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drowning in my CPAP mask

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Posted by EnglishEric on April 05, 2011 at 07:35:46:

Hi Guys, I haven't posted for a while - have been doing OK and luckily only have moderate OSA with pressures usually between 7 and 8 on my APAP. About a year ago I had an extremely dry throat which seemed to close up and cause problems - so I saw the local ENT consultant and got a magic spray (steroid/anti-inflammatory) - I also obtained heated humidifiers for all my machines. This seemed to work. I still had problems for the first hour or so each day but was pretty trouble free for the rest of the day. However about a week ago I developed a very painful sore throat, dry cough and swollen uvula or closed in throat - my GP said I don't need ant-biotics and that it is due to the CPAP - almost said get used to it - this is after 5 years and 10,000 hours on CPAP. However, the last three nights have progressively got worse with the pressure air passing over the inflamed areas and causing me to wake with a mouthful of sticky fluid which I cannot swallow against the air pressure. It is the stuff panic attacks are made of - I have to keep tissues handy to get rid of it quick before I drown - by the way, there is minimal moisture in the mask from the humidifier. It got so bad last night that I took the mask off at 2 am for 3 hours and this is the first time I have laid in bed without a mask since 2006, I didn't sleep but crucically I didn't drown in my own fluids. There is no doubt that my life-saving CPAP equipment is responsible for the recent worsening but not necessarily implicated in the initial problem.

I need urgent help from anyone out there who has had this and resolved it, any help will be appreciated, tablets, creams, sprays, syrups etc. I have been referred to a new local sleep clinic but that could take weeks unless I pay through the nose - and when it comes down to it, the sleep doctors often know less than you guys. Kind Regards Eric

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Subject : Re: drowning in my CPAP mask

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