Question
Why am I coughing up phlegm?
23 June 2022. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load, COVID-19, Pregnancy, Side effects.
Hey, so I have HIV and have been taking medicine for 3 months now. I’m also 8 months pregnant and just had COVID 2 weeks ago. Now every time I eat or drink anything I’m coughing up clear mucus. I read that regardless of your viral load or cd4 count you can still get a type of pneumonia. Could I have aspiration pneumonia? Please help, this was happening before COVID but not as consistent as now my cd4 was 496 when first diagnosed now it’s 346? Is my medication working cause I’ve heard even when pregnant it goes down please help should I go to the hospital or what thanks.
Answer
Hi, how are you doing?
Congratulations on your pregnancy.
How are you feeling after COVID?
Was coughing up clear mucus after eating before COVID? or was it coughing up mucus at random times?
Aspiration pneumonia would present with a yellow/green mucus. Often with a rather foul smell. It’s an infection caused by something foreign going in the lungs and not being cleared. It allows for a bacterial infection.
Have you had any CD4 tests between first diagnosis and it now being 346? While it is a big drop having COVID can impact your CD4 count – especially if your CD4 test was around this time. Do you know your current viral load?
Coughing up mucus is not uncommon while pregnant. Sometimes being pregnant women become more sensitive to certain types of food. Avoiding this should lessen your coughing. To figure this out you will need to speak with a doctor.
Being pregnant will not stop your medication working.
Josh.
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