Hey Scott, having no idea whether you have Emphysema or Chronic Bronchitis, but the fact you mention you cough a lot and it is unproductive, i tend to lean on Bronchitis...as us Emphy people rarely cough...in fact we have trouble bringing up mucous.as well .AND it also comes out as a Thick, Sticky Blob...We need to use a Mucous thinning device such as a Acapella or Lung Flute to loosen it off the walls of the bronchial tubes and use a Huff or Forced Cough to get it out. or a pill like Mucinex or other similar.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R37dUB81CWU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slj2W8cjUww

The problem is if we do not get rid of this crap, our bronchial tubes can get all manner of infections and before long, not only are you extra SOB but end up in an Flare or Bronchial Blockage....

Cheers...

Hi Scott, yes I had same problem last year and I was prescribed mucodyne which I was only supposed to be on for a short period of time, but because it's helped me coughing up my phlegm they have kept me on it and believe me I feel loads better for being on this medication, it's worth asking your lung team to prescribe it for you, what have you got to lose, hope this helps Hun xx Maggie xx

If you have mucus and it makes you cough because it is hard to get up, try drinking small amounts of pineapple juice. The acid cuts through the mucus really fast and I can get it up with hardly any coughing at all!

I smoked for 5 yrs. and quit when I was 20 yrs. Old. I am 51 now but breathed alot of dust over a 25 yr. Period in the construction industry.

You are so right about drinking a lot of water daily!