Input please

[defmunel]

I've had phlegm for 5 months. Could be related to pregnancy, but gp says its a virus. Well yesterday I came down with a sore throat and sneezing. Sounds like a virus, yes. BUT, everytime I brush my teeth, and I spit up the mucous (I gag when I brush my teeth) I have specs of blood. Not from my gums...at least I'm pretty sure. But if I cough up the mucous or web gag it up when I'm not brushing my teeth, there is no blood. I worry that I'm getting throat cancer or something. I hate going to the gp because she always says its a virus. What do you think is going on? Should I give it more time?

[lalouba_jane]

Have you been coughing a lot since you've had this issue? Even a small amount of excess coughing can irritate the lining of the throat enough for small traces of blood.

When you say specks of blood is it red? Or brown/rust coloured (older blood)?

The phlegm could be caused by one of many things but the most likely is either allergies or something called Post Nasal Drip.

You might have a mild dust or pollen allergy that you hadn't experienced before as some of us develop an intolerance to airborne allergens the older we get for no reason whatsoever! This year I had hayfever for the first time in my entire life and managed to convince myself I had lung cancer from all the coughing! I was petrified but looking back it seems so silly that I obsessed over it so much.

Post Nasal Drip is another consideration - Google it (it isn't deadly so googling shouldn't be a panic trigger here) and see if the symptoms ring any bells :)

[defmunel]

Ive been told many times I have pnd I use to take Flonase but can't since I'm pregnant.

My husband told to to stop brushing my tongue and see if the results are the same.

I want to think logically about this, but when symptoms last for so long, it's hard to ignore them. :(

[Cobra]

No blood unless you brush? That kind of implies it is brushing related. I spit up blood once a month or so ago. My sinuses had bled during the night. Freaked me out tho. We need to do what doctors and normal people do. Start with the simplest ailment, in this case bleeding gums, and work our way up. Hypochondriacs always start with the worst, cancer, and work their way down. We get to the same end, bleeding gums, but have a whole lot of needless anguish in the process.