux and post nasal drip which I will not take. Also when I did go to a dcoctor (friend) I’d hadn’t seen the blood in my cough yet. I’m wondering if I’ve been bleeding even before last year (when i first noticed) and even long before but just didn’t notice since I never really cough alot (I just clear my throat).

Anyway I went to a nutritionist/keniesioligist for my reflux and upper digestiver issues. She tested me and said I had a yeast problem and digestive irritation, weak liver function, and sugar imbalance. She said my lungs, heart, and all else seemed to test fine except for my back spinal alignment being off, which I try to get adjustments for as often as possible (as I’ve always had back issues since I was young). She also suggested that being my spine is so out of whack it can be agravating these other symtoms due to the effect it has on the nerves which attatch to the vital organs and digestive tract (gall bladder, liver etc)

She put me on a very strict diet and persrcibed all kinds of natural enzymes to take 3 times a day with meals, including dring 2 oz of pure aloe juice 3x a day, DGL tablets and Marshmallow root tincture to heal my stomach lining, esopheceal irritation She said I should see an improvent within a couple weeks. I immediately started feeling an improvement and was feeling great for over 2 months. I was free of all bronchial, digestive symtoms except the occassional slight back problem (upper, ribs area, neck adn radiating to lower or side sometimes) and even my energy level has improved 100%.

I have not had one cocktail, or desert in 3 months. I do not smoke. And though I am a healthy eater anyway I have now eliminated all sugar, raw foods, fermented, soy, enriched foods such as bread and pasta etc from my diet completely. I followed her recomendations diligently. I eat roasted, grilled steamed, veggies, fish, meat, eggs, non yeast only whole grain cereal…I am allowed butter but no other dairy at all. she planned on slowly intriducing new foods gradually and then take it from there.

About 2 weeks ago it started again with a bad upper back ach and across my ribs area also sometimes hurt too. Then as soon as the weather started getting cold (I live in NYC and walk alot) I now have the post nasal drip again and uncomfortable feeling in my bronchial area of liquid along with it …and my acid reflux has starting up again too! I am very discouraged and depressed. I had been feeling so well. I dont understand what the initial trigger for these symtoms are? And as always these episodes of are very uncomfortable for me, basically interfering with my lifestyle and they cramp my otherwise usual happy disposition. I’m at my wits end and so confused about what could be triggering these month long or longer episodes.

They dissapear and then come back all of a sudden again. I appologize for going on so long…However I want to give as much onfo as I can so that maybe someone has similar symtoms or may be able to give me a clue as to what can be wrong. Do these combined symtoms ring a bell? Can they indicate some life threatning disease? If so I’ve had them on and off for so long wouldn’t they have landed me in an emergency room by now?

By the way I forgot to tell you that I’ve recently been feeling like I’m fighting off a cold/flu that is going around on top of this? so now I have the post nasal from that too in between the belching and reflux after eating. Can post nasal drip be what causes reflux too?…Or agrivates it? Tonight. I tasted blood while clearing my throat again so I went to try to cough it up. I did have some blood as soon as I coughed and spit it out…(no phlem, colors or odor) just clear bright red blood in a little bit of clear liquid, as always. I purposely coughed a couple times more to see if the blood would keep coming up. but it only does it in the beginning and then it stops and I’m just spitting clear again. Now its gone and once I get those first few drops out (maybe not even 1/4 teaspoon if I added it all altogether).
Thank You for your time and patience in reading this.

Worried in NYC