Can tramadol cause excess phlegm

Answer 1

Yes tramadol can cause excess or unusual phlegm production. Antihistamines, mucolytics and other secretion reducing medication seems to have no impact on this effect, suggesting it's due to a separate mechanism not covered by traditional phlegm medicines.

I've had chronic phlegm for about 3 years now. It seemed to start while I was on tramadol. I'd wake up in the night drowning in it. Sheets of phlegm would flow down and coat my airways. When I stopped tramadol the phlegm changed but it never went away. It remained but more sticky and usually in the upper pharynx. Equally as annoying but at least it I didn't drown in it at night. Over the next years I saw GP's and tried every allergy, sinus, mucous medicine known, including steroid sprays. Few made any small change, and quickly became ineffective like the rest. The only one with a bit more promise has been Demazin but that too lost effectiveness and the phlegm took back its ground.

Just over the past weeks I've had to go back on tramadol, one tablet a day, and quickly the chronic phlegm changed back from the sticky upper pharynx type, to the incessant pouring down the throat during the day, to the more dry and sticky sheets of phlegm down the throat and trachea at night. I stopped the tramadol three days ago and this type of phlegm has continued relentlessly. It's driving me crazy so this is how I ended up answering your question.

I take the Grunenthal brand, I wonder if it's the tramadol proper or if it's tableting aids or the capsule itself. I have no major Allergies except mild dust allergy, but while on tramadol it seems to suppress this. Some sources cite it as an immunosuppressant so I wouldn't say the phlegm is from sensitisation.